The Last Will and Testament
of
WILLIAM GREGORY
November 24, 1751
North Carolina Pasquotank County
In the name of God Amen. I WILLIAM GREGORY of the County a foresaid being in good health and perfect mind and memory thanks be given to God there fore I do this day in the twenty year of reign of our souverign Lord KING GEORGE ye —- and in ye years of our Lord one Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty one do make and publish this my Last Will and Testament in form and manner as following that is to say
Imprimis. I commend my soul into ye hands of almighty God who gave it me and my body to the earth from whence it came in hopes of a joy full resurrection through the ???? of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and as for the worldly estate where with it has pleased God to bless me with I disspose here as follows
Item. I give and bequeath to my Grandaughter ANN GREGRORY Daughter of WILLIS GREGORY and ELISABETH his Wife and to her the heirs of her body lawfully begotten and if she die without issue of her body the same to return back one hundred acres of land a plantation called Hownens(?) Jonring(?) upon North River Swamp as the trees are marked one hundred acres more or less and if she dies with out heir of her body lawfully begotten the said land to return to my Son DEMPSEY GREGORY.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Grandaughter ANN GREGORY Daughter of WILLIS GREGORY and ELSABETH his Wife one negro woman named Hannah and one negro boy named Jephry(?)
Item. I leave the said land and ??? in the cear of my Son MARK GREGORY tell she come at age or marries
Item. I give and bequeath to my Son MARK GREGORY one hundred acres of land joyoing upon North River Swamp be the same more or less and to his heirs lawfully begotten of his body and if he the aforesaid MARK GREGORY die without heir then the said land return to my Daughter AFFIAH GREGORY the said land joining on JAMES GREGORYS line and as the trees are marked a long DEMPSEYS GREGORYS line where my Brother RICHARD GREGORY formerly did live.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Son MARK GREGORY three negroes namely one negro man named Daniel one negro woman named Phillis, one negro boy named Simon the said Negro woman having a young child named Sue for my Son MARK to keep tell it is six years of old and then to deliver to whom I shall give it hereafter the said negroes Daniel, Fillis and Simon to him the said MARK GREGORY and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten and if no heir of his body to my Daughter AFFIAH GREGORY.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Daughter AFFIAH GREGORY Fifty acres of land a place named Jonekin Town and Fifty joining upon JAMES GREGORY’S and the Widow TREWBLOODS and CORNELIUS KELFS and MARK GREGORY’S and DEMPSEY GREGORY lines as the trees are marked out be the same more or less
Item. I give and bequeath to my Daughter AFFIAH GREGORY three negros namely one negro man named Died, and one negro woman named Nan and one negro garl named Venes.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Daughter AFFIAH GREGORY one gray mare named Dimond to her and the heirs of her body lawfully begotten for ever and it she die with out heir of her body then the same to return to my Son MARK GREGORY.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Son DEMPSEY GREGORY one Hundred acres of land ?????? MARK GREGORY line and my Grandaughter lines ANN GREGORY and down the Indian line out back.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Son DEMPSAY GREGORY three negros namely one negro girl named Jeney and one negro boy named Charles and negro boy named Daniel and the first colt that Black Flanders brings and raises to be one year old and two year old heiffer that he clames and two sows and piggs to be delivered to him at twelve year old to him and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten for ever and if he the said DEMPSEY GREGORY die with out heir of his body the said plantation to return to my Son ISAAC GREGORY and the negros and chattels to be equally divided between my two Daughters MARY and LOVEY.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Daughter MARY GREGORY One Hundred acres of land laying in Broad Creek in the fork of Jacobs Swamp going by the name Broad Creek and down the main road and then a long ????? line and down to a corner tree of my Grandaughters ANN GREGORY.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Daughter MARY GREGORY one young negro woman named Vilet and her increase and the first horse coalt that my dark brown mare called Venes & bridle her Son’s(?) puter with when she comes at age or marris and one two year heffer that she clames the said land which I give to my Daughter MARY GREGORY is One Hundred acres be the same more or less as the trees are marked out to her and the heirs of her body lawfully begotten for ever and if she the said MARY GREGORY my Daughter die with out heir of her body then the said land of One Hundred more or less to my Daughter LOVEY GREGORY and the negro woman Vilet and her increase and movabels to be equally divided between ISAAC, DEMSEY, and LOVEY GREGORY.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Daughter LOVEY GREGORY Two Hundred and Twenty acres of land then runing through my woodland pasture joining on CORNELIUS KELFS line then running a strait corse as the trees are marked to the Indian line then down the Indian line to a corner at the main road ???? as the trees is marked down JACOB GREGORYS line to the said plantation called Brettenl-
Item. I give and bequeath to my Daughter LOVEY GREGORY one young negro woman named Barbara and her child and one young cow and calf and the first colt of the white mare that is had of Barnard the premises to her and the heirs of her body lawfully begotten for ever and if she die with out heir the said land to my Daughter MARY GREGORY and the said negros to be equally divided between ISAAC, DEMSEY and MARY GREGORY.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Loving Wife one Bond Servant woman Lyda during the time of her servetud and in crease of the said bond woman during time of there servetud.
