MARTIN COUNTY, NC - WILL- William Hardison, 1797. ====================================================================== 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. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: James Hardison of Lenoir, NC. Dec 1998 ======================================================================== Transcribed and contributed by James