Halifax County, NC - Will of Rhesa Read, 1823 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rhesa Read Son of Rev. Jesse Read Will of Rhesa Read Halifax County, North Carolina Will Book 3 P.697 In the name of GOD Amen. I, Rhesa Read, of Halifax County, North Carolina, being of sound mind and memory and knowing that all men must die, have concluded to make this instrument my last will and testament. My soul I recommend to God, my body I wish decently buried at the discretion of my friends. My property to be disposed of in the following manner: It is my will and desire that all my property be kept together for the term of three years and all my plantations be kept up for the benefit of my wife and all my children and the payment of just debts. It is my wish and desire that my son Martin Read be supplied with money from my estate in order that he may be enabled to complete his education, and at the end of four years from the time my son Martin Read completes his education he is to pay my daughter Eunice Elizabeth Read one fourth part of the amount of money that he may have expended at Philadelphia in completing his education: And at the expiration of five years from the time above mentioned my son is to pay in like manner to my daughter Lydia Read one fourth part of the amount expended by him at Philadelphia: And at the expiration of six years from the time above mentioned my son is to pay in like manner to my daughter Eliza Read one fourth part of the amount expended by him in Philadelphia: It is my will and desire that my daughter Eliza be kept at school for three years. My daughter Eunice Elizabeth and Lydia Read I leave their further advancement in education to the discretion of my executors hereafter to be named. It is my will and desire that at the end of years the crop of cotton that may be made on my plantation shall be sold by my executors and after paying my just debts, the surplus, if any, together with all the debts due my estate I give to my three daughters Eunice Elizabeth, Lydia and Eliza Read. It is further my will at the end of three years from my death, that the balance of the crop of every description, together with all my of every kind, plantation utensils, household and kitchen furniture (except one bed and furniture, one clock, one bureau, and five silver spoons I give to my wife, and one feather bed furniture to each of my children) the proceeds of such sale to pay my just debts I give in the following way - viz: I give one sixth part to my son Martin Read, the balance I give to my daughters Eunice Elizabeth, Lydia and Eliza Read. I give to my wife Mary Read and my daughter Mary Ann Rebecca and Nancy Caroline Read all my lands on the West side of Bear Swamp, including my dwelling house during the natural life and widowhood of my wife, in case my wife should marry, it is my wish and desire that my executors hereafter to be named, shall sell the land left my wife and my two youngest daughters, lying on the west side of Bear Swamp, on such terms as they my executors may think proper and the money arriving from such sale to be equally divided between my wife and my daughters Mary Ann Rebecca and Nancy Carolina Read. And should my wife remain a widow, it is my will that she have the entire control of the land during her natural life. It is my will and desire after the death of my wife the above named tract of land be kept in common for the purpose of working the Negroes on - that will belong to my said daughters, until one of them should marry or arrive at lawful age - however if my executor should think it advisable, they are hereby authorized to sell the said land whensoever they may think proper after the death of my wife and the money arriving from such sale to be equally divided between my said daughters. I give to my wife and my two youngest daughters twenty negroes that are now in my possession, viz: Nanny, Dolly and her child Lucy, Aggy, Jack, Mark, Dilcey, Rachel, Nelson, Grace, James, son of Dilsey, Anny, Fanny, Samuel son of Dilsey, Chloe, Ranor, Hardy, young Peter and Ned with all their future increase. I also give to my wife and two youngest daughters all the Negroes, money, stock and property of every description that I may be entitled to from the estate of Col. Ransome Southerland, dec'd of Wake County. It is my will that as my daughters Mary Ann Rebecca and Nancy Caroline arrives to lawful age or marries, they are to take their Negroes in possession and should either of them die before they arrive to lawful age or marry, the one that may survive is hereby entitled to the whole of the estate of the one that has died. I give my son Martin Read the plantation that I purchased of Arthur Cotten together with the grist mill, apple mill, still and cider casks on said plantation, also one Negro named Tom. I give to my three daughters Eunice Elizabeth, Lydia, and Eliza Read, the following Negroes to be divided equally as they arrive to lawful age or marry, marry viz: Penny, Adam, Claiborn, Beck, Rene, Attimore, Patience, General Sandy, Solomon, James Sr., Synthia, Matilda, Anica, Martha, Cary, Preston, together with all their future increase. I give to my four children Martin, Eunice Elizabeth, Lydia and Eliza, all the remaining part of my Negroes together with their future increase. I also give to my four last named children all the money that I am entitled to from the estate of James Carstarphen, dec'd. Should either of the four last named children die before they arrive to lawful age or marry, it is my will that those who may survive are hereby entitled to the property of such that has died. I give my three daughters Eunice Elizabeth, Lydia and Eliza the plantation I bought of Alfred Qualls, lying on the east side of Bear Swamp, the lands are to be sold at the discretion of my executors and the money arising therefrom to be equally divided between my three last named daughters. Should either of them die before they arrive to lawful age or marry, the property of the deceased is to be divided among them that survive and my son Martin. I constitute and appoint and make my son Martin Read and my friend James Harris executors to this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 6th day of December in the year of our LORD 1823. /s/ R. Read (seal) In addition to the above, I hereby make the following clause a part of my will -my executors are hereby authorized to hire any part of my Negroes, or sell any of them, should they think it best for the interest of my estate, and apply the money to such of my children as may be entitled to it. Witness my hand and seal this 6th day of December, 1823. /s/ R. Read (seal) The above will was probated at the February Court, 1823, Halifax County, North Carolina. Transcribed by Helen L. Tice from a photocopy of the original. ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Helen L. Tice ___________________________________________________________________