Item. One negro man named Seasar during the time of her life and after wards to be sold and the money to my Son ISAAC GREGORY and one negro man named Sam during the time of her widow hood and the Bond woman that I have desposed of to return she and her ????? to my Son ISAAC GREGORY ——-(to dark to read)
Item. I give and bequeath to loving Wife one horse named Jack, one bank(?) horses —————(to dark)called Hazard one bay ???? mair one brown mare called ???
Item. I give and bequeath to my Loving Wife my riding horse called Jessum and all my hoggs sowing two sows and piggs for my Son ISAAC GREGORY the hoggs and horses to pay my debts with
Item. I give and bequeath to my Loving Wife ten head of sheep taking the first choice out of the flock.
Item. I give to my Wife two part of my household goods and the remainder part to be equally divided amon all my children that is now alive and if they cant agree among themselves to devid the said houshold goods they must chuse two men to do it for them.
Item. I give and bequeath all my stock of cattle to be equally devided between my Wife and all my children.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Son ISAAC GREGORY my Plantation where on I now live containing by estimation Two Hundred and Eighty acres joining on my Daughter LOVEY GREGORYS line up strate to the Indian Town line and as the Indian Town line goes to JONTHIN JONES then joining upon EDWARD JAMESES line then down to Ivey Neck a corner tree of CORNELIUS JONESES then down as the ditch goes to Ivey Point to a corner tree.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Son ISAAC GREGORY one negro man named Sam at the day of my Wifes marrage or death. Item(One negro boy named Seasar of age sixteen and one negro garl named Sarah and one young mare named Flander and my gun and saddle and bridle and my new beaver hatt and two likely young sows and piggs
Item. I give and bequeath to my Daughter MARY GREGORY one young negro girl named Sue.
Item. I will that my Loving Wife shall have her Lifetime one half of my Plantation whereon I now live and half the horse-(?) thereon.
Item. What land and negros I have given to my Son ISAAC I give to him and his heirs lawfully begotten for ever and if he die with out heir of his body lawfully begotten the land to my Son DEMSEY GREGORY and the negros to be evenlly divided among the rest of my children.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Son MARK GREGORY all my wearing cloathes also I do nominate and appoint my Son MARK GREGORY and my Daughter AFFIAH GREGORY and my Loving Wife JUDITH GREGORY my whole and soul Exors. To this my Last Will and Testament and do hereby revoke make null and void all other wills and testaments heretofore by me in any wise maid ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament in Witness whereof I have here unto sett my hand and affixed my seal this 24th Day of November Anno Dom 1751.
Item. I having forgot to put in this my Last Will and Testament my Debts that is due to me which I give and bequeath to my Loving Wife all of my Debts and all my corn that is now housed for to pay the debts which I oe. Added to this before before seignd.
WILLIAM GREGORY His “O” Mark
Signed sealed and pronounced And declared by the said WILLIAM GREGORY As his Last Will and Testament in the presence of
JOSEPH JONES
JOHN RADING
North Carolina Pasquotank County April County Court 1752
Present His Majesties Justies
These may co?tess that the within Will was proved in Open Court by the Oaths of JOSEPH JONES and JOHN REDING Subscribing Evidones thereto in due form of law, and the within JUDITH GREGORY Exectrix was qualified as the Law directs.
Test. TAYLOR
Letters signed June 27, 1752
Contributed by Judy Merrel Brickhouse
(Transcribed as written, including errors in spelling and grammar.)