Edgecombe County, NC - Wills - HARWOOD, Joseph-1769 File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Betty Harwood Edgecombe Co., N.C. Will Book A Pages 176-179 In the name of God Amen I Joseph Harwood of the parish of St. Mary in the County of Edgecombe and Province of North Carolina Being of perfect mind and Memory, Calling to Mind the Mortality of my body & knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Die do make & Ordain this my Last will and Testamnet, & principally & first of all I give my Soul Unto the hands of God that gave it & as to my Body I recommend to the Earth to be Buried in a Christian & Decent manner at the Discration of My Executors; & as Touching my wordly Estate I give & Bequeath in Manner & form following, that is to Say, In primus I will that My just Debts and funeral Charges be paid. Item I give & Bequeath to my Beloved Son Joseph Harwood, that Tract of Land & plantation he now lives on Containing one hundred & thirty acres of Land be the same more or less it being the Land I Bought from Stephen Wills, with all the appurtinances thereto Belonging to him & his heirs also the Labour of my Negroe Wench call’d Jenny and the Labour of my Negroe girle named Milly during his Natural Life, but not to have possision of them till after his mothers Death, aslo three head of Black cattlewhich he hath Now in his possision, also after his Mothers Death, one cow & calf, half of the sheep, one Sorrel horse call’d Harry, also the Labour of a Negroe Fellow call’d Frank for Ten years & then to be the property of his Brother Absalom. Item I give & Bequeath to my Son Absalom the plantation whereon I Now live & the Tract of Land thereto Belonging Being the two Tracts of Land I Bought from John & Thomas Baker containing one hundred & Eighty Acres more or less, to him & his heirs, But Not to have possision of that Tract I Bought from John Baker till after his Mothers Death or Widowhood, also one Bed & furniture which he Now hath in his possision also one gun Likewise one Negroe Woman named Juda after his Mothers Death or Widowhood, also a Nrgroe fellow Named Tinnk (?) But Not to have possision of him before his Mothers Death & ten years afterwards which time his Brother Joseph is to have the Labour of Said Negroe, then to him & his heirs; and after his Mothers Death two cows & calfs and half of the sheep, also one horse call’d prince; one mare which he Now hath in his possision. Item I give & Bequeath to my Daughter Rebecca one feather Bed & Furniture the Bed Commonly Call’d hers after her mothers Death. Item I Bequeath to my Grandson Hamlet Underwood one cow & calf & my gun after my wifes Death. Item I Bequeath to my Grandson Howell Harwood My Negroe Wench Jenny But is not to have possision of her before his fathers Death and if he should Die before his father I will her to my grandson Jesse Harwood. Item I Give & Bequeath my Negroe Girl Milly to my grandson Turner Harwood but is not to have possision of her before his fathers Death & in case he Dies before his father then I will the Said Negroe girl to my grandson William Harwood. Item I Give & Bequeath to my Dearly Beloved wife Sarah the use Benefits & profets of all my Estate Real & personal Eacepting what is otherway & in my will Directed, During her natural life or widowhood. Item I will & Desire that after my wife’s Death or widowhood that all my Estate Not Before Bequeathed by this will may be Equaly Divided Amongst all my children. Item I hereby constitute & appoint my beloved Sons Joseph & Absalom Excutors of this my Last will & Testament and Revoaking & Disanuling all former Wills & Testaments by me heretofore made or Named & publish & pronounce this and No other to be my Last Will & Testament. Signed Sealed published & pronounced in the Presence of May 30th day in the year Of our Lord 1769 Joseph Harwood {Seal} Dun Lamon Archibald Lamon Margaret Lamon Edgecombe County Feby Court 1770 The within Will was Exhibited by the Excort. & proved by the oath of Duncan Lamon & Archibald Lamon & at the same time the Excort. Therein Named were Quallified according to Law Ordered that the same be ___ and the Will Recorded. Test. Jas. ___ CC ============================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. The electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ==============================================================