In the name of God Amen: To all whom it may concern I Hezikiah Spruill of the County and State aforesaid, being infirm in body, but of sound mind and memory, do make and ordain this my last will and testament revoking all others, and first I commend my soul to the protestion of that Almighty being, from whom it came, and my body I wish to be decently intered and the expense then to be paid out of my estate.

Item - I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Polly during her life time of widowhood a negro wench named Hannah a horse and chair, one bead and furniture, all the farming untensils and if my beloved Polly should marry again, the above property I give and bequeath to my children Diadema, Betsey and Penny to be equally divided between them.

Item - I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Polly all my crop which I raised this year, and the wheat that may be raised on the piece of ground now sown, 1 cow and ten heiffer 3 sheep 16 hogs of the first choice all the kitchen and household furniture (except the beads) one big spining wheel and cards.

Item - I give and bequeath to my beloved son William all my lands I possess 2 sheep & hogs one work steer.

Item - I give and bequeath to my beloved daughter Nancy during her life time, negro man named Simon. It is my will and desire that my son William would take my beloved daughter Nancy and take care of her and for the trouble of which he might take Simmons work - but if he refuses to keep her, the negro man must be hired out for her support or should any good person see fit to keep her for Simmons Coborn he might do so. And at the death of my said daughter Nancy I bequeath the negro man Simon to my beloved son William. -

Item - I give and bequeath to my daughter Diadem one negro girl by the name of Bet and 1 bead and furniture.

Item - I give and bequeath to my beloved daughter Emeline negro boy by the name of Issac one bead & furniture & one cow -

Item - I give and bequeath to my daughter Betsey one negro girl named Grace and one bead and furniture. -

Item - I give and bequeath to my daughter Peny one negro girl named Grace and one bead and furniture.-

All the residue of my property herein not mention I leave to be sold to pay my just debts, if I owe any and to defray other contingent expensess that my occur relating to the settling of my estate and the balance I want to have equally divided amongst the heirs. In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal this 3 December 1831.

Hez. Spruill (Seal)

Signd Seald and pronounced
in the presence of us

M.W. Kenday
Wilson Lamb

NB I leave my beloved wife Polly & my son William my executor to this my last will and testament ---

April Term 1835.

The will of Hez. Spruill was exhibited in open court and the hand writing of Moses W. Kenady & Wilson Lamb was proved by the testimony of Samul Rogers and Jas. A. Spruill who also swore that Moses W. Kenidy one of the witness was absent for the State and that Wilson Lamb the other was dead and also that the signature was in the proper hand writing of Hez. Spruill.

Minutes
Tyrrell County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions

January Session 1842

William Spruill returned his guardian account with the heirs of Hezekiah Spruill for 1842.

North Carolina Archives
Loose Estate Papers
Tyrrell County (C.R.096.508.49), Box 49
Spruill, Hezikiah, 1835

Summons dated 4 Jan 1834 for Henry E. Lewis & Tully Spruill to appear at the Superior Court held on the first Monday of March next to testify on behalf of William Henderson in a suit in which in which William Henderson is plaintill and William Spruill executor of Hezekiah Spruill is defendant.

Summons dated 26 Jan 1834 for Henry E. Lewis to be in court on the fourth Monday in January next to testify on behalf of Samuel Rogers in a suit wherein Wm. Henderson use of S. Rogers is plaintiff and William Spruill executor of H. G. Spruill deceased is defendant.

Note dated 14 Apr 1835 for $12.50 from H. A. Spruill for a visit to Lake Phelps and treatment of a blister. Sworn to by William Henderson on 16 Jul 1835 and judgement rendered on 15 Aug 1835.

Summons dated 28 Jul 1835 for William Spruill executor of Hezekiah Spruill deceased to appear before a Justice of the Peace at the store of Holiway Armstrong on the third Saturday in August next to answer the complaint of William Henderson in a plea of debt due by account in the sum of twenty dollars.

Summons dated the 4th Monday in October 1835 for Tully Spruill to be in court on the fourth Monday in January next to testify on behalf of William Henderson in a suit wherein Henderson use of S. Rogers is plaintiff and William Spruill executor of H. G. Spruill deceased is defendant.

Summons directed to the Sheriff of Washington County dated the 1st Monday in March 1836 for Plummer (?) C. Dudley to be in Superior Court immediately to testify on behalf of William Spruill executor of Hezekiah Spruill in a suit wherein Wm. Henderson to the use of Saml. Rogers is plaintiff and Wm. Spruill executor of Hezekiah Spruill's is defendant.

Summons dated the 1st Monday in March 1836 for Doctor Henry E. Lewis & Tully Spruill to appear at Superior Court on the first Monday in September next to testify on behalf of William Henderson to the use of S. Rogers in a suit in which William Henderson to the use of S. Rogers is plaintiff and William Spruill executor of Hezekiah Spruill is defendant.

Summons dated the 4th Monday in October 1836 for Jos. Halsey & Benj. Sikes to be in Superior Court on the fourth Monday in January next to testify on behalf of William Henderson in a suit wherein Wm. Henderson use of S. Rogers is plaintiff and Hezekiah Spruill's executor is defendant.

Bond dated 24 Oct 1837 in the amount of three thousand dollars in which William Spruill is appointed guardian to Diadem Elizabeth & Penny Spruill, orphans of Hezekiah Spruill deceased, Daniel N. Bateman, Mathias Owens & Jordan Davenport securities.

Bond dated 26 Jan 1841 in the amount of two thousand five hundred dollars in which William Spruill is appointed guardian to Diadem Elizabeth & Penny Spruill, Thos. B. Myers, Mathias Owens & Jordan Davenport securities.

Bond dated 23 Oct 1848 in the amount of one thousand dollars appointing James F. Davenport guardian of Penny Spruill orphan, L. H. McRae security.

There are other documents involving suits for debt in this file which do not appear to be of genealogical significance.

Transcriber's Notes:

Tyrrell County marriage bonds show the marriage of Hezekiah Spruill to Polly Lasher on 26 Jul 1821, Wilson Lamb security; also Diadem Spruill to Jonathan Basnight on 27 Jan 1845, James A. Spruill security; also Penny Spruill to Thomas Elliott on 25 Dec 1850, Charles Fitzgerald security; also William Spruill to Amelia Ann McCray on 10 Nov 1829, Uzziah Spruill security.

It should be noyed that James F. Davenport, appointed as guardian to Penny Spruill in 1848 had married Ann Spruill, born circa 1818, on 22 Jun 1836. Was this Nancy Spruill or a different daughter of Hezekiah Spruill?

Return to Tyrrell Co Wills Introduction & Table of Contents

Updated November 13, 2023
Jean H. Pennell