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In the name of God, Amen.  I Christopher O'Neal Sr. of Ocracoke, Hyde County and State of North Carolina, being in good bodily health and of sound and disposing mind and memory, calling to mind the frailty and uncertainty of human life, and being desirous of settling my worldly affairs, and directing how the estate with which it has pleased God to bless me, shall be disposed of after my decease while I have strength and capacity so to do, do make and publish this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking and making null and void all other last Wills and Testaments heretofore made, and first, I commend my immortal being to him who gave it, and body to the earth, to be buried with little expense and ostentation by my Executor hereinafter named.

And as to my worldly estate and all the property real and personal or mixed, of which I shall die seized and possessed or to which I shall be entitled at the time of my decease, I devise bequeath and dispose thereof in the manner following, to wit--

My will is that all my just debts and funeral charges shall by my Executor hereinafter named be paid out of my estate as soon after my deceased as by him be found convenient.

Item, I give devise and bequeath to my son Christopher O'Neal, one tract of land at the Nole containing fifty acres, one canoe sail and oars, one bed and furniture and one third of my yawl boat.

Item, I give devise and bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth O'Neal during here life, the use of one loom and fixtures one wheel and cards one bed and furniture one cupboard, one carpet and one third part of my yawl boat, and after her decease to go to her children.

Item, I give devise and bequeath to my son Amasa O'Neal my dwelling house and land where I now live containing twelve acres more or less one third part of my yawl boat.

Item, I give devise and bequeath to my grand children, heirs of my deceast son Freeman O'Neal, Mary and Angeneva, one bed and furniture which they now have, the sum of of twelve dollars in money to be paid to them in the way of schooling by my Executor hereinafter named, one cow calf and her increase to be delivered to them by my Executor hereinafter named when they become competent to take charge of the same.

Item, I give devise and bequeath to my Grand son Christopher T. O'Neal one tract of land at the nole containing twenty five acres and also my gun.

Item, the balance of my household and kitchen furniture and my cattle and all the rest and residue of my estate real, personal or mixed, of which I shall die seized and possessed or to which I shall be entitled at the time of my decease, I give devisee and bequeath to be equally divided to among my said sons and daughter, viz: Christophehr O'Neal, Amasa O'Neal and Elizabeth O'Neal.

And lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint my Trusty son Christopher O'Neal my Lawful Executor, to all intents and purposes to execute this my last Will & Testament according to the true intent and meaning of the same, and every part and clause thereof.

In witness whereof I the said Christopher O'Neal do hereunto set my hand and seal this the Twenty third day of April in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Sixty Seven.
                                                                                        /s/ Christopher O'Neal Sr.

Signed sealed published and declared by the said Christopher O'Neal Sr. to be his Will & Testament in the presents of us who at his request, and in his presents, do subscribe our names as witnesses thereto.
    Robert Howard
    Martin O'Neal

State of North Carolina        In the Probate Court
       Hyde County
    A paper writing purporting to be the last Will & Testament of Christopher O'Neal, deceased, is exhibited before me the undersigned Judge of Probate for Hyde County by Christopher O'Neal, the Executor therein named, and the due Execution thereof by the said Christopher O'Neal, dec'd., was proven by the oath and examination of Robert Howard and Martin O'Neal, the subscribing witnesses thereto who being duly sworn doth depose and say each for himself deposeth and saith they are subscribing witnesses to the paper writing now shown him purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Christopher O'Neal, dec'd.  That the said Christopher O'Neal in the presents of this deponent subscribed his name at the end of the aforesaid paper writing which is now shown as aforesaid and which bears date of the 23^rd day of April 1867 and these deponents further saith that the said Christopher O'Neal, the Testator aforesaid, did at the time of subscribing his name aforesaid declare the said paper writing so subscribed by him and exhibited to be his last Will and Testament and these deponents did therefore subscribe their names at the end of said Will as attesting witnesses thereto and at the request and in the presents of the said Testator, and these deponents further saith that at the time the said Testator subscribed his name to the last Will as aforesaid and at the time these deponents subscribed their names as attesting witnesses thereto as aforesaid the said Christopher O'Neal, dec'd., was of sound mind and memory of full age to execute a Will and was not under any restraint to the knowledge information or belief of these deponents and further these deponents saith not.

Severally subscribed and sworn to before me this 27^th April 1869                                /s/ Christopher O'Neal Jr.
    /s/ Saml. R. Sadler, Probate Judge                                                                               /s/ Robert Howard

This will was contributed by Kay Midgett Sheppard. No part of this document may be used for any commercial purposes. However, please feel free to copy any of this material for your own personal use and family research. If you find anything in these records that pertains to your families, it is strongly suggested that you look at the original record on your own to check for errors or possibly other additional and helpful information. Thank you!

© 2011 Kay Midgett Sheppard