Return to Tyrrell Co Wills Introduction & Table of ContentsIn the name of God amen: I Thomas Owens of the State of North Carolina & County of Tyrrell being sick of body though perfect in mind & memory thanks be given to God calling to mind the mortality of my body & knowing that it is appointed to all men once to die do make & ordain this my last will & Testament, that is to say principally and first of all my soul I recomend unto the hands of Almighty God that gave it & my body I commend to the Earth to be buried in Christian burial at the discretion of my exeur. Hereafter to be named nothing doubting but at the general resurection I shall receive the same again by the power of God as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life. I give devise & dispose of in the manner & form following. - - - -
Item - I give & bequeath to my loving son Isaac Owens one negroe man named Mingo & one negro girl named Bet already received & one half of a cypress swamp lying to the southward of the plantation whereon I now live joining his own swamp and a piece of land in Briery Hall that I bought of John Foster.
Item - I bequeath & give to my loving son Ammon Owens one negro man named Quack one negro boy named Lewis already received & the other half of Cypress Swamp lying to the Southward & Westward of my plantation whereon I now live and a piece of land in Briery Hall that I bought of Joshua Gard.
Item - I give & bequeath to my loving daughter Sally Alexander one negro boy named Jupiter which I give her liberty to sell & put to her own use one negro woman named Kate to her & her heirs lawfully begotten of her body.
Item - I give & bequeath to my loving daughter Patty Galloway one negro woman named Sook & one negro boy named Menas to her & her heirs lawfully begotten of her body & one piece of land called the Ash Ridge lying to the Southward of the Piney Ridge and the Westward end fifty acres.
Item - I give & bequeath to my loving daughter Milly Spruill one negro woman named Daul one negro boy named Simon to her & her heirs lawfully begotten of her body & one piece of land called the broken land up to the Branch where the farm now stands to conclude twenty acres with all the clared ground joining his own.
Item - I give & bequeath to my loving daughter Cyntha Prichard one negro woman named Chloe & one negro boy named Peter to her & her heirs lawfully begotten of her body.
Item - I give & bequeath to my loving daughter Fanny Browns heirs which named Nancy Phelps and Gracey Brown one negro girl named Rachel to be sold by the or my executors & the money equally divided between them.
Item - I give & bequeath to my loving wife Gracey Owens one negro man named Pomp & one feather bed & furniture and one muskett to be at her disposal & now I lend my wife Gracey Owens the plantation whereon I now live & all the goods & Chattals & negroes in doors & out doors during her natural life or widowhoodd and after her desease I give to my son Isaac Owens one half of negro boy Jack & the other half to my son Ammon Owens & also the plantation whereon I now live running to the river & then I give to my daughter Sally Alexander one negro girl named Urit & then I give to my loving daughter Patty Galloway one negro woman named Esther & then I give to my daughter Milly Spruill one negro woman named Eda, & then I give to my loving daughter Cyntha Pritchete one negro boy named Pomp the son of Eesther & whatsoever my wife leaves of my property at her death to be equally divided between my two sons Ammon Owens & Isaac Owens. And now I hereby constitute & appoint my loving wife Gracey Owens & my son Isaac Owens my whole & sole Executors this my last will & Testament - Disalowing & making & void all other wills by me theretofore named but do constitute make & ordain this & no other to be my last will & testament. Signed Sealed & delivered by the testator to be & contain my last will & testament in presents of us and in the presents of each other that have hereunto subscribed our names this 26th day of December 1817. - - -
Thomas Owens (Seal)
Attes William Owens JUR.
Ammon Owens
Proved by Wm. Owens JR. Record. By James Wood Clk.
Minutes
Tyrrell County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions
October Session 1818
The last will & testament of Thomas Owens was exhibited & proved in open court by the oath of William Owens Esqr. one of the subscribing witnesses thereto at the same time appeared Isaac Owens the executor therein named & qualified agreeable to law ordered that letters testamentary issue thereon with a coppy of the will annexed & that he receive the estate of said deceased into his possession & account for the same as the law directs.
