CHATHAM COUNTY, NC - WILLS - Benjamin Harris - 1816

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Will of Benjamin Harris, Chatham Co, NC

In the name of God Amen. I Benjamin Harris of the County of Chatham in
the State of North Carolina being of sound mind, memory and disposition
blessed be the Almighty for the same but knowing the uncertainty of 
life and the certainty of death do make, declare and ordain this my 
last will and testament hereby revoking and annulling all former wills 
by me or for me made.

Item. To the almighty and omniscient being I ___ my soul in fervent and
strong hope that his mercy will look over any transgression which I 
have committed in this life and will extend to promote my ____ rest in 
that which is to come.

Secondly, it is my desire that all my last debts together my funeral
expenses be paid.

Item. To my son Dred Harris I give and bequeath in fee forever the land
whereon he now lives in the said county Chatham. I also give unto him a
negro man slave by the name of Sterling and all other pieces of 
property that I have heretofore put in his possession.

Item. To my son West Harris I give and bequeath in fee forever the land
whereon he now lives in the said county of Chatham. I also give unto 
him one negro man slave by the name of Jordan and all the pieces of 
property that I have heretofore put in his possession.

Item. To my son Jake Harris I give and bequeath in fee forever the land
whereone he now lives in the said county County. I also give unto him a
negro man slave by the name of Abraham together with all the other 
pieces of property that I have heretofore put into his possession.

Item. To my daughter Elizabeth Headen forever I give two negroe slaves,
to wit, Tabitha and Delilah together with all the other pieces of 
property that I have heretofore put in her and her husband Aaron 
Headen's possession.

Item. To my son Harry Harris I give and bequeath in fee forever the 
tract of land whereon he now lives in the said county of Chatham. I 
also give unto him a negro man slave by the name of Aldridge together 
with all the other pieces of property that I have heretofore put into 
his possession.

Item. To my son Benjamin Harris I give and bequeath in fee forever the
tract of land whereone he now lives in the said county of Chatham. I 
also give unto him one negroe man slave by the name of Lillbeton 
together with all the other pieces of property that I have heretofore 
put into his possession.

Item. To my daughter Sally Marsh forever I give three negroes and their
increase, to wit, Toby, Allen, and Ben together with all other pieces 
of property that I have heretofore put in her or her husbands John 
Mark's possession.

Item. To my daughter Dolly McDaniel I give forever and their increase
the following negroes , to wit, Patricia, Jerry, Sam, Reaves, Alma, and
Simon together with all the property that I have heretofore put in her 
and her husband's possession.

Item. To my son Britain Harris I give and bequeath in fee forever the 
tract of land whereon he now lives in the said county of Chatham. I 
also give unto him one negro man slave by the name of Simon together 
with all the other property heretofore put into his possession.

Item. To my son Absalom I give and bequeath in fee forever the tract of
land whereon he now lives in the said county of Chatham. I also give 
unto him one negro man slave named Simon together with all the other 
property that I have hertofore put in his possession.

Item. To my daughter Mary Harris I give to her the following negroes
forever and their increase, to wit, Timpy, Jenny, Liza and Henry. I 
also give unto her two cows and calves, two feather beds and furniture 
and one horn or man to be considered to be with seventy five dollars.

Item. It is my desire that after my deeath and all my debts be paid 
that the monies coming from the sale of perishable and funeral property
that I might have left behind be equally divided among ___l of my 
children namely, to wit, Dred Harris, Will Harris, John Harris, Henry 
Harris, Benjamin Harris, Britain Harris, Absalom Harris, Sally Marsh, 
Dolly McDaniel, and Mary Harris.

Item. It is also my will and desire that the land whereon I now live be
sold after my death on a credit of twelve months and that the money 
that it may sell for when collected be equally divided among three of 
my daughters, namely, to wit, Sally Marsh, Dolly McDaniel and Mary 
Harris. I also do hereby nominate and appoint my three sons, to wit, 
West Harris, John Harris and Henry Harris executors to this my last 
will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and
seal this 14th to the fourteenth day of May A. D. 1816.

Ben Harris (seal)

Sign, sealed and delivered in presence of also acknowledged

Will. Luskosky
Tho. Ragland