Return to Hyde County

William Watson Spencer
Oct. 4, 1882 - 1886

I, W. W. Spencer, of the County and the State of North Carolina, being of sound mind and memory but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence, do make and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say:

First - That my executor hereinafter named shall first provide for my body a decent burial suitable to the wishes of my relatives and friends and pay all funeral expenses together with my just debts howsoever and whomsoever owing out of the moneys that may first come into his [hands] as a part or parcel of my estate.

Item - I give and devise to my beloved wife, Susan P. Spencer, the tract of land whereon I now live and the tract of land that I bought of Cornelius Howard with all of the improvements to have and to hold the same during the term of her natural life to be for her support and for the support of my three minor children, viz., Susan J. Spencer, Charles M. Spencer, Mary F. Spencer, until said children shall be of age in satisfaction for and in lieu[?] of her dower and thirds of and in all my real estate.

Item - I give and bequeath to my said beloved wife my entire household and kitchen furniture, forming utensils, horses, hogs, cattle, sheep, and poultry, one cart and buggy, al the crops of every description that maybe upon the said lands devised by me to her, and all the provisions on hand at my death.

Item - My will and desire is that all the residue of my estate, including money on hand, be equally divided between my children in equal proportion, share and share alike, to them and each and every one of them, their executors, Administrators and assignees absolutely forever.

And lastly - I do hereby constitute and appoint my oldest son, W. E. Spencer, my lawful executor to all intents and purposes to execute this, my last will and testament according to the true intent and meaning of the same and every part and clause thereof, hereby revoking and declaring utterly void all other will and testaments by me heretofore made.  In witness whereof, I the said W. W, Spencer do hereunto set my hand and seal this the 4th day of Oct 1882.

W. W. Spencer [seal]

Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said W. W. Spencer to be his last will and testament, in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence do subscribe our names as witnesses:

Jesse Jennett, Jr.
S. L. Snell

NOTE: All punctuation shown here was added for readability.  William Watson Spencer was born 16 October 1816 and died 17 November 1884.  Cornelius Howard, mentioned in the will, is the father-in-law of William's son James Henry Spencer.  W. E. Spencer submitted the will for probate in Superior Court, Hyde County, on 11 May 1886.  Final accounting of the estate was not completed by William Edward Spencer (executor) until 4 Sept 1893, which involved distribution of two years of rental income from the farm (after other expenses) as shares at $2.61 to each of the heirs: W. E. Spencer, S. G. Spencer, J. M. Spencer, J. H. Spencer, Geo. A. Spencer, A. G. Spencer, heirs of Melissa (Spencer) Fisher, dec'd., Juletta Spencer, and Florence Spencer.

Submitted by Jim Spencer.

Copyright  2003