MARTIN COUNTY, NC - WILL- Benjamin Hardison, 1785.

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       This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by:
       James Hardison of Lenoir, NC. Dec 1998
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Transcribed and contributed by James Hardison of Lenoir, NC.
Source: Office of the Clerk of Court, Martin Co. Court House, 
Williamston, NC. 

                    BENJAMIN HARDISON'S WILL
 
MARTIN COUNTY COURTHOUSE, WILLIAMSTON, NORTH CAROLINA
WILL BOOK 1, PAGE 118

In the Name of God Amen. The twenty fifth Day of March 1785. I Benjamin 
Hardison Being Very sick and Weak in body and wherein it is appointed 
for all men to Die thanks be to God for it Calling to mind the Mortality 
of my body & knowing it is appointed for all men once to die Do make and 
Ordain this my Last will & Testament that is to say Principally & first 
of all I give & Recommand my Soul into the hands of God that Gave it and 
my body I recommand to the Earth to be buried in A Christian like Manner 
at the Descretion of my Executors and as for my worldly Goods wherewith 
it hath Pleased God to bless me I give & Dispose of them in the 
following Manner I give and bequeath to my Sons John Hardison & William 
Hardison the Negroe Woman Called Phibb and her Children Charity Simon 
and Easter I also give to my Son John Hardison one feather bead & 
Furniture & one Cow and Calf .... Item I lend to my Beloved Wife 
Elizabeth Hardison all the Rest of my Estate both within Dors & without 
for the Support of the Family and Raising of the Children for the term 
of Eight Years to be Equally Divided According to Law I Give to my 
beloved wife Elizabeth Hardison one third of the Mills and also one 
third Part of the Plantation thereunto belonging to her & to her heirs 
forever and all the Rest of my Estate to be Equally Divided between the 
Children I had by my Wife Elizabeth Hardison Ezekiel Hardison Hardy 
Hardison Seth Hardison Samuel Hardison Martha Hardison Thomas Hardison 
and Elizabeth Hardison and the Executors to Do as they think best with 
the Negroes that is Contending for Freedom & Do Constitute and Appoint 
my beloved Brother WmHardison and I Do hereby Appoint my friend John 
Stewart and my Wife Elizabeth Hardison my hole and Sole Executors of 
this my last Will & Testament In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my 
hand & Seal ___________________
Signed Sealed Pronounced and declared by me the said Benjamin Hardison 
as my last will & Testament
In the Presence of
Paul Ross.                             BENJN HARDISON
Edmund Smithwick
John Hardison