RHODES, WILLIAM

North Carolina
Tyrrell County
Original Will
Dated 11 May 1765

In the name of God amen the eleventh day of May in ye year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty five I William Rhodes of the County Tyrrel and province of North Carolina being very sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given to God for ye same and calling to mind ye mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it and my body I recommend to ye earth to be buried in a Christian and decent manner at ye discreation of my Executors nothing doubting but at ye General Resurrection I shall receive ye same again by ye mighty power of God and as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give devise and despose of ye same in ye manner and form following that is to say ---

In ye first place I give and bequeath to Perthena my beloved wife two negros to wit one negro man called Peter and one negro girl called Jane one horse and mair and ye use of my manner plantation ye term of ten years from ye date hereof also ye use of one still during the sd term ---

Item - I give to my beloved son Charles Rhodes two negros to wit one negro boy called Pomp and one girl called Patience three gold rings one pair of gold buttens and one gun and six silver spoons with my manner plantation where I now live and all ye land thereto belonging to have and to hold ye abovesaid negros and other articles to him his executors administrators and assigns for ever ---

Item - I give and bequeath to my Daughter Judith Rhodes one negro girl called Sue one negro girl called Moll three cows and calves to her and her heirs executors administrators for ever ---

Item - I give and bequeath to my son Arthur Rhodes two negro girls to wit one negro girl called Jude and one called Nan one gun one small track of land joyning William Howard's line and William Garrett and three cows and calves to him his heirs executors administrators and assigns for ever ---

Item - I Will that ye remmander part of my estate may be equally devided between my wife Perthena Rodes and my two sons Charles and Arthur and my daughter Judath and I will the perishable part belonging to my son Arthur and my daughter may be sold according to law and ye money be put to intrust ---

Item - I Will that the legacy due to my son in law Thomas Fagin may be raised and paid by my Executors out of ye work of ye negros labour with what they can raise of ye plantation without lessoning any part of my other childrens Legacies ---

Item - And I do likewise constitute make and ordain my wife Perthena Rhodes Executrix and John Rhodes and Joseph Hardisson executors of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannull all and every other former testaments Wills and legacies bequests and executors by me in any ways before this time named Willed and bequeathed ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal day and year above written.

W. Rhod (Sealed)

The words and Joseph Hardisson was interlined before assigned between ye lines fifty nine and sixty
Signed sealed and delivered by ye sd. William Rhodes
as his last Will and Testament in the presence of - -

Benja. Blount
Margret (her -x- mark) Collins
Africa Blount

Tyrrell County In the term of June Anno Dom. 1765
Personally appeared Benjamin Blount Esquire and made oath on the Holy Evangelist of almighty God that he saw & heard William Rhoads within named sign, seal, publis, pronounce & declare this writing to be his last will and testament and at that time he was of sound mind and memory & at the same time Margrat Collins and Africa Blount signed as witnesses and further saith not
Test Fr. Ward Clerk

Minutes
Tyrrell County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions

February Session 1775

On motion of Thomas Jones attorney at law ordered that Mr. John Stewart be appointed guardian to Arthur Rhodes orphan of William Rhodes deceased on giving security in the sum of one thousand pounds.

February Session 1778

Ordered that Mr. John Stewart guardain to Arthur Rhods orphan of William Rhoads deceased be summoned to next court to show why he has yet to settle his accounts as guardain to said Rhoads.

May Sesion 1778

Ordered that the Sheriff of Martin County summons John Stuart to render his guardian account of the estate of Arthur Rhodes to this court.

November Session 1778

On motion of Mr. Edmund Blount ordered that he be appointed gauarding to Arthur Rhoads orphan of William Rhoads deceased & the said Edmund Blount to take into his possession the estate of the orphan Arthur Rhoads out of the hands of John Stewart former gardain of sd. orphain.

North Carolina Archives
Loose Estate Papers
Tyrrell County (C.R.096.508.41), Box 41
Rhoads, William, 1765

Division of the estate of William Rhoads deceased between the widow and children pursuant to court order on 28 Sep 1765 by Fr. Ward & Henry Slade. Devisees are the widow, Parthena Rhoads, Charles Rhoads, Arthur Rhoads & Judath Rhoads with a detailed list of personal property for each.

Bond dated 22 Feb 1775 in the amount of one thousand pounds appointing John Stewart guardian to Arthur Rhoads a minor orphan, Joseph Whidbee & Joseph Spruill securities.

Transcriber's Notes:
The estate papers of William Fagan (1759) show that William Roads married his widow, Parthena by 1759. Other documents show that Charles Rhodes reached his majority in the 1760s, so he must have been the son of an earlier wife of William Rhodes. Judith Rhoads married Edmund Blount in 1777, so she could be the child of either wife. The guardianship of Artnur Rhodes indicates he was probably the son of Parthena & William.

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Updated July 5, 2024
Gordon L. Basnight