MARTIN COUNTY, NC - Will - James Biggs, 1789. ========================================================================= 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. These 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. This file was contributed by: Andy Anderson May 2000 ========================================================================== From original on microfilm. WILL OF JAMES BIGGS Signed 24 Jun 1789 Martin County Will Book I, page 152 In the name of God, Amen. I, JAMES BIGGS, of the County of Martin and State of North Carolina, being in perfect mind and memory, but very sick, and knowing that it is appointed for man once to die, do give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it, and my body to be buried in a decent Christian manner at the discretion of my executors, and, as touching these worldly things that it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life, I give, dismiss and dispose of the same in the following manner and form: Item, I lend unto my loving wife, JEMIMA BIGGS, during her natural life and widowhood all the whole of my estate, for the use of her and my children and at the death or marriage of my wife for the whole of my moveable estate to be equally divided between the whole of my children. Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter ELIZABETH BIGGS seventy-five acres of land lying in the County of Martin on the north side of the Carter's Branch and seventy acres of land in the fork of the Bear Grass Swamp, likewise one hundred and thirty three acres joining of Reddick's line, to her and her heirs forever. Item, I give unto my daughter MARTHA BIGGS ninety-five acres of land in the county aforesaid, beginning at a pine near WILLIAM BIGGS' fence, running along a line of marked trees to the back swamp to a pine corner tree about ten steps off the lower end of the (mass?, map?), thence up said swamp along my old bounded lines, to her and her heirs forever. Item, I give unto my daughter RHODA BIGGS my plantation beginning at a pine near WILLIAM BIGGS' fence, thence along a line of marked trees to the back swamp to a pine about ten steps below the (marsh?, mash?), thence down the swamp along my old bounded lines to the first station, to her and her heirs forever. My will and desire is that the money that Hunter owes me to go for the purchasing of a Negro according to our contract, and that my executors fix a price and that they, my executors, sell as much of my moveable property as shall pay the remainder, and at the death or marriage of my wife, for the Negro to be equally divided among all my children. I appoint my loving friends JESSE CHERRY and WILLIAM BIGGS, SR., whom I make and ordain as my sole executors of this, my last will and testament, and I do hereby disallow, revoke and disannul all and every other will, beque(st) and testament, legacies and executors by me before in any wise willed or bequeathed, testifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament, in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 24th day of June, 1789. Signed, sealed and published to be my last will and testament. /s/JAMES BIGGS {seal} In presence of us subscribers: Kedar Biggs Joseph Biggs Jr. Jos. Lilley Martin County Sept. Court [Year, if entered, is missing due to a tear in the page.] (--) the afor(egiven?) instrument of writing was proved to be the last will and testament of Jas. Biggs (dec'd?) by Kedar Biggs, a witness thereto. Ordered recorded. Test.: Thos. Hunter, CCt.