State of North Carolina
Tyrrell County In the name of God Amen: Now, I Nathan Alexander, residing in the County & state aforesaid, being infirm in body but sound in mind, and well knowing what I do, do make & ordain this my last will & testament. -

First - I do wish my funeral expenses & all my just debts to be paid.

Second - I give to my brother Allen Alexander as long as he shall live, the land I purchased of John B. Beasley & known as the Tarkinton land: at the death of Allen Alexander then this land I give to Nathan Alexander, the son of Allen Alexander if he shall arrive at the age of twenty one years should he die before he arrives at that age, and have heirs lawfully begotten, then to them, but should he not arrive at that age & have no lawful children, then the said land to go to the other sons of Allen Alexander.

Third - I give to my brother Allen Alexander as long as he shall live, the land I purchased of Doctrine P. Davenport, & known as the Franklin Spruill land, at the death of said Allen, then to,his two sons Allen and Maximillian should they arrive at the age of twenty one years, should they die before arriving at that age & leave lawful children then to them: should they not arrive at that age, and leave no lawful children, then the said land to go to the other sons of my brother Allen.

Fourth - I give to my sister Mahala Phelps, wife of Charles T. Phelps seventy five acres of cleared land, out of the Billy Wynne land, including the buildings, the land selected by her to be adjoining to the buildings. -the building lots to be a part of the seventy five acres, also the privilege of wood & timber sufficient for her uses while she occupies the land, seventy five acres is given to my sister Mahala, so long as she shall use it as a place of residence & no longer, when she ceases to use it for that purpose then all her right & title & interest ceases, as it does at her death.

Fifth - I give to Allen Alexander my brother, all of the land known as the Billy Wynne land, for & during his life time, except that portion already set apart for the use of my sister Mahala, At the death of Allen, said Billy Wynne land to go to his two sons Henry & Alfred, should they arrive at the arrive at the age of twenty one years, or leave lawful children, then to such children, but should they not arrive at the age of twenty one years, or leave lawful children, then the said land to go to the other sons of my brother Allen, also a small tract of land one the east side of the road containing about twenty five acres, which I purchased of S. S. Simmons, to follow the Billy Wynne land, and go as a part of it when the title of my sister Mahala Phelps ceases to the seventy five acres of the Billy Wynne land, then the said land is to go with the balance of the Billy Wynne land, or to my brother Allen if alive , or to his two sons Henry & Alfred, under the same circumstances as set forth in this fifth clause of my will.

Sixth -I give to my brother Allen Alexander, for & during his life time a Juniper swamp on the east side of Scuppernong river known as the Joshua Phelps swamp, at the death of Allen, the said swamp to his three sons Nathan, Allen & Maximilian.

Seventh- I give to my brother Allen, a tract of land on the east side of Scuppernong river which I purchased of William N. Spruill to him absolutely. It is my wish that none of the above lands be sold by the guardian or guardians of any of the sons of my brother Allen, for a division or any other purpose but that they may have the land itself when they shall arrive at the age of twenty one years, and then they can do with it as may seem best to them.

Eighth- I give to my brother Allen Alexander absolutely the following negroes Viz:- negro man Henry woman Orpie & her children Lavinia & Victoria, with any other children that she may have after this time. I also give to my brother Allen for & during his life time the following negroes with all & any children they may have after this time Viz: Frank, Jack, March, Snowd, Mary Elizabeth, & Ann Caroline. At the death of Allen, I give to his sons the following negroes as named. Viz: To David, negro boy Jack: To Henry negro girl Mary Elizabeth & her children, to Alfred, negro boy March: to Nathan negro man Frank: to Allen negro boy Snowd: to Maximilian, negro girl Ann Caroline & her children.

Ninth - I give to my sister Mahala Phelps, for & during her life time negro man Nelson, negro woman Eliza & her children Solomon & William Thomas & any other children that Eliza may have. At the death of Mahala Phelps I give the above negros to Nathan Alexander, son of my brother Allen, I also give to the said Mahala Phelps my negro man Solomon, during her life time, and at her death, I give the said negro Solomon to the heirs of my brother Allen Alexander. I also give to said Mahala Phelps for & during the term of five years, negro girl Penny, at the expiration of that time, then I do give negro girl Penny to Mahala Alexander, the daughter of my brother Allen, also Penny's increase -

Tenth - Having full trust & confidence in Dr. Hardy or Hardison and my brother Allen Alexander, I do give over to them the following named negroes for the uses purposes herein after mentioned. - The negroes are Jim, John, Lovelace, Jenny & Claudiana, and such children as they may have. It is my wish that Hardy Hardison & Allen Alexander shall use & employ the above negroes for the support & maintenance of John, the son & Rhoda, the daughter of Ephraim Alexander, and of Ephraim Alexander himself, for & during the lives of said John Rhoda & Ephraim, and then at their deaths the above negroes, I wish to go & I do hereby instruct the said Hardy Hardison and Allen Alexander ______ transfer the above negroes to the children of said Rhoda, if she shall have any if none, then to the heirs of my brother Allen Alexander.

Eleventh -I give my negro girl Rachel & her children to Rhoda, the daughter of Ephraim Alexander.

Twelfth - I give to Cyprian W. Woodley, son of Hardy Woodley, my negro woman Violet & her three children, Clarissa, Ben & Martha as will as her future increase, during his life time, and at his death to his nearest bloodkin on his mothers side.

Thirteenth -I give William Edward, son of my negro woman Penny Clayton to Nathan A. H. Dillon: if he dies leaving no lawful issue, then said negro William Edward to go to the other children of said Silas & Elizabeth Dillon.

Fourteenth- I give my woman Penny Clayton & her two children Levi & Louisa, as well as her future increase to Elizabeth Dillon, widow of Silas Dillon, her life time, and at her death, to her nearest bloodkin on her mothers side.

Fifteenth - I give to my friend Dr. Hardy Hardison, my negro girl Hannah, the daughter of Violet, and also the sum of three hundred dollars.

Sixteenth- I give to my brother Redding B. Alexander the sum of five hundred.

Seventeenth- I give to my brother, Allen Alexander my wheat threshing machine

Eighteenth- I give to my sister Mahala Phelps my riding buggy & harness & my horse Charles.

Nineteenth- I give to Nathan Alexander son of Allen, my piece of land which I bought of John S. Swain of Texas, said land lies near Cross Landing & called the Roberson land.

Twentieth - I wish all my crops growing & gathered and sold.

Twenty first -I wish my negroes to be distributed as soon as possible.

Twenty second- I wish the balance of my property not mentioned, to be sold & the proceeds of such property with all money on hand, & all owing to me, as soon as collected, after paying the legacies above mentioned, to be equally divided among my three brothers, Allen, Ephraim & Reading & my sister Mahala Phelps & also Cyprian W. Woodley, Elizabeth Dillon & Mary Jane Woodley the said Cyprian, Elizabeth & Mary Jane to take one share among them, representing their mother. I appoint Allen Alexander & Hardy Hardison my executors. Sept. 24 1862.

Witness
Joseph Cahoon
Henderson Lewis

Nathan Alexander (Seal)

Updated June 4, 2001
Mike Schoettle