The Last Will and Testament of
JAMES B. PRITCHARD
March 23, 1883-May 9, 1883
In the name of God Amen.
I JAMES B. PRITCHARD being at this time of sound and disposing mind and memory do make publish and declare the following to be my Last Will and Testament, hereby revoking and annulling all others heretofore made by me.
First: I give to my Wife LOUISA for and during the period of her natural life, all my personal and real estate of whatever kind and description.
Second: I give and bequeath to my Daughter POLLY and my Son JAMES all my personal property household and kitchen furniture that maybe remaining after the death of my Wife LOUISA.
Third: I give and bequeath to my Son JAMES after the death of my Wife LOUISA , the tract of land whereon I now reside together with a tract of land which I purchased of Ephraim Harris and Timothy Black and is known as the “Clark Land”
Fourth: I give and bequeath to my Daughter POLLY after the death of my Wife LOUISA the tract of land known as the “Sexton Land” said to contain about Thirty Two acres.
Fifth: I give to my Grandson BERTRAM PRITCHARD after the death of my Wife LOUISA, the tract of land in Perquimans County lying on the Cove Road and known as the “Gilbert Land” and said to contain Forty Nine and One Half acres.
Sixth: I give and bequeath to my Grand children ANNA E. PERRY and LAURA PERRY the sum of Ten dollars each, to be paid in the following manner Ten Dollar to ANNA E. PERRY by my Daughter POLLY and Ten dollars to LAURA PERRY by my Son JAMES.
Seventh: I give to my Daughter HARRIET ANN MILLER the sum of Three Hundred Dollars to be paid in the following manner: One Hundred Dollars by my Daughter POLLY and Two Hundred Dollars to be paid by my Son JAMES.
Eighth: I hereby nominate and appoint my Son JAMES PRITCHARD to be executor of this my Last Will and Testament, This March 23, 1883.
JAMES B. PRITCHARD
Signed in the presence of and at the request of JAMES B. PRITCHARD whose name appears above and also in the presence of each other.
ARTHUR PRITCHARD
W.F. PRITCHARD
State of North Carolina
Pasquotank County
In the Probate Court
A paper purporting to be the Last Will and Testament of JAMES B. PRITCHARD deceased is exhibited before me the undersigned Judge of Probate for said County, by LOUISA PRITCHARD widow, of the said deceased and the due execution thereof proven on oath & examination of Arthur Pritchard and W.F. Pritchard, the subscribing witnesses thereof who being duly sworn doth depose and say and each for himself saith that he is a subscribing witness to the paper writing now shown him purporting to be the Last Will and Testament of JAMES B. PRITCHARD that the said JAMES B. PRITCHARD, in the presence of these deponents subscribed his name at the end of the same paper writing which is now shown as aforesaid, and which be on date of the 23rd day of March 1883. And the deponent further saith that at the time when said testator subscribed his name to the said Last Will as aforesaid and at the time of the deponents subscribing his name as an attesting witness thereto as aforesaid the said JAMES B. PRITCHARD was of sound mind and memory, of full age to execute a Will, and was not under any restraint to the knowledge information or belief of this deponent.
And further then deponents say that the executor named in said Will and the 8th clause thereof is not of full age, being only about Sixteen years old.
Arthur Pritchard seal
W.F. Pritchard seal
Severally sworn and subscribed
This 9th day of May 1883.
J.P. Overman
Judge of Probate
Now therefore it is considered that the said paper writing is proven in due form of law, and it is adjudged that the same and every part thereof is the Last Will and Testament of JAMES B. PRITCHARD deceased, and it is ordered that the same be recorded
J.P. Overman
Judge of Probate
Contributed and transcribed by Judy Merrell Brickhouse
(Transcribed as written, including errors in spelling and grammar.)