Cabarrus County, NC - Will of Paul Barringer Sr., 1805 In his will my immigrant Hagler ancestor in 1771 named Paul Barringer his "loving friend" and to be a coexecutor. But of all people I was shocked that apparently Paul Barringer left no will because it could not be found in all the usual places. Then, I just found that the last surviving child of Paul Barringer, Sr. was Leah Smith who in 1855 obtained her father’s will from the Cabarrus County Superior Court Clerk. She then used it to prove who she was in her effort to obtain a Federal pension based on her father’s military service during the Revolution. In the Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant application files (M-804 and microfilm reel #158) there are selected records pertaining to Paul Barringer’s purported service, including his will. The original of the will is therefore in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The following is from the microfilm that’s in the Library of North Carolina, Department of Cultural Resources in Raleigh. In the name of God Amen! I, Paul Barringer of the County of Cabarrus and State of North Carolina, being far advanced in age but of perfect mind and memory and considering the mortality of my body and knowing that it is allotted for all men once to die, do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following: First of all I recommend my soul in the hands of Almighty God, hoping to find mercy, and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a decent-like manner at the discretion of my executors, hereafter named, and it is my will that all my just debts and funeral expenses shall be punctually paid and discharged; and concerning my worldly estate, wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life; I dispose of the same in the following manner, to wit: 1st: I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Catherine Barringer a tract of land lying and being in the county of Montgomery by the name of Paul Donald’s Place, containing by survey four hundred acres more or less, to the end that she my said wife Catherine shall have free liberty and access to said land and to act and do as she shall think fit during her natural life and after her decease the said land of four hundred acres shall be returned to my estate, to be dealt with as hereafter provided for; also I will and it is my full desire that she shall have her residence on the plantation I now live on during her widowhood and as long as she lives in the capacity of a widow by my name, said residence to consist of my dwelling house, out houses and stables necessary for her station of life, to be adjudged by my executors; also the fourth part of my clear land; also the fourth part of all the fruits, if any, on my said plantation during her widowhood; also four hundred pounds current money of this state, to be paid to her out of my estate in money or property, provided she doth not ask any other dowry in and on any other of my lands which are hereby willed and bequeathed to any of my children and after her decease the said land of four hundred acres in Montgomery County shall be sold at public vendue to the highest bidder and the money so arising therefrom shall be equal divided amongst all my children or their issue. 2nd: I give and bequeath unto my beloved son Paul Barringer a tract or parcel of land being the plantation I now live on with all improvements and every other appurtenances thereunto belonging or appertaining, except so much thereof as I have willed to his mother, my beloved wife Catherine, during her widowhood, that is to say; the two old surveys deeded to me by and from Governor Arthur Dobbs, containing by survey one tract, one hundred and eighty five acres; and the other tract one hundred and nineteen acres; and fifty acres by a state grant dated November the 2nd 1784; also nineteen acres by a state grant dated November the 26th 1789, also two hundred and twenty seven acres, for to make up the remaining part of six hundred acres of land which is to be taken out of a tract of land by a state grant in my own name of six hundred acres of land dated November 1784, joining the old survey on the West side of my plantation and the remaining part of said tract bein g three hundred and seventy three acres shall be sold at public sale to the highest bidder, and the money so arising therefrom shall be equal divided amongst all my children or their issues; also I give and bequeath unto my said son Paul, my wagon and two horses his choice and the hind gears; one of my upper stills, his choice; one negro fellow, his choice out of my negroes, and one hundred pounds, currant money of this state, to be paid to him out of my estate, not provided for in any legatee share, in trust for the term of three years, to be by him enjoyed free, in order to give him a share in working the plantation and after the time of three years is elapsed the said negro, wagon and horses shall be returned to my estate and the same with the copper still shall be exposed at public sale to the highest bidder, and the money, bonds or notes so arising therefrom shall be equal divided amongst all my children, or their lawful heirs 3rd I give and bequeath unto my beloved son Matthias Barringer one tract or parcel of land, containing by survey two hundred and twenty two acres, known by the name of Old Eaginers Place, whereon he now lives in this County on the waters of Dutch Buffalo Creek, also a tract of fifty acres of land, joining the former tract by a state grant in my own name; these two tracts containing in the whole two hundred and seventy two acres of land, shall be for the only proper use and behoof of my said son Matthias Barringer to him and his heirs forever; also I give and bequeath unto my son Matthias the sum of six hundred and seventy five dollars to be discounted out of the money I have advanced to him 4th I give and bequeath to my beloved son Daniel Barringer the sum of twelve hundred Spanish milled dollars, to be paid to him in money, notes or trade as soon as convenient after my decease for his own proper use and disposal forever. 5th I give and bequeath to my beloved son Jacob Barringer the sum of twelve hundred Spanish milled dollars, to be paid to him in money, notes or tradeas soon as can be collected, for his own proper use, to him and his heirs forever. 6th I give and bequeath to each of my daughters of my second marriage, to wit, Elizabeth, Sarah, Esther, Leah and Polly Barringer, to every and each of them the sum of eight hundred Spanish milled dollars, to be paid or discounted with them as soon as convenient after my decease, to be enjoyed by them, or their heirs, forever. 7th I give and bequeath to my son John Barringer the sum of six hundred pounds, which I have advanced to him according to receipt in my possession, dated June the 29th 1795. 8th Concerning the remainder part of my lands and personal estate not heretofore provided for, it is my will and full desire that as soon as convenient the same, and every part and article there of shall be exposed to public sale to the highest bidder at a reasonable credit, not exceeding twelve months, by my executors and the money, bonds or notes, so arising therefrom shall be as soon as my just debts are paid, my funeral and other expenses discharged and my executors each of them receive the sum of twenty five pounds, current money, as an acknowledgement to them together with a reasonable allowance for their trouble, that what there is remaining with the capital left on hand and after each of my legatees have received their full shares as heretofore willed, be equally divided amongst all my children of my first and second marriages, to wit, John, Catherine, Paul, Matthias, Elizabeth, Sarah, Esther, Daniel, Jacob, Leah and Polly Barringer, and my beloved wife Catherine Barringer; each of them one share and my wife - Catherine one share of the whole remainder part of my estate to be enjoyed and possesed by them, to their own proper use forever: Item: I do humbly request my executors hereafter named to take particular care and have my children; under age, instructed in the Christian Faith and to give them a reasonable education as they see cause and time will permit, which said expense shall be retained and paid out of my estate; my will also is that if any of my children, or any other persons should attempt to alter or change any clause of this my last will, they shall not enjoy or inherit a single cent of my estate; also them that will criticise the receipts they have given for money advanced to them, to be discounted out of each of their shares. And I do hereby nominate and appoint my beloved sons John Barringer and Paul Barringer and my son-in-law George Savitz, likewise my truly beloved friend John ? to be my Executors of this my last Will and Testament, revoking all other wills and testaments by me heretofore made and established, allowing this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In testomony whereof I have hertofore set my hand and affixed my seal this fourth day of August Anno Dominio 1805, and in the thirteenth year of our Independence. Paul Barringer Sen Signed, Sealed pub- lish declared to be my last Will and Testament, in the presence of David Templeton George Misenheimer Peter Kanble Owen Dry ______________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by John Blair Hagler of Raleigh, NC - johnblair69@msn.com ______________________________________________________________________