Return to Tyrrell Co Wills Introduction & Table of ContentsIn the name of God amen: I, Francis Ward of County of Tyrel Gentleman Being in good helth and perfect memory blessed be God therfore do this eight day of July in the eleventh year of the reign of the Lord George the third & in the year of our Lord 1771 make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say.
Imprimis - I commend my soule into the hands of Allmighty God that gave ti me and body to the Earth from whence it came I hopes of a joyfull resurrection throug the merits of my Saviour Jesus Christ and as for what worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me I dispose therof as follows.
First - I give to my loving wife Rachell Ward for and during the term of her widowhood or natural life one third part of all my freehold lands and tennements except two small plantations which I design to give her Daughter Debrah Ward the rents issues and profits she making no wast nor distruction and after her decease I give and devise the use and behoofe of the said lands and tennements to my son Francis Ward son of my wife Rachell Ward for and during his natural life and after his decease I bequeath and devise the same to his heirs lawfully issueing and for default of such issue I devise the said lands and teenements unto my Daughter Debrah Ward for the term of her natural life and after decease I give and devise the said lands and tenements to the said heirs of my said daughter lawfully begotten of her body forever and for her default of such issue I give and devise the same to my brother Robert Ward Debrah Halls Mahitabell Faul and Mary Wills and their reperesentives of my said three sisters and the repersentive of my sister Mary.
Item - I give to my said wife Rachell Ward the use and occupation of my new weather boarded part of the house I now live in and the shead and all the household goods the term of her natural widowhood or natural life and after her death the household goods to be equally devided between my son Francis Ward and my daughter Debrah Ward and I do hereby direct that particular care be taken by my said wife and son that an amount be taken and she give the copy(?) thereof to my daughter & convenant to leave the same to such persons as I have hereby given the same at my death her reasonable ware in the mean time exempted.
Item - I give and devise unto my daughter Debrah Ward for and during her natural life two plantations lying in Tyrrel County aforesaid in a hunty(?) The area containing three hundred and fifty acres whereon one Brittain and wife French people did live the other is athe plantation and land thereunto belonging whereon Edward Cooper now lives as will appear by this deed to me nevertheless on this condition that if Edward Cooper &c pay on or before the last of December the money mentioned in my bond to him that my daughter take it and she & my Executors herin after mentioned make him such a tittle to the plantiation and land as she made to me and after her decease I devise the said lands to the heirs of her body lawfully begotten and for default of such issue I give and devise the first mentioned plantation and containing three hundred and fifty acres more or less to my son Francis Ward and his heirs lawfully issuing forever.
Item - I give and devise to my son Francis Ward all the rest of my lands and tennements and entrie of vacant lands for the term of his natural life and after his decease I devise the same to his heirs lawfully issueing of his body and for defauly of such I give and devise the aforesaid lands and tennements to my daughter Deberah Ward for and during her natural life and after her decease th same to the heirs of her body lawfully begotten and for default of such issue I give and devise the same to my said Brother and three Sisters and there representives and the two Daughters of Mary Staforth in London to be equally divided between them forever.
Item - I give and bequeath to my said son Francis Ward the use work and labor of one third of my negroes during his life time and after his decease I give the said negroes to thes heirs of his body lawfully issuing and for default of such issue I give them to my daughter Debrah Ward for the time of her natural life and after her decease I give them to the heirs of her body lawfully begotten and for default of issue I then give them to my wife Rachel Ward for her life time onley and after her decease to my owns heirs.
Item - I give and bequeath to my wife Rachel Ward one third part of the use to hand labour of my negroes for and during her natural life and after her decease to be equally divided between my son Francis Ward and my Daughter Debrah Ward to them and the heirs of their bodyes lawfully isssueing forever and for default of such issue to my owne heirs forever.
Item - I give to my said wife one third part of all my horses cattle sheep and hoggs.
Item - I give the use and labour of one third part of my negroes to my Daughter Debrah Ward for the term of her natural life and at her death I give the said negros to the heirs of her body lawfully begotten forever and for default of such issue I give the said work use and labour to my son Francis Ward and the heirs of his body lawfully issuing.
Item - I give to my said Daughter Debrah Ward one third part of my horses cattle sheep and hoggs.
Item - I give to my son Francis Ward all my law books that are mine and the five Vol. Of Mills this bondary and all the mathanatuks books and arms that is to say two gun and a case pistolls allso one half of the household goods which are not yett given to the Mother of him for life.
Item - I give to Debrah Ward the other half of my household goods not yet given it is my will and I do hereby direct that the rest and residue of my goods and chattels and personal Estate not before given in this writing and all the money that I may have by me at the time of my death and debts and fees of office and whatsoever may be mine after paying all my lawfull debts and funeral charges I give to my said wife Rachel Ward and Francis Ward and my daughter Debrah Ward to be Equally divided between them as they may best like.
Item - I give ordain and apoint my wife Rachel Ward to be Guardain of the person and Estate of my said Daughter Debrah Ward until she comes of age or married and do direct that she put out all the money belonging to my said daughter Debrah Ward for her use or to purchase young negroes or such as may breed as may be though best and that my said wife not be accountable for any bad debt or debts and I make ordain and appoint my said wife Rachel Ward and her son Francis Ward Executrix and Executor of this my last Will and Testament In witness whereof I the said Francis Ward have to this my last Will and Testament contained on this one sheet of papeir sett my hand and seal the day and year first above written --
Fr. Ward (Seal)
Signed sealed published and declaired
by the Testator as and for his last
Will and Testament in the presence
of us who at his request and in his
presence and in the presence of each
other have subscribed our names
as witness
County of Tyrrell
State of North Carolina
Superior Court
February Term 1779
At an Superior Court held for the County of Tyrrel in Febu. Term 1779 then personally apppeared in open court Joseph Spruill Edmdson Edward Smithwick William Carkeet and Isham Webb and made oath before the Justices of our said Court that they and each of them were well acquinted with the hand writing of Francis Ward late of the said County of Tyrrel deceased and that they belive the annexed Instrument of writing is the hand writing of the said Francis Ward deceased to say -
Sworn to in open Court before us
Stevens Lee
Isham Webb
James Long
Wm. Carkeet
Jn McKildo
Edmdson Edwd Smithwick
John Stewart
Jos Spruill
Francis Lee
Recorded by Fr. Ward Clerk
North Carolina Archives
Loose Estate Papers
Tyrrell County (C.R.096.508.55), Box 55
Ward, Francis, 1773
Guardian bond dated 26 Feb 1773 in the amount of two thousand pounds in which Francis Ward is appointed guardian of the estate of Deborah Ward orphan of Francis Ward deceased with John Stubbs & Benjamin Hardison securities. Deborah Ward is fourteen years old and chose her guardian.
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