North Carolina
Tyrrell County
Original Will
Dated 10 Oct 1765
In the name of God amen Ye tenth day of October in ye year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & sixty five I John Rhodes of ye County of Tyrrel and province of North Carolina planter being very sick and weak in body but of perfect mind & memory thanks be given unto God for ye same and calling to mind ye mortality of my body & knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make & ordain this my last Will and testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into ye hands of God that gave it and for my body I recommend it to ye Earth to be buried in a Christial like and decent manner at the discretion 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 dispose of ye same in ye following manner and form that is to say ---
In ye first place I give and bequeath to my children a young negro wence and her increase called Nan.
Item - I give to my wife Elizabeth Rhodes one negro wench called Bess and her increase to be equally devided between my wife and children ---
Item - I give to my son Steven Rhodes my manner plantation ---
Item - If ye child which my wife goes with should be a son I desire that it may have ye land called the Pine Ride if it is a daughter I Will that ye sd land may decend to my son Steven ---
Item - I will that my negro fellow called Fortin be sold and ye money devided between my wife and children
Item - I will that ye remainder of my movable Estate be Equally devided amonst my wife and children and ye perishable part belonging to my children to be sold according to law and ye money put ye interest ---
Item - I likewise constitute make and ordain my wife Elizabeth Rhoads Executrix and John Garrett and Benjn. Blount Executors of this my last Will & Testament and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disanul all and every other other forme testaments wills and legacies bequeaths & Executors by me in any ways before this time named willed and bequeathed ratifieng and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and testament in witness whereof I have herento set my hand and seal the day and year above written.
John Rhoads (Seal)
Signed sealled published pronounced and
declared by the sd John Rhodes as his
last Will and testament in ye presence of us
Jonathan Corprew
John Collins Jurt.
Pertheen Rhoads
Tyrrell County
In the term of March Anno Dom. 1766 personally appeared John Collins a subscribing witness hereunto and made oath on
the Holy Evangelist of allmighty that he saw and heard the within named John Rhoads deceased sign seal publish
pronounce & declare this writing to contain his last will and testament and that he was then of sound mind & memory & at the
same time he saw Jonathan Corprew & Pertheen Rhoads witness sign at that time
Test Fr Ward Clerk