January Session 1819
A inventory of the estate of Thos. Owens was returned to court on oath & filed.
July Session 1819
An account sales of a negro girl belonging to the estate of Thomas Owens deceased was returned to court by the executor proved & filed amount $150.
North Carolina Archives
Loose Estate Papers
Tyrrell County (C.R.096.508.38), Box 38
Owens, Thomas, 1826
Petition Spring Term 1826 by Isaac Owens, Ammon Owens, Henry Galloway & wife Martha and Charles Alexander & Hardy Alexander, Robert Alexander & Abram Alexander by their guardian Ephraim Mann and Josiah McCoy and Mandy and Gracey Brown showing they are tenants in common of a tract of land on the east side of Great Alligator River, being the undivided land of Thomas Owens deceased, which the petitioners are solely entitled to. They are asking for a division of this land.
Petition Spring Term 1840 by James Owens stating that Thomas Owens, late of Tyrrell County, died seized and possessed of a tract of land on the east side of Great Alligator River and back of Laurel Bay adjoining the lands of Joseph Owens and James Owens. Thomas Owens died leaving the folowing heirs viz. Patsey Galloway, Ammon Owens, Uri Spruill and wife Milley, late Owens, {blank space} Brown and wife {blank space}, late Owens, Asa Pritchet & wife Cinthia, late Owens, and Isaac Owens, each of whom is entitled to one share. Since that time James Owens has purchased the share of Isaac Owens, and Ammon Owens is dead leaving his heirs at law Alexander Owens, Fanny wife of Zachariah Owens Sally Ann wife of Ashel Sikes, Wilson, Richard, Martha Ann & Hester Ann Owens to which last four Wm. Jarvis of Currituck is guardian. Milly Spruill is dead, her husband surviving, her heirs at law Settle T. Spruill & Patsey, wife of Jos. McKimmey. {Blank space} Brown and wife are dead leaving their heirs at law Fanny wife of Danl. Swain, Deborah wife of Danl. Owens & Downing Phelps. Cynthia Pritchet is dead, leaving heirs at law Thomas Pritchet, Nancy wife of A. H. Smith, Clarkey wife of Rowan Clow, Caroline & Ephraim, to which last two A. H. Smith is guardian. Petitioner submits that said land should be divided into six shares, one of which of right belongs to petitioner, one to Patsey Galloway, Alexander Owens, Fanny wife of Zachariah Owens, Sally Ann wife of Ashel Sikes, Wilson, Richard, Martha Ann & Hester Ann by their guardian Wm. Jarvis to one share, Settle T. Spruill & Patsey wife of Joseph McKimmey to one share, their father Uri being entitled to a life estate in their share, Fanny wife of Daniel Swain, Deborah wife of Daniel Owens & Downing Phelps to one share, and that Thomas Pritchett, Nancy wife of A. H. Smith, Clarkey wife of Rowan Clow, Caroline & Ephraim Pritchett by their guardian A. H. Smith is entitled to the remaining share. Petitioner desires a division of said land, which can't be done without a sale. Requests parties be summoned to show cause, if any, why a sale should not be had.
Transcriber's Notes:
Tyrrell County marriage bonds list the following relevant marriages:
Ammon Owens to Clarkey Alexander on 7 May 1810, Abram Alexander security.
Ammon Owens to Sally Ann Davis on 6 Mar 1820, Isaac Owens security.
Daniel Owens to Deborah Phelps on 25 Jul 1836, Wm. Mann security.
James Owens to Keziah Owens on 13 Apr 1818, Henry Gallaway security.
Zachariah Owens to Fanny Owens on 12 Feb 1835, Joseph Owens security.
Patty Owens to Henry Galloway on 14 Feb 1814, Uri Spruill security.
Milly Owens to Uri Spruill on 5 Apr 1806, Salathiel Spruill security.
Sintha Owins to Asa Prichard on 17 Feb 1806, Silby Patrick security.
Patsey Spruill to Jos. McKimy on 1 Jan 1829, Zebulon Padgeyett security.
Daniel Swain to Fanny Phelps on 25 Apr 1837, Wm. Mann security.
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