Bladen County, NC -- Will of Jonathan Sikes, 1818

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In the Name of God, "Amen"

I Jonathan Sikes of the County of Bladen in the State of North Carolina being
in a low state of health but of perfect sound and disposing mind and memory
I do hereby make and ordain this instrument of writing to be my last Will and
Testament.

1st    It is my will and desire that my funeral expenses and just debts be paid
as soon as possibile first out of any money I may have in hand at the time of 
my death or debts due me and in that case that should be not sufficient then
out of the sale of some of the most perishable part of my estate such as my
Executors hereafter named may think my family can best spare.

2nd    I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Sarah Sikes my old Negro woman 
Mirtus with this request enjoined that she treat her with tenderness in
consideration of her past faithful services to me and my family. I also give
unto my said Wife Sarah the one half of all my stock of cattle with the 
exception hereafter mentioned my two horse creatures all my stock of hogs all
my household and kitchen furniture with the crop of corn peas potatoes and
cotton that I have growing in all my land together with all my plantation
and working tools of my description.

I also lend unto my said Wife Sarah for an during the term of her natural
life my three negroes Jordan, Peter, and Mary, for the purpose of enabling
her to raise clo**h and fr**t in educating with provisions hereafter 
mentioned my four youngest children, Catherine, Isaiah, Caleb, and Amos.

And I do also give to my said wife Sarah for her dower in any landed estate
for the term of her natural life one hundred acres land which I have lying
on the east side of the Watery Lake sometimes called Harrisons Lake whereon
Negro Woman Mentus now lives. One hundred and fifty acres of said land was 
cat**ted in my own name the other fifty acres by William Moorhead.

3rd     I give and bequeath to my son in law William Kemp and his wife Lucy
the Negro girl Rachel which I heretofore put in their possession and
delivered over to them with the sum of two Shillings.

4th     I give and bequeath unto Benjamin Turner and his wife Elizabeth
who was a daughter to my brother, Jonah Sikes, the sum of ten shillings

5th     I also giveand bequeath to the three other children of my brother
Joseph Sikes, namely Colin, Mary, and James Sikes, each the sum of ten
shillings each to them and their heirs.

6th     I give and bequeath to my Son Samuel Sikes One hundred acres of
land which I Have joining the land of Richard Singletary on the side of
the Lake aforesaid patented in my own name with the Sum of fifty dollars
to him and his heirs forever.

7th     I give and bequeath to my son John Sikes my Negro boy Ned, with
the following reservation and encumberances that is for him to pay the sum 
of fifty dollard the schooling of his Sister Catherine and that he
from time to time lay out this sum in the purchase of books, h***s and 
with paying her schooling and should not all the money be expended in
this way the balance to be paid out for clothing for her and for her
to pay the sum of fifty dollard to each of his brothers Isiah Caleb and 
Amos to be laid out in the like manner as is described for the education
of Catherine and should not the whole of the money be properly expended
for the education of the children he then is to pay for each
the deficiency when they came of lawful age or are married with this exception
that should the said Negro Ned die before the sums are paid in full or in
part to any said children then he is to be exonerated from the payment of 
such balance or balances.

8th    I give and bequeath to my Son Richd Sikes my Negro boy Peter after the decease
of my wie to whom I willed the said boy Peter during her life time and
request of my wife if she can spare said boy Peter when my Son Richard
becomes of lawful age for her to do so or as soon thereafter as she can
spare him.

9th    I give and bequeath to my son Joshua Sikes the tract of land whereon
I now live containing six hundred and eighty acres commonly called "Caine 
Hill" together with the tract of twenty eight acres joining the same in the 
east which land I purchased from Sampson Davis to have and to hold the said
land to him the said Joshua and his heirs forever.

10th   I give and bequeath to my four sons Samuel John Richard and Joshua
theh alf of my stock of cattle not willed to my wife with this exception
that should I not have money in hand or debts due and coming to me to pay
the sums of money that I have willed William Kemp and Wife Joseph Sikes
children and my son Samuel and those sums are to be raised out of a stock
of cattle before any division takes places between my wife and sons.

11th   I give and bequeath to my daughter Catherine and my three sons
Jsaih, Caleb, and Amos at the death of my wife Sarah my Negroes June and
Mary and the increase of Mary if any to be equally divided between them
or the survivors of them and their issues and also direct taht the two
hundred acres of land willed to my wife during her life or as soon as may
be practicable after her death the same to be advertized for sale by my
Executors on a credit of six months and the money arising from said sale be
equally divided among my four children Catherine, Isaiah, Caleb and Amos 
or the survivors of them or their lawful issue in case of the death of my
Executor or his removal out of the state before the death of my said wife
there and in that case I request and direct taht the County Court of Bladen
do appoint a guardian to my said children or such of them as may not be of 
lawful age to settle and convey the said two hundred acres of land in like
manner as is directed for my Executor to do and divide the money accordingly.

12th   I give and bequeath my will give to my son John Sikes who I appoint
Executor to this my last Will and Testament.

13th   If I have omitted the devise of any of my estate in order to decide
all difficulties that may arise among my heirs, I do hereby give and
bequeath all such property to my wife Sarah to her and her heirs forever. In
witness whereof I the said Jonathan Sikes have here unto set my hand and
seal to this my last will and Testament this 4th day of July 1818.

Signed sealed and published by the
Testator to be his last Will and Testament
in presence of us

John Dickson )                 Jonathan Sikes (seal)
J. Cain      )