Cabarrus County NcArchives Wills.....Harris, Dr. Charles September 19, 1825 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Alice Campbell acampbell@carolina.net June 2, 2010, 9:03 pm Source: Harris Folder In Vertical Files, Lore Collection, Charles A. Cannon Memorial Library, Concord, Cabarrus Co, Nc Written: September 19, 1825 Recorded: October 1825 This copy of the will is in the Harris Family File in the Vertical files in the Lore Collection in the Local History Room at the Charles A. Cannon Memorial Library, Concord, Cabarrus County, NC. It is a Xerox of a Will Book (Cabarrus Co, NC presumably), pages 99 - 102. Will of Dr. Charles Harris In the name of God, Amen. I, Charles Harris, of Favoni in the county of Cabarrus and State of North Carolina, at present in declining health of body, but possest of full intellectual powers, with thankfulness to Almighty God for his previous blessings do make and ordain this instrument wherein I am now declaring the sentiments of my mind, to be my last will and testament. I recommend my soul to the keeping of Almighty God my Creator hoping assuredly through the only merits of Jesus Christ our only Savior, to be made a partaker of life everlasting and my body to the earth whereof it was made. I will that all my lawful debts shall be paid as soon as my executors shall find it convenient to do so with justice and propriety. I have portioned off and put in the possession of my son, Samuel Stanhope of land and other property which at the time I considered to be a large dividend. I have therefore to will him a successful issue of the portion which I have already given him, together with a small bequeathment hereafter mentioned. I will and bequeath to my wife Lydia all that portion of land on which I now live bounded by the line of division of the land which I bought from Nath. Gilmer, Jr. and the place where Josiah Gilmer now lives as the Barony line thence south along said line until it crosses Rocky River, thence up Rocky River with its various meanders until it touches the corner of the line dividing my land from Josiah Gilmers where he now lives. The aforesaid land I will and bequeath to my wife Lydia during her natural life and after her death to my son, Wm. Shakespeare. I will to my son Charles Jay all the land I now hold on the east side of the Barony line. I will and bequeath to my son, James Houston all the land I now hold on the west side of Rocky River except so much as will necessary in the estimation of my executors to be taken off James part to make them of equal value and that such portion be laid off the lower part of James Share. I will and bequeath to my wife Lydia, one negro woman named Tabitha, having been bequeathed to her by her father. I will that the whole of my negro property remain in common stock upon the farm until my son, Charles arrives at the age of twenty one years and then that they be divided into two equal shares as nearly as may be by my executors or three disinterested freeholders and that my wife and my son William have one half including Tilly and all her children Eleck, Polly, and Washington and if my son William should live to the age of twenty one years, then these negroes shall be so divided that my wife shall have one half and my son William the other half. I will that the other half of my negroes shall be divided equally between my sons Charles and James and it is my will that one of them shall have Bob and his family and the other Sam and his family so that families be not separated. If either of my sons Charles, James or William should die before he arrives at the age of twenty one years I will that the surviving full brother shall inherit the portion that I have bequeathed to the one that shall have deceased. If my wife Lydia should die without a will, I do hereby bequeath the share of my estate before bequeathed to her to be equally divided between her surviving children. I will and bequeath to my wife Lydia all my medicines and all my shop furniture, together with all my religious books. I will and bequeath to my son William Stanhope all my surgical and medical books, together with all my surgical instruments of any description. I will that all the remainder of my books, classical, philosophical, astronomical, mathematical, geographical in short books of every description not heretofore named and bequeathed together with all maps, charts, globes and mathematical instruments be in common stock the property of my three sons, Charles, James and William until William arrives at the age of twenty one years for the purpose of encouraging them to the improvement of their intellectual power and when my son William arrives at age, then my son Samuel Stanhope shall have an equal share in the above named books, charts and instruments and then either of the brothers shall be at liberty to dispose of his share in the common stock to the other brothers. I will and bequeath to my wife Lydia during her natural life my gold watch, gold chain, gold seal and keys and at her death to my son William. I will and bequeath to my wife all my household and kitchen furniture and all domestic machinery of every description to be used for the common advantage of herself and her children. I will that all my wearing apparel be disposed of by my wife at her discretion amongst my sons. I will that whatever money may be on hand at my death and whatever may be collected of debts due me, shall be used in payment of my just debts and if anything further be necessary that the deficiency be made up out of my property previous to a division. I will that such repairs on the dwelling house as may be necessary to make it a comfortable residence and such outbuildings as may be necessary for carrying on a farm to advantage be made out of the common stock, that is out of my estate previously to a division. I will and bequeath to my granddaughter Sarah Harris Cash one negro man named Jim and his wife, Katy and their children, Betsy and John and a girl named Cynthia. I will that the above named negroes be retained in the card and keeping of my son, Samuel Stanhope until my granddaughter, Sarah Harris Cash shall arrive at the age of twenty one years and that the profits arising from said negroes shall be entirely at the disposal of my son, Samuel Stanhope and the time or mode of payment for the use and benefit of my granddaughter, Sarah Harris Cash shall be wholly in the power and at the discretion of my son Samuel Stanhope. And I will that if Dr. Ingodocio Cash or any person in his name or for his use shall at any time institute suit on suits at law or in equity respecting the property which I have bequeathed to my granddaughter Sarah Harris Cash that all the expense of such suit or suits shall be paid out of the profits arising from said negroes or if necessary out of the original stock. I will that if my granddaughter, Sarah Harris Cash, shall die before she arrives at the age of twenty one years or without lawful living issue that then the above named property shall belong to my son, Samuel Stanhope. I will that if any property shall be found belonging to my estate which had not been especially bequeathed that it is to be equally divided between my wife and my sons, Charles, James and William. I do hereby constitute and appoint my wife, Lydia, my son, Samuel Stanhope my brother-in-law, Dr. Joel Houston and Dr. Robert McKensey to execute this my last will and testament. And I do hereby solemnly revoke and disanull all wills by me formally made. Declared, signed and sealed in the pre- sence of the subscribing Witnesses this Chas. Harris {seal} 19th day of Sept. 1825 Jno. Robinson Wilson J. McRee I will that all my stock of horse cattle hogs sheep and so forth, together with all my farming utensils of any kind-viz: wagons gears, ploughs hoes etc. be kept on the farm in the possession of my wife until my son, Charles arrives at the age of twenty one years and then that he be entitled to one fourth of part of such stock and farming utensils and that the other three fourths remain in the possession of my wife until my son James arrives at the age of twenty one years and then that he be entitled to one third part and that the remainder be in the possession of my wife until my son William arrives at the age of twenty one years and that he be entitled to one half. Sept. 19 1825 Jno. Robinson Chas. Harris {seal} Wilson J. McRee Probated Oct. sess. 1825 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/cabarrus/wills/harris1557gwl.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 9.1 Kb