Will of John Williams

Transcribed by Elizabeth Dickson Golbach

 

Will of John Williams Duplin Co., NC

Duplin County, North Carolina

16 June 1790 –July Term 1790




In the name of God & Jesus Christ Amen. The Sixtenth Day of June in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand seven hundred & ninety------------

I John Williams of the County of Duplin & State of No Carolina & being at preasant in a Good State of health and Sound mind & Memory Thanks Be to God for the Same. Therefore Calling unto mind the Mortality of my Body & knowing that it is appropriate for all men once to Die, Therefore I Do mank and ordain This my Last Will & Testament that is to Say principally & first of all I give and Recomend my Soul into the Hand of God that gave it, & for my Body I Do Recommend it to the Earth to be buried in a Christian & Decent manner at the Descression of my Executors, Nothing Doubting but at the general Resurrection that I shall Become the Same again by the mighty power of God. & as touching Such would by Estate when with it hath pleased God to Bless me with in this Life I give dispose of the Same in the following Manner & form that is to say…………

Imprimis} I leave unto my well Beloved wife Presella Williams During her natural life the manor plantation whereon I now live also the use and benefit of five Negroes Slaves as follows to wit Moll Santee Charles Jack & Jinnea to work and labor on the plantation if they prove Ordaly and submittive & if not, any one or more of them to be hired out for the term of one year & the profits to enable my wife to Raise and School my Children as this my will Shall hereafter Direct & it is my will & Desire Likewise that my wife Shall have the use and Benefit of my Negra woman Called Ratch until my son John is twenty-one years old & likewise to have the use and benefit of three horses or mares Six Cows and Calves five Steares five Sows & pigs & all the Sheep & Geese & fore feather Beds & furniture all the plantation tools that is on the plantation & Twenty five pounds in money which is to enable her to Raise my Children & to give my youngest Son fore years Schooling & My Three Youngest Daughters Two years Schooling Each & at the Death of my wife then the aforesaid negroes Moll Santee Charles Jack & Jinnea with the increase & all the Remainder part of the Stock & Utentials to be Sold & the money arising therefrom to Be Equally Divided Between my two youngest Children Equal Shares & Share alike not excluding them forom their other leagises--------------------------------------------

Item } I Give & Bequeath unto my Daughter Easther Quinn one Negro girl Called m & her futer increase to her and her heirs forever

Item } I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Zilpha Williams one Negroe Slave Called Arthur and Eighty pounds in money also five Cows and Calves one Feather Bed and one furniture to her and her heirs for Ever

Item } I Give and Bequeath to my Daughter Jurasa Williams two negroe Slaves Called Little Dinah & Toney with the futor increase of the Female Slave & fifteen pounds money to her and her heirs Lawfully Begotten forever

Item } I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Prudence Williams Two Negroes Slaves Hannah & Major with the futor increase of the female Slave to her and her heirs lawfully Begotten for Ever

Item } I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Seaney Williams two Negroe Slaves Called Frank & Luce with the futor increase of the female Slave to her and her heirs Lawfully Begotten forever

Item } I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Patience Williams Two Negroe Slaves called Cheals and Lonnon with the futor Increase of the female Slave to hers and her heirs Lawfully Begotten for Ever

Item } I Give & Bequeath unto my Son Jacob Williams The Land & plantation where Thomas Quinn Now Lives and all the Land Belonging to The Same with all all and every part and percil Of Land that I at this time posses in Onslow County together with all the plantation tools also the Blacksmith tools and one Negroe woman Called Rose & her futor increase & one Negroe man Called Abraham and one Negroe Boy Called Tom Six Cows & Calves and One young mare saddle & bridle & my will and Desire is that my Son Jacob Should have the use of Six Negroes six months Gim Cesar Bob Tone Charles & Jack for to Build a Mill & finish of Complett and also I give and Bequeath my Negroe man Dick for his trouble and Expence all which is to him and his heirs Lawfully Begotten forever

