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North Carolina
Tyrrell County
Original Will at N. C. Archives
April 10, 1809
In the name of God Amen. The tenth day of April one thousand eight hundred and nine. I, John A. Melson of the state of North Carolina in the county of tyrrel, being very weak and sick but of perfect mind and memory thanks be to God for the same. And calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing it was once appointed for all men to die, do make & ordain this to be my last will and testament. First of all I give my soul to God that gave it & my body I recommend to the earth to be beauried in a Christian like manner. And calling to mind the worldly goods as wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life do give & dispose of in the manner & form following viz. -
Item. I give & bequeath to my beloved wife one bed & furniture
Item. I lend to my beloved wife Mary Melson the manner plantation whereon I now live during her natural life or widowhood - -
Item. I give to my beloved wife Mary Melson one mare two cows & calves three ewes & lambs
Item. The plantation and land whereon I now live to be equally divided between my two sons Elijah Melson and Pledger Melson - -
Item. The land that I had of Hoskins I give and bequeath to the child that my wife is now pregnant off if a boy if not for it to be sold & the money equally divided between all my children
Item. It is my will and desire for my wife to have liberty to get stave timber off the land that I had of Hoskins to get her support
Item. I give to my dear & well beloved daughter Mehala Melson one negro girl named Nancy
Item. I lend to my beloved wife Mary Melson one negro boy Obed during her natural life or widowhood. It is my will and desire for my executors to be empowered to sell at the best advantage one negro girl Kezah and to sell my boat for six, twelve and eighteen months credit, so all the remainder of my property both in doors & out to be sold at public auction
Item. One note of hand against Henry Flury which Edward Huning undertook to collect for me and saith that he has finally lost it, and as my executors shall know the sum of the note to be one hundred & ten pounds thirteen shillings and ten pence which has been on lawfull interest ever since November eighteen hundred & seven until paid. As my executors shall find witness for it as follows delivered to him in the presence of Samuel Devaull and saith that he finally lost it before Thomas Hunings & Robert Pledger. I likewise constitute & appoint my wife Mary Melson and James Hoskins my whole & sole executors & executrix of this my last will & testament. In witness whereof I the said John A. Melson have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and date above written
J. A. Melson
Test
John Pledger
Robert Pledger
Susan Clayton
Polly (her mark) Sawyer
Tyrrell County June Term 1809
This will was proved in ? ? of court by the oaths of John Pledger & Robert Pledger two subscribing witnesses
C. Merritt Clk
This will was contested by the heirs of sd deceased and ordered for trial at next September term & the above probate
erased by order of court
C. Merritt Clk
Minutes
Tyrrell County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions
June Session 1809
The last will and testament of Jno. A. Melson Esqr. was proved in court by the oath of John Pledger & Robert Pledger filed & contested.
Ordered that Benjamin Spruill chairman of the court be appointed guardian pro tem to the heirs of John A. Melson Esqr.
Ordered that Polly Melson have leave of administratrix {? - legal term} on the estate of John A. Melson Esqr. deceased and has given bond in the sum of one thousand pounds John Alexandr Constable and Joseph Pledger securities.
Ordered that Polly Melson have leave to sell the perishable estate of John A. Melson and make return to next court.
September Session 1809
Ordered that Polly Melson widdow of John A. Melson have leave to administrate on the estate of her said deceased husband and has given bond in the sum of five hundred pounds Robert Pledger and John Alexander Capt. securities.
Polly Melson returned in court on oath the inventory and account of sales of the estate of John A. Melson deceased filed.
Ordered that Thomas Leigh Esqr. John Alexander William Combs and Samuel Spruill be appointed to lay off a years allowance to Mrs. Polly Melson out of the estate of John A. Melson deceased and make return to next court.
December Session 1809
The years allowance made to Polly Melson out of the estate of her deceased husband by the commissioners appointed by the court was returned by Thomas Leigh Esqr. to amount $64.76.
October Session 1811
Ordered Polly Melson be appointed guardian to Elijah P. Melson Pledger Melson & Mahalah Ann Melson and has given bond in the sum of five hundred pounds Robert Pledger & Thomas Hunnings securities.
Ordered that Samuel Spruill Thomas Leigh Esqrs. and William Combs be appointed to audite and settle the estate of John A. Melson deceased & make due return.
January Session 1812
Robert Pledger returned in court the audited account of John A. Melson deceased in order to be filed.
April Session 1816
Robert Pledger returned into court two accounts of sales of rent of land and hire of negroes (as marked on the back) belnging to the estate of Jno. A. Melson.
January Session 1817
An account of the hire of negroes & land belonging to the heirs of John Melson was returned to court on oath & filed.
The guardian account of the heirs of Jno. A. Melson deeased was returne in court by Robt. Pledger for Mary Melson the guardian and that she be allowed twenty eight dollars for ? her three children until 1st day of January 1817 as per account filed.
