North Carolina
Tyrrell County
Original Will at N. C. Archives
May 29, 1826

In the name of God Amen {torn} 1826 I John Sikes of the state of North Carolina and county of Tyrrell {torn] being not in a good state of helth but of a sound and perfect mind and memory and calling to mind the mortality of my body as it is appointed for all men are to die do mak and ordain this to be my last will and testament and first of all I recomend my soul into the hands of the almity God that give it and as tuching such worldly goods as it hath pleased the almity God to bless me with I divise and dispose of in the folowing maner and form as folows -

Item 1st I leave unto my dearly beloved wife Mary Sikes the use of my house home and plantation whereon I now liv with all the appurtances thereunto belonging with all my negroes and all other moveable property belonging on my plantation with all my stock of every kind exept such legacies as are particularly left in the folowing items in this will to hear during her natril life or widowhood and if in case she should mary after my decease I then leave her the use of my plantation with the house and ? thare unto belonging and the use of my negro Raason and the one forth part of all my moveable property and stock of every kind during her natral life -

Item 2nd I leave unto my son John Sikes the eastward part of my land whare on he now lives begining at a pine on the north side of the road oppirsit the lane between {unreadable} south along the direct course of the lain to the eastward of my hous to contain all my swamp which line the said land to the northward and eastward to him and his heirs foreaver after my decease

Item 3rd I leave unto my son Benjamin Sikes the westward part of my land wheare on I now live binding a line as mentioned in the second item of this will with all houses and orchards and privilages and advantages theare unto belonging and twenty five acres of juniper swamp lying on the north side of the road begining in Abel Belanga patent to him and his heirs forever after my wife deceas provided that he the said Benjamin Sikes shall pay or cause to be paid unto the said John Sikes the sum of eighty dollars if the said John Sikes is a living if not the said Benjamin Sikes shall pay the above sum to his heirs when leagal and lawfull posesion of the said land -

Item 4th I leave unto my grand son Benjamin Sikes son of Thomas Sikes deceased fifty five acres of land lying in Gum Neck whare Thomas Sikes formerly lived to be laid of at the southward end or side so that it will constute the house and plantatation with all improvements thare on to be delivered to him when he shall arrive to age of twenty one years if he should live until that time but if he should die without an heir then it shall be eaquel divided between the said Thomas Sikes living children that should be living at that time until {tear} Mary Sikes shall possess and keap the said land with all the appurtenances {tear} thare unto belonging provided she stays on the said land but if she should {tear} from the said land then the said land to be rented out for the benefit of the said Benjamin Sikes -

Item 5th I leave unto my grand son Jesse Sikes son of Abel Sikes sixty one acres of land lying in Gum Neck that is to say all my haul track after the fifty five is laid off as mentioned in the forth item of this will to be delivered to him when he should arrive to the age of twenty one years -

Item 6th I leave unto Efram Peary Owens son of Sary Owens wife of John Owens one negro girl by the name of Chane to serve my daughter Sally Owens during her natrel life and then to remain the property of him the said Ephraim Owens forever after my wife decease -

Item 7th I leave unto my other three daughters vis Hanner Linton Polly Basnight & Pheby Cooper my negraws Abe & Boas & Vilet to be sould and money equal divided among them Hanner Polly and Pheby and thare heirs forever -

Item 8th In case my wife Mary Sikes should marry and takes her before named legacy then in that case all my remaining property to be sold except the negro girl Chain and the above named Hanner Linton Polly Basnight and Phebe Cooper to have and recive each the value of the said negro girl Chain then the remaining balance to be equal divided among my four daughters Hanner Linton Polly Basnight Sally Owens and Phebe Cooper to thare proper use forever -

Item 9th But in case my wife Mary Sikes should die without marrying then in that case the four named negroes to be disposed of as above named in item 6 and 7 and the other moveable property of all kind to be sould and the amount thare of equally divided among them the above named Hanner Linton Polly Basnight Sally Owens and Phebe Cooper to remain to thare proper use for eaver -

The true intented and meaning of this will is as ample manner as the learned in the law could devise and I do hearby constitute and appoint my worthy son John Sikes and Abner Sawyer Esqr my true and lawfull executors to this my last last will and testament and do acknowledge this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness whare of I have hear unto set my hand and seal this 29th day of May in the year of our Lord 1826 signed sealed published and delivered by the said John Sikes the testator as his last will and testament in presents of us

John Sikes

Attest Stephen Sawyer
Attest M. Sawyer

Back of will indicates probate at Jany Term 1827.

(Transcriber's Notes: Tyrrell marriage bonds have Mary Sikes marriage to Lemuel Basnight with bond dated 1 Jul 1822 and Z. Todd security; Phoeba Sikes marriage to David Cooper with bond dated 11 Jan 1814 and Jesse Phelps security; Sally Sikes marriage to John Owens with bond dated 2 Aug 1822 and Thos. Hopkins security; Abel Sikes marriage to Juley Cooper with bond dated 12 Jan 1813 and Caleb Sawyer security; Benjamin Sikes marriage to Rhoda C. Sawyer with bond dated 6 Sep 1819 and Silby Patrick security; John Sikes marriage to Nancy Jones during November Term 1808; and Thomas Sikes marriage to Mary Bateman with bond dated 3 Mar 1814 and Danl. Bateman security.)

Return to Tyrrell Co Wills Introduction & Table of Contents

Updated May 3, 2014
Charles W. Barnes