Granville County, NC - Will of John Shearman, Sr., 1784 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In the name of God, Amen. I, John Shearman, sen. Of the County of Granville of State of North Carolina being weak of body but of perfect sound mind & memory but calling to mind the imortality of my body & knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make ordain constitue & appoint this my last will & testament. Revoking all other wills heretofore made, That is to say first of all I recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it & my body to the earth to be buried at the discretion of my Exect. Hereafter named. And as touching my worldly estate that it hath been please God to bless me with I give & bequeath in the following manner to wit, Item I give to my beloved wife Catherine Shearmon to be her own property to be by her given to whom she pleaseth one Negroe girl named Debbey about two years old, three feather beds & furniture & all my earthenware. Likewise I lend to my said wife during her natural life or widowhood the residue of my whole estate. Item I give to my son Mishael Shearmon after the death or marriage of my said wife Catherine Shearmon the land on the South East side of little Creek a fork of Stoney Creek whereon I now live including my dwelling house & plntation to him and his heirs forever also four Negroes towit, Joe, Dorcas, George & Sue. Also my house clock & two work horses which he may choose out of all my stock & one case of bottles, fire dogs & my large iron pot, one pewter dish & bason, one cart together with all my working tools & books, two books excepted & one Iron potrack. Item I give to my son John Shearmon one silver watch & two books of Bunyans works. One large & the other a small one. Item I give to my daughter Ellenor Meadows my riding chair & all the geer thereunto belonging. Item I give to my son in law Phillip Lewis one Negroe woman named Bet with her increase if any.. He paying two thirds of her value to my sons John Shearmon & Mishael Shearmon. Viz. One third part to each of them after the wench is valued by two honest men. Item I give to my son in law John Cash one Negroe girl named Nan which is now in his possession to him & his heirs forever. Item I give to my grand daughter Mercy Lewis wife of Thomas Lewis one Negroe girl named Amey to her & her heirs forever. Item I give, after the death or marriage of my said wife Catherine Shearmon all the rest of my stock household goods & estate whatever that has not yet been given away to my sons John Shearmon & Mishael Shearmon to be equally divided between them two and lastly I do nominate & appoint my son in law Philip Lewis and Mishael Shearmon Executors of my will. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this twenty fourth day of March A. D. one thousand seven hundred & eighty four Signed, sealed published & declared In the presence of William Gill John (his mark) Shearmon Elizabeth (her mark) Parker Priscilla (her mark) Badget James (his mark) Brinkley Whereas I john Shearmon Sen. Of the County of Granville & State of North Carolina made the above will on the twentyfourth day of March last & therein did not leave nor give anything to my son in law Thomas Goss & am not fully satisfied with that part of my will and it is my desire that the before mentioned and former will as far as it respects my wife Catherine Shearmon, Mishael Shearmon, John Shearmon, Ellenor Meadows, Philip Lewis, John Cash, Mercy Lewis, Sarah Lewis and John Shearmon & Mishael Shearmon remain in full force but I do give 7 bequeath to the above said Thomas Goss five shillings current money to him & his heirs forever & it is my desire that this be esteemed a codecil or an amendment to the former will this fourth day of April one thousand seven hundred & eighty four. Signed & acknowledged in presence of John (his mark) Shearmon William Gill Priscilla (her mark) Badget Elisabeth (her mark) Parker James (his mark) Brinkley Granville Co., May Court A D 1784 This will & Codecil of John Shearmon Sen. Was duly proved by the oaths of William Gill, Priscilla Badget & Elisabeth Parker and ordered to be recorded. Then Philip Lewis & Mishael Shearmon qualified as Executors to the said will. Teste Reuben Scarey, C.C. Granville Co., Wills 1772-1954, Vol 1, p 402-3-4. ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Meredith Clapper ___________________________________________________________________