Will of
CHARLES WRIGHT
1772
In the name of God amen.
The seventeenth day of January one thousand seven hundred and seventy two I Charles Wright of the county of Pasquotank and province of North Carolina planter, being very sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory God be thanked and calling to mind the frailty and mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed once for all men once to die. Do make and ordain this my last will and testament and as touching this worly estate whence with it hath pleased God to bless me within this life I give and dispose of in the manner and form following.
Item: I give and bequeath to my loving wife Anna Wright two negroes to wit F__ and Genne, also two good feather beds and furniture, one fifteen bottle case and one safe and one bead chest and one looking glass, one ball faced mare and one rone horse and one young halton named Jockey and all my hogs and two cows and calves, four ewes, one large puter dish and one half gallon bason and one small quart bason and all at he earthen ware and all my chairs and one small oval table and one eight gallon pot and one four gallon pot, one tea kettle and one baking kettle and one dutch wheel and one great wheel and pr cards and one dozen spoons. Also I leave to my beloved wife Anna the use of my houses and plantation whereon I live and timber to support it during her widowhood. Also I leave to my said wife the use of my negro boy Lemeck during her wodowhood.
Item: I give and bequeath to my son Auguston Wright on condition he shall make over all his right in the land I shall mention and I give to his other brothers, to each one he shall make a title and also to make over his right in that part I give to his sister he compling with the above conditions. Then I give to my said son Auguston Wright and his heirs forever one hundred acres of land be the same more or less buted and bounded by a ditch across the plantation and a branch to the beaver dam and from the ditch down chesnut oak glade to Smiths line and if my sd son Auguston Wright shall refuse to comply with the above condition. Then I give and bequeath the aforesaid land to be equally divided between his other brothers born of Mary my first wife. Also I give to my sd son Auguston Wright one bay mare and several other things he has all ready in his possession.
Item: I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Cartwright a piece of land called Sattle neck binding on the beaver dam and across the mouth for fifty acres of land be the same more or less to her and her heirs forever and one cow and calf and all that I have given her in possession. Also I give to my Dughter Elizabeth one negro girl named Dol.
Item: I give and bequeath to my son Levy Wright one young sarrol horse. Also I leave to my aforesaid son Levy the use of fifty acres of land lying in Richneck binging on the beaver dam during his natural life and after his decease to my son Auguston Wright to him and his heirs forever. Also I give to my sd son Levy one feather bed and furniture and one small gun.
Item: I give and bequeath to my two sons Charles Wright and Lot Wright the remainder of my land that is not given away to be equally divided between them and their heirs forever. Lot having his part in the plantation that I have reserved to my wife. Also I give to my sd two sons each of them a feather bed and same furniture. Also I give to my son Charles Wright two three year old heifers. Also I give to my son Lot Wright two two year old heifers. Also I give after my wifes decease or marriage one negro boy named Lemeck equally to my two aforesaid sons Charles and Lot Wright. Also I give to my son Charles one large gun.
Item: I give and bequeath to my son Zecekiah Wright one negro boy named Luke.
Item: I give and bequeath to my daughters Alameth Wright, Anna Wright and Miriam Wright one negro girl named Hagan and her increase to be equally divided among the aforesaid girls when the youngest comes to age of twenty one or would have come to that age.
Item: I leave the remainder of my estate to my wife Anna Wright in consideration for her to raise my five youngest children and pay all my just debts and also constitute and appoint my loving wife and John Squires executor and executrix to this my last will and testament. Ratifying and confirming this and no other to contain my last will and testament and I do disanul and revoak other will or wills made by me in witness here of I have here unto set my hand and seal.
Charles Wright (seal)
Signed, sealed, published and declared by me Charles Wright to be my last will and testament in presence of:
Isaac Gilford, jurat
William Wright jur.
Asa Burgess
Contributed by Harry Schoettle