Return to the Tyrrell County Probate Records State of North Carolina
Tyrrell County
Book 4, Page 395
Dated 10 November 1911
I, Annie E. Spruill of the County of Tyrrell and State of North Carolina being of sound mind but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence, do make and decide this my last Will and Testament.
Item - My executrix hereinafter named shall give my body a decent burial suitable to the wishes of my friends and relatives and pay all funeral expenses togeather with all my just debts out of the first moneys which may come into her hands belonging to my estate.
Item - My executors will retain sufficient funds to be used to erect a monument to my grave and the same to be executed as soon after my death as possible.
Item - I give and devise to my beloved daughter A. May Spruill the tract of land including house and lot on the west side of Broad Street, known as the store lot, bought by me from Eliza Parisher and bounded by J. J. McCleese on the south and west and by the West Hotel on North Broad Street and east. I also give and bequeath to my daughter A. May Spruill all in her room belonging to me, the suit of furniture in her room that was given by her father, the bed, bed clothes and my sauit belonging to my room and my set of china, silverware and pianno. My other three children Jesse B. Spruill, William R. Spruill and Venie E. Woodley shall out of the proceeds of my estate pay A. May Spruill seventy five dollars.
Item - I give my four grandchildren Annie L. Ralph, Mable Ralph Spruill, Gady Ralph and William Ralph twenty five dollars to be divided between the four.
Item - I give and bequeath to my said four children Jesse B. Spruill, William R. Spruill, A. May Spruill and Venie E. Woodley my whole interest in the tract or parcel of land including house and lot situated on the east side of Broad Street and bounded by the lands of Jesse Cooper Sr. on the south, County on the east and Thurston lots on the north and all other lands owned by me to have and to hold forever.
Item - I give and bequeath to my said above four children all of my household and kitchen furniture of every kind and nature except that that I have given to my daughter A. May Spruill and all mortgages claims and interest in the Ball Bearing axel togeather with all other personal and real estate owned by me.
Item - It is my last request that after the above provisions are completed, that all of my property both real and personal be equally divided between my said four children and that they may divide as they see fit between themselves exxcepting that the executors are to deduct from the proceeds of said property all the necessary expences and usual commissions allowed by law.
Item - I hereby constitute and appoint my children; T. H. Woodley, and Venie E. Woodley, Jesse B. Spruill, William R. Spruill and A. May Spruill my lawful executors to all intents and purposes to execute this my last Will and Testament according too the true intent and memory of the same and every part and clause thereof herebt revoking and declaring as utterly void all other Wills and Testaments by me heretofore made.
Annie E. Spruill (Seal)
Written, signed, published and declared by the said Annie E. Spruill to be her last Will and Testament in the presence of us, who in his presence and at her request, and in the presence of each other have hereto set our names as subscribing witnesses thereto November 10th 1911.
Virginia C. Baisdell
Jennie Brickhouse
Attached to the Will is the following note:
What I have given extra to my daughter A. May Spruill I feel my duty for her help and comfort to me.
Annie E. Spruill
State of North Carolina
Tyrrell County
Superior Court
A paper purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Annie E. Spruill deceased, and bearing a date of November 10th 1911 is exhibited in court by T. H. Woodley, one of the executors therein named for probate and the execution thereof is proved by the oath and examination of Mrs. May Spruill Mann, B. D. Mann and V. E. Woodley three creditable witnesses as follows: Mrs. May Spruill Mann being duly sworn says that she is the daughter of Mrs. Annie E. Spruill the testatrix knowning her handwriting well and has often seen her write, that the paper writing purporting to be the last Will and Testament of her said deceased mother which was deposited by her for safe keeping at the time her said mother broke up house keeping to leave Columbia. The name of Annie E. Spruill subscribed to said will and every part of said will is in the handwriting of the said Mrs. Annie E. Spruill.
Mrs. May Spruill Mann
Subscribed and sworn to before me;
Dated this the 20th day of May 1920
W. N. Norman
Clerk of Superior Court
North Carolina
Tyrrell County
B. D. Mann and Mrs. V. E. Woodley each being duly sworn and each saying that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of Mrs. Annie E. Spruill having frequently seen her write and that the signature on the paper writing before the court purporting to be the last Will and Testament of the said testatrix and that the handwriting is that of the said Annie E. Spruill.
B. D. Mann
V. E. Woodley
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 20th day of May 1920.
W. N. Norman
Clerk of Superior Court
North Carolina
Tyrrell County
Superior Court
In the matter of the Probate of the Will and Testament
of Annie E. Spruill, by T. H. Woodley the executor therein named:
Now comes T. H. Woodley one of the executors in the hereto attached (all other executors therein named having renounced their rights as such) paper writing purporting to be the last Will and Testament of the said Annie E. Spruill, deceased. The witnesses Virginia C. Blaisdell and Jennie Brickhouse who signed the same as attesting witnesses when called upon to probate the said Will and the said Virginia C. Blaisdell said she signed the same but did not see the testator sign the same in her presence and was not told at the time that it was the will of the deceased. Therefore the Will is exhibited as a Holograph Will in open Court by T. H. Woodley and it is thereupon proven by the oath and examination of May Spruill Mann (called in the Will A. May Spruill) that the said Will was handed to her by the said Testatrix and it is further proven by the oath and examination of three comppetent and creditable witnesses to-wit; B. D. Mann, V. E. Woodley and May Spruill Mann that they are each acquainted with the hand writing of the said Annie E. Spruill and that they each verify and believe that the name of the testatrix subscribed to the said Will and the said Will itself and every part thereof is the handwriting of the said testatrix. It is therefore considered by the Court that the said paper writing is the last Will and Testament of the said Annie E. Spruill and the same is hereby ordered to be recorded and filed.
This the 20th day of May 1920.
W. N. Norman
Clerk, Superior Court.
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