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.)