January Session 1818
The accounts of sales and guardian accounts of the heirs of Jno. and William Melson deceased was returned in court by Robert J. Pledger Esquire filed.
October Session 1819
Abram Pledger was appointed guardian to Pledger Melson & Mahala Melson orphans of John Melson deceased and entered into bonds with approved security ordered that he receive the estate of said orphans into his possession & account for the same as the law directs.
January Session 1820
Ordered that Abraham Pledger guardian to Mahala Melson be allowed the sum of nine dollars & ninety four cents for clothing said Mahala Melson for 1819 as per acount filed.
Account of sales of the hire of negroes & rent of land belonging to the heirs of John Melson deceased was returned on oath by Abram Pledger guardian amount net proceeds $30.25 & filed.
January Session 1821
Account sales of the hire of negroes belonging to the heirs of John Melson was returned to court on oath & filed.
Ordered that Abram Pledger guardian to Pledger & Mahala Melson be allowed the sum of seven dollars eighty seven & 1/2 cents for that amount ? Leml. Basnight for said Pledger & Mahala Melson as per account allowed by the court & filed.
January Session 1822
An account sales of the hire of negroes & rent of lands belonging to the heirs of John Melson deceased was returned to court for the year 1822 & filed.
April Session 1822
The following guardians appeared in open court & renewed their guardian bonds agreeable to the act of assembly in that case made &
provided as follows viz. - -
Abram Pledger guardian to Mahala Melson
Abram Pledger guardian to Peledge Melson
April Session 1823
Account sales of the hire of negroes belonging to the heirs of John Melson deceased was returned on oath & filed.
April Session 1824
The account of the division of the lands belonging to John Melson deceased between the heirs and the division of the negroes belonging to the estate of John Melson deceased were severally examined and ordered to be filed.
North Carolina Archives
Loose Estate Papers
Tyrrell County (C.R.096.508.33), Box 33
Melson, John A., 1809
Summons dated 27 Jun 1809 and issued 28 Jun 1809 for Jno. Pledger Robert Pledger Polly Sawyer & ? Clayton to appear at next court and testify in behalf of John Melson's heirs in a suit wherein Jno. Melson's heirs are plaintiffs and Polly Melson widdow is defendant concerning a disputed will.
Bond dated 28 Jun 1809 in the amount of one thousand pounds in which Polly Melson is appointed administratrix of the estate of John A. Melson deceased, John Alexander & Joseph Pledger securities.
Bond dated 27 Sep 1809 in the amount of five hundred pounds in which Polly Melson is appointed administratrix of the estate of John A. Melson deceased, John Alexander & Robert Pledger securities.
Laying off of the years allowance of the widow Polly Melson relict of John Melson deceased out of the estate of said deceased on 5 Dec 1809.
Bond dated 15 Oct 1811 in the amount of five hundred pounds appointing Polly Melson guardian of Elijah P. Melson Pledger Melson & Mahalah Melson orphans of John Melson deceased, Robert Pledger & Thomas Hunnings securities.
Account of Mary Melson, guardian, in 1816 for the schooling of Elijah Pledger & Mahala Melson orphans of John A. Melson.
Account of sale of the rent of land and hire of negroes belonging to the orphans of John A. Melson deceased for one year January the 1st 1817. Mary Melson rents the plantation, negroe girl Kazah and child, boy Obed and girl Nancy.
Account of sales and guardian accounts of the hire of negroes and rents of land for one year from the 1st of January 1818 of the heirs of John A. Melson deceased hired 1st January 1818 by the guardian, Mary Melson. Lists negroe girl Kazah and child, boy Obed and girl Nancy.
Bond dated 12 Oct 1819 in the amount of two thousand dollars appointing Abram Pledger guardian of Pledger Melson orphan of John Melson deceased, Frederick Alexander & Selby Pledger securities. Renewed Apr Term 1822.
Bond dated 1 Apr 1822 in the amount of two thousand dollars appointing Abram Pledger guardian of Pledger Melson orphan of John Melson deceased, Frederick Davenport & John Roughton securities.
Bond dated 1 Apr 1822 in the amount of two thousand dollars appointing Abram Pledger guardian of Mahala Melson orphan of John Melson deceased, Frederick Davenport & John Roughton securities.
Petition April Term 1823 by Elijah P. Melson Pledger Melson & Mehaly Melson heirs of John Melson by their guardian Abram Melson showing that they are entitled as heirs and distributees of said John to a tract of land bounded by the Albemarle Sound (north), the heirs of William Melson (south), Abram Alexander (west), Joseph McClees (east), Wm. Wescott & Thos. Hopkins. They are also entitled to negroes Obed, Kazah, Nancy, Hetty & Aaron. They pray a division be ordered by the court. It was granted.
Transcriber's Notes:
A Polly Melson is cited as the daughter of Joseph Pledger in Joseph's 1807 will. Several of the sons mentioned in his will are
cited above as guardians and securities on bonds. It is therefore likely that the maiden name of Polly Melson was Pledger.
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