Transcribed by Vickie Bright
According to the Pleasant Hill Church Minutes, Jane Adams died February 1883. The following is her will, which is recorded in the Jones County Wills.
I, Jane Adams, of the county of Jones 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 will and testament in the manner and form that is to say:
First. That my Executor (hereinafter named) shall provide for my body a decent burial suitable to the wishes of my friends and relatives and pay all funeral expenses out of the monies that may first come into his hands as a part or parcel of my estate.
Item 2nd. I give and devise to my beloved daughter Betsy Adams one third part of my cleared land (including my dwelling house) also one third part of my woodland to have and hold the same to her, her heirs and assigns in fee simple forever.
Item 3rd. I, give and devise to my beloved son George W. Adams two thirds of my cleared lands and two thirds of woodland (which is all the remainder of my lands after my daughter Betsy Adams has received her portion as given in Item 2nd of this my last will and testament) to have and to hold the same to him, his heirs and assigns in fee simple forever.
Item 4th. I, give and bequeath to my beloved son George W. Adams one bed and furniture that belonged to his father, one bureau, one cross cut saw and two chairs and a bread tray.
Item 5th. I give and bequeath to my beloved daughter Betsy Adams one bed and furniture that was given to me by my father and mother, also one loom and Slaie and the harness belonging to the loom, and one spinning wheel, one table and three chairs and two pots.
Item 6th. I give and bequeath to my beloved nephew Stephen H. Adams, son of my daughter Betsy Adams one bed and the furniture belonging to him, also one cow and calf claimed by him, also one steer.
Item 7th. I give and bequeath to my daughter Hetty wife James Houston five dollars in cash.
And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my beloved son George W. Adams my lawful Executor to intent and purpose to execute this my last will and testament according to the ????? intent and meaning of the same and every part and clause thereof; hereby revoking and declaring utterly void all other wills by me heretofore made.
In witness whereof I, the said Jane Adams, do hereunto set my hand seal this 11th day of June A.D. 1880.
her
Jane (X) Adams
mark
Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Jane Adams to be her last will and testament, in the presence of us who at her request and in her presence do subscribe our names as witnesses thereto.
Benj. Brock, Jr.
Susan Eubanks
State of North Carolina In the Probate Court
Jones County
A paper purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Jane Adams deceased is exhibited before me the undersigned Judge of Probate from said county, by George W. Adams, the executor therein mentioned, and the due execution thereof by the said Jane Adams by the oath and examination of Benj. Brock, Jr. and Susan Eubanks the subscribing witnesses therein; who being duly, oath depose and say, and each for himself deposeth and saith, that he is a subscribing witness by the paper writing now shown him (& her) purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Jane Adams that the said Jane Adams in the presence of this deponent subscribed her name at the end of said writing, which is now shown as aforesaid and which ???? date of the 11th day of June 1880. And the deponent further saith, that the said Jane Adams the testatrix aforesaid at the time of subscribing her name as aforesaid, ???? the said paper writing so subscribed by him and exhibiting to be her last Will and Testament, and this deponent did there upon subscribe his (or her) name at the end of said Will as attesting witness thereto, and at the request and in the presence of said testatrix and this deponent further saith that the said time when the said testatrix subscribed her name to the said last will as aforesaid, and at the time of the deponent’s subscribing his (or her) name as an attesting witness thereof, as aforesaid, the said Jane Adams was of sound mind and memory, of full age to execute a Will and was not under any restraint to knowledge, information or belief of this deponent: and further these deponents say not.
Generally sworn and subscribed Benj. Brock this 12th day of March 1883 Susan Eubanks before me.
Thos. J. Whitaker
Jones County In the Probate Court
The State of North Carolina
To all whom these presents shall come Greeting: It being satisfactorily proven to the undersigned, Judge of Probate for Jones County, that Jane Adams, late of said county, is dead. Having made her last Will and Testament, which has been attested(?) to probate, a true copy where of is hereunto annexed and George W. Adams, the Executor named therein, having qualified as such according to law.
How these are therefore to empower the said Executor to enter in and upon all and Sin????on the goods and chattels rights and ????? of the said deceased, and the same to take into possession wherever to be found and are the just debts of said deceased to pay and satisfy, and the residue of said estate to distribute according to the discretion of said Will. Witness my hand, and the seal of said county, this the 12 day of March 1883.
Thos. J. Whitaker
State of North Carolina
Jones County In the Probate Court
I, George W. Adams, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I believe this writing to be and contain the last Will and Testament of Jane Adams, deceased; and that I will and truly execute the same by first paying her debts and then her legacies, as far as the said estate shall extend or the law will charge me and that I will well and faithfully execute the office of an Executor agreeable to the trust and confidence reposed in me, according to law, so help me God.
George W. Adams
Sworn and subscribed before me this
12th day of March 1883
Thos. J. Whitaker, Probate Judge