Category: Wills and Estate Records

THOMAS GREGORY (1740 Will)

The Last Will and Testament of

THOMAS GREGORY

April 10, 1736

In the name of God Amen. I THOMAS GREGORY of Pasquotank Preseink for North Carolina Planter. Being ??? perfect mind & memory Thanks be given unto God almighty. Calling to mind the mortality of my body knowing that its appointed for all men once to die do make & ordain this my Last Will & Testament that is to say ??????? first of all I give & recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave to & for my Body I recommend to ???? to be buried in a Christian like desent manner ????? descretion of my Executor nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God. & as touching such worldly estate whorwith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner following.

Imprimis. I give & bequeath unto my Son NATHAN GREGORY his heirs & assigns for ever all my manner plantations where I now dwell & half of a certain tract of land containing two hundred & sixty seven acres lying on ye head of the Eataron(?)(Edenton?) Branch of Arronuse Croock on ye NE side of Pasquotank River ??? ye’s County aforsd. As more fully appoint(?) by ye pattent afore?? To be equally divided between my Sons NATHAN & SAMPSON without hurting one another after my dis??? & ??????? Son NATHAN should die without issue ye aforsaid manner plantation with it go two hundred & sixty seven acres should fall to my Son SAMPSON & his heirs forever. ???? Son SAMPSON should die without issue the aforsaid tract of land shall fall to my Son JACOB & his heirs for ever.

Item. I give & bequeath unto my Son JACOB aka JOB after my diseas my negro man Tonsy.

Item. I also give & bequeath —— my Son RICHARD GREGORY five shillings current money to RICHARD by my Executors (can’t make out rest ink has bled through)

Item. I give and bequeath unto my Son WILLIAM GREGORY five shillings current money to be paid by my executors herein after mentioned—

Item. I also give & bequeath ???? my Grandson FREDZICK GREGORY five shillings current money to be paid by my executors herein after mentioned.

Item. I give & bequeath after my deseas unto my Son JACOB GREGORY, ELISABETH GODFRE, JOB GREGORY, SAMPSON GREGORY, NATHAN GREGORY, PRISILLARY GRAY all my moveable estate to be equally divided after my desseas to the above mentioned—–

Item. I do also constiute & ordain my well beloved Son JACOB GREGORY with my Son JOB GREGORY to be my only and sole Executors of this my Last Will & Testament Disallowing & disannuling all other former wills ratifying & confirming only this to be my Last Will & Testament In witness whereof I have set my hand and seal this tenth day of April in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven Hundred & thirty Six

THOMAS GREGORY His “T” Mark

Signed sealed published Pronounced & declard in Presence of us The day & year above written

JOHN BELL

JO. ROBERTS

JOHNN BEERCOCK

June 23d 1740

Came befor me JOHN BELL & made oath that he saw THOMAS GREGORY sign seal & publish the above as his Last Will & Testament that he was of sound mind & memory at that time & that JOHN ROBERTS & JOHN BEERCOCK signd as witnesses thereto at the same time. JACOB GREGORY took the oath appointed by Court to be taken by Executors.

Will Probated June 30, 1740

Contributed and transcribed by Judy Merrell Brickhouse

(Transcribed as written, including errors in spelling and grammar.)­­­

 

MARGAROT GREGORY (1753 Will)

The Last Will and Testament

of

MARGAROT GREGORY

February 3 1749

In the name of God Amen. I MAGARET GREGORY Widow of Pasquotank County in the Province of North Carolina being in perfect health & memory thanks be given unto God. Therefore calling unto Mind the Mortallity of my Body do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in the manner and form following.

Item. I give & bequeath unto my well beloved Son RICHARD GREGORY one negro man named Charles to him and the children he had by his first Wife and their heirs for ever.

Item. I give to my well beloved Son JAMES GREGORY one negro girl named Hannah and her increase to him and his heirs forever.

Item. I give unto my well beloved Son JOHN GREGORY one negro boy named Joshua to him and the children he has by his first Wife to him and their heirs for ever.

Item. I give unto my beloved Son CALEB GREGORY one negro woman named Priscilla she and her future increase to him and his heirs for ever.

Item. I give and bequeath to my well beloved Daughter MARY UMPHRY’S one shilling sterling to her and her heirs for ever.

Item. I give unto my well beloved Daughter MARGARET BARL??Y one negro woman named Sue and her increase to her & her heirs for ever.

Item. I give unto my well beloved Daughter SARAH GRANDY one negro woman Wroth and her future increase to her & the heirs of her body for ever.

Item. I give unto my Grandaughter SARAH UNPHERIS one negro boy named Isaac to her and the heirs of her body for ever.

And I do hereby uttorly disallow revoke and disanul all and every other formor Testaments or Wills by me in any ways before named ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament and my Son JAMES GREGORY afore named I constitute and ordain my sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the Day and Year above written.

MARAGOT GREGORY Her Mark

Signed, sealed and Delivered In the Presence of

JAMES FORBES

ELIZABETH FORBES

REBECCA HARDING Her X mark

July 16, 1753

Contributed by Judy Merrel Brickhouse

(Transcribed as written, including errors in spelling and grammar.)