Item } I Give and Bequeath unto my Son Lewis Williams all and Every Part & percil of land that I possess at this time in Wake County Also the land and plantation that I perchased forom Lott Gregory together with three Negroe Slaves Called Jim Amey & Ginna with the increase of the female Slaves five Cows & Calves One young horse and Mare Bridle and Saddle and a Suit of Apparel to the price of ten pounds to him and his heirs Lawfully Begotten for Ever

Item } I Give and Bequeath unto my Son Jesse Williams the Manor Plantation that I Now Live on after his mothers Death with all the Land that I at this time possess in Duplin County Only what part I have Already given and the part & percels that I Bough of Lutson Stroud and Richard Prescoat as I Shall hereafter Bequeath together with all the plantation tools thereon that Decease of his mother also two negroe Slaves Called Bob & Nathan one young horse or Mare Bridle and Saddle and a suit of Apparel to the amount of ten pound price to him and his heirs Lawfully Begotten for Ever

Item } I Give and Bequeath unto my Son Fountain Williams all & Every part & parcel of Land that I at this time possess in Jones County together with all the plantation tools thereunto Belonging also two negroe Slaves Called Cesar & Big Dinah and with the increase of the female slave One young Horse or Mare Saddle & Bridle and a suit of apparrel to the amount of ten pounds price to him and his heirs Lawfully Begotten for Ever

Item } I Give and Bequeath unto my Son John Williams all & Every part & parcel of Land that I Bought of Lutson Stroud and Richard Prescoat also Two Negroe Slaves Called Ratch & George with the futor increase of the female Slave and one young horse or Mare Saddle & Bridle to him and his heirs Lawfully Begotten for Ever

Item } I Give and Bequeath unto my son in law William Heath one Negroe Slave Called Catoe to him and his heirs for Ever

Item } Then emediately after my Decease & Retirement I Divine that all My Just Debts & Funeraral Expenses may Be Satisfied and paid off , and the Remaining part of my personal Estate to be Sold of & the Money to Be Equally Divided Between my Five Sons Equal Share & Share alike including the Same with their other Leageses Here Before mentioned it Being to them & their heirs Lawfully Begotten for Ever also I further Bequeath & Desire that if any of my Daughters Should Die without isshue that their Leageses may Be Equally Divided Between the Other Daughters Equal Share & Share alike to them and their heirs Lawfully Begotten forever and that the sons have no part nor parcel with them Also it is my Desire that if any of my Sons Die without issue that all their Leageses may Be Equally Divided Between the Other Sons Share & Share alike to them & their heirs Lawfully Begotten forever and that the Daughters have no part nor Share thereof

Lastly } I Constitute Denominate & appoint my Beloved Son Jacob Williams With my Brother in Law Archelus Barns to Be my Executor to this my last Will & testament Revoaking all other will or wills Testament or Testament wills & Leageses Bequeath Excutor By me In any way Before this time Name Will & Bequeath Ratifying & Confirming this and no Other to Be my Last will & testament in witness whereof I have here Set my hand & fixed my Seal the Day and year above written Signed Sealed & published } pronounced & Declared By the Sr John Williams } as his Last will & Testament in preasents of us the }

Subscribers }

William Hubbard

SMillar

Thos. Shelton

s/ John Williams {seal }

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

DUPLIN COUNTY

JULY TERM 1790

Then was the written Will of John Williams proved in Open Court in Due form of Law by the Oath of William Hubbard and Thomas Shelton two of the subscribing Witnesses thereto; And at the same time Jacob Williams & Archelaus Barnes the Executors named in the said Will Qualified as Executors thereto seconding to Law. Ordered that letters issue accordingly.

Test. W Dickson C.C.

Transcribed February 2006 from a copy of the original Will obtained from the North Carolina State Archives by Elizabeth Dickson Golbach GGGGgrand daughter of William from William’s daughter Seaney (Sene) who married Michael Dickson. Every effort was made to transcribe the Will as it was written, with no corrections to spelling, grammar, or punctuation. Any corrections of errors I might have made will be appreciated. The three witnesses to the Will were found in the Duplin County census in 1790, William Hubbard, Samuel Millar and Thomas Shelton.

This will is not to be copied and posted on any other site!


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