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I Hannibal H. Watson of Currituck Township Hyde County North Carolina being of sound mind & memory and calling to mind the frailty and uncertainty of human life, do make this my last will and testament to wit:

• Item     I give bequeath & devise to my four children to wit: Nancy E. Fortiscue, Charles M. Watson, Mary A. Jordan and Rufus H. Watson all farms upon which I now live containing Eighty Six acres more or less to be equally divided according to valuations among said children.

• Item     I give bequeath & devise to my son William B. Watson one fifth interest in two parcels of woodling land and piece adjoining the mug [?] land now owned by Hezekiah Brown and the other adjoining the land owned by the Roberson heirs, the first containing one hundred acres more or less and the last named twenty five more or less.

• Item     I give bequeath & devise to my Grand daughter George Ann Watson twenty five acres of land to be taken off the tract adjoining the land now owned by Hezekiah Brown and that my first named four children above mentioned shall pay over to her annually five dollars each to ditch and clare [sic] the land of the said George Ann Watson for the term of five years.

• Item     I give bequeath & devise to my said Grand daughter George Ann Watson twenty five dollars in money to be expended in her support.

• Item     I give bequeath & devise all the rest and residue of my personal estate of which I shall die seized and possessed or to which I shall be entitled at the time of my decease, to be equally divided among my four first mentioned children, to wit: Nancy E. Fortiscue, Charles M. Watson, Mary A. Jordan & Rufus H. Watson and lastly I do nominate and appoint my sons Charles M. Watson and Rufus H. Watson to be the executors of this my last will and testament, and also that my said sons Charles M. Watson and Rufus H. Watson shall superintend and have the management of my Granddaughters George Ann Watson land, and further that if the said George Ann Watson should die without a lawful heir of her body that it shall go to, and be equally divided between my children then living.

In testimony whereof I the said Hannibal H. Watson have to this last will & testament set my hand and seal, this 17th day of October A. D. 1884.

Witnesses:    J. R. Fisher                                  H. H. Watson      (seal)
                      J. L. Tooly

Hyde County SS:
    I certify the foregoing to be a true copy of H. H. Watson’s will Recorded on Record of Wills pages 146 & 147.  Witness my hand this the 5th day of Jan’y 1885.
                                                                            J. G. [?] Wahab
                                                                                    C. S. Court

NOTE: Hannibal Hector Watson died Oct. 29, 1884.

Extraction of will and all information kindly submitted by Jim Spencer.)