 

THOMAS FURBISH (1732 Will)

THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

OF 

THOMAS FURBISH
April 26, 1732

In the Name of God Amen the twenty Six Day of April one thousand seven hundred
thirty two I THOMAS FURBISH of the precinct of Pasquotank in the province of N. Carolina being sick in body but of perfect memory praised be Almighty God for the same & knowing it is appointed for all men once to Die Do make ordain constitute arthorise and confirm this my proper Last Will and Testament Disanuling & disalowing renounceing & revokeing all and every other will or wills testaments gift or gifts legacied or legacies or anything of that nature by me formerly made given or bequeathed ratyfying & confirming this and no other to be my proper Last Will and Testament in manner & form following.

First I restore my Soul into the hands of God my Saviour and my body to be buried in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executor hereafter named.

Item. I give to my two Sons WILLIAM FURBISH & THOMAS FURBISH all my lands my Son WILLIAM to have my plantation in his part to be equally divided between them to them and their heirs for ever. The land to THOMAS BURGES excepted for his life & his Wives widowhood.

Item. I give to my Son ISAAC FURBISH three cows & calves & my bed whereon I lye after my Wives decease

Item. I give to my Son WILLIAM FURBISH one cow & calf & my couch

Item. I give to my Son THOS. FURBISH one cow & calf & my mill

Item. I give & bequeath to my Dearly beloved Wife ABIGAIL FURBISH all the rest of my estate freely by her to be possessed & enjoyed after my debts is paid and discharged.

Item. I leave to THOMAS BURGES the land whereon he lives for his life time and to his Wife MARY BURGES for her widowhood after his decease from the walnut tree North course to the swamp & from the walnut tree a South Course to the lane. I likewise make ordain & confirm him the said THOMAS BURGES my whole and sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have set my hand & fixed my seal the day and year above written.
                                                                                                 THOMAS FURBISH
                                                                                                     His x mark

Signed sealed published pronounced and
Declared in the presence of

ALICE FURBISH
Her x mark

MARY JONES
Her x mark

JUDA HANBURY
Her x mark

Pasquotank Proc. July Court 1732
The above Will was proved in open Court by
Evidences thereto

Lres grant Nov. 13th 1734

Contributed and transcribed by Judy Merrell Brickhouse

(Transcribed as written, including errors in spelling and grammar.)

 

JOHN FRESHWATER (1753 Will)

THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

OF
JOHN FRESHWATER
April 9, 1753

Know ye that I JOHN FRESHWATER of the County of Pasqutank being sick & week in body but of sound mind and memory thanks be to God. Theirfore calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain thease preseats to contain my Last Will and Testament that is to say first of all I gave and recommend my soul unto the hands of God that gave it and my body to the Earth to be buried in desent Christain maner at the discretion of my Executors hearafter named and as touching such worldly estate whear with it hath pleased God to bles me with in this life I gave devise dispose of the same in the following manner and form this 9 Day of Aprel 1753.

Item. I gave and bequath unto my Sun WILLIAM ARMSTED one platashon lying in Richman County with all the land thereunto belonging to him and his heirs or assigns for ever.

Item. I gave and bequave unto my Sun JOHN FRESHWATER one plantashon lyin on the ??? Richman lying on mastiey(?) ??? to him and his heirs or assigns for ever.

Item. I gave and bequath unto my loving Wife all remirter part of my estate to her during her life and then to bee equaly devided between all my children WILLIAM ARMSTED FRESHWATER and my Sun JOHN and ELIZABETH and my Dafter FRANCES ARMSTED FRESHWATER and my after of ??? after my just debts and funrer charges be ??? my loving Wife ELIZABETH FRESHWATER and my Sun WILLIAM ARMSTED FRESHWATER Executor and Executrix of this my Last Will and Testament, I do hear by disllow revoke disnull all and every other former testaments wills ??? Excutors by me in any wise before named willed and bequath ratifing and confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament in witness whear of I set my hand and seal the day and year above written

                                                    JOHN FRESHWATER

Test. JOSEPH PENDELTON
ABRAHAM HOSEA

North Carolina
Pasquotank County
July Court Anno Dom 1753

Present his Majestys Justises

These may Certifie that ABRAHAM HOSEA one of the Evidences to the within will appeared in open Court & made Oath on the Holy Evangelist that he was present & saw JOHN FRESHWATER sign seal publish & declare the within to be & contain his Last Will & Testament & that he the said JOHN FRESHWATER was at that time of sound & disposing memory & that he also saw JOSEPH PENDLETON & ANN PENDLETON the other Evidences sign their names thereto at the same time then appeared ELIZABETH FRESHWATER Executrix & was duly Qualified as such ordered
that the Honorable JAMES MURRAY Esq. Secretary have notice that Letters may issue thereon as the law directs dated at the Clerks office the 11th Day of July Anno Dom 1753

Test. THOS. TAYLOR ck.court

True Coppy Test. THO. TAYLOR JA. MURRAY

Letters iss’d the 6th day of 8ber 1753

Contributed and transcribed by Judy Merrell Brickhouse
(Transcribed as written, including errors in spelling and grammar.)