Raiford, Matthew - 1752, Bladen County, North Carolina - Wills Submitted to the USGenweb Archives by Diane Mason Kelly skunk@coastalnet.com North Carolina Bladen County In the Name of God Amen This 21th day of July In the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty Two, I Matthew Raiford being sick a& Weak in Body but of Sound and perfect mind and memory Thanks be Given to Almighty God. Therefore And Calling to mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Die do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in the following Manner and form (that is to say) First of all, I, Recommend my Soul into the hands of God that Gave it and my body to the Earth to be buryed in a Christian like & Decent manner at the Discription of my Executors. Nothing Doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive the Same again by the mighty power of God. And --as Touching Such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me in this life I give and Devise and Dispose thereof in the manner & form following. Imprimis. My will and desire is that all my just Debts & funeral Expenses be first paid and Discharged. Item - I Give and Dispose unto my Eldest Son, Matthew Raiford the sum of one Shilling Sterling Money of Great Britain (besides what he hath heretofore received) to be paid to him out of my Estate within one year after my Descease. Item - I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Mary, the sum of one Shilling Sterling to be paid by my Executors out of my Estate within One year after my Descease. Item - I Give & bequeath unto my Daughter Anne the sum of one Shilling Sterling to be paid her out of my Estate within One Year after my Desease to be by her & her heirs possess and for Ever Enjoyd To go there with what she heretofore hath received & posessed. Item - I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Mourning the Sum of One Shilling Sterling to be paid her out of my Estate within one year after my descease. Item - I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Rebeckah Six Cows & Calves to be paid her out of my Estate in One Year after my Descease on condition that Silvester Sears shall not at any time Claim any Rights to any part thereof by virtue of his being formerly Maryd to her the sd Rebeckah. Item - I give Devise & Dispose of all that land & plantation whereon I now dwell containing four Hundred & Ninety Acres with appes_tenan unto my Youngest Son Phillipe Rayford and his heirs for Ever to be by him possessed & Enjoyd when he attains to the age of Twenty one years his Mother therds thereof Excepted to her only propper use after he attained the age affore sd Whilest she Remain my widdow but in case the sd Phillip dies without heirs my will is that those Lands shall descend to my Son William & his heirs and in Case he die without Lawful issue then those lands shall belong to my Son Robert & his heirs for Ever. Item - I Give & bequeath to my loving wife Mourning and to the remainer of my Children Viz. To & Robert, William, Phillip, Grace & Drusella, all my Negroe Stock and other movables what so ever To be Equally Divided between them. When my Youngest Daughter Shall or might have arrived at the age of Twenty One Years but in Case any of the last mentioned persons dies before the sd Drusilla arrive to or should have arrived to the sd age of Twenty One Years Then the sd Negroes Stock & moveable to the Equally Divided between the survivor of them AND I do hereby nominate Constitute and appoint my Dearly belove wife and my well beloved Son Robert Rayford and my Trusty Friend. Isaac Bush To be joint Executors of this my last will & testamt. Ratifying & Confirming this and no other to be my last will & testament and Disa Nulling and hereby making void all other wills Testaments & Legacy by me heretofore will or bequeath. And in Testimony whereof have hereunto set my hand & Seal the Day & year first within written. Matthew Raiford Signed Sealed published pronounced & Declared by Matthew Rayford as his last will & Testament In the presence of us. Margret Armstrong Frank Armstrong Thomas Jones Cumberland County Court April 1758 The within will was proven in open Court by the oath of Margret Armstrong who Swore she saw Francis Armstrong and Thomas Jones sign as concoring evidences and was Recorded in the Clerks office according to Law Saml Simpson c:c Registered in the recorders office of Cumberland County in Book A for page 226 Saml Simpston Regrs- Back side: Matthew Raiford Will To be opened by his wife Mourning , his son Robert or Wm. by Isaac Bush (this (Isaac Bush)is marked out) Transcribe from copy of actual will by Diane Mason Kelly ======================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogy information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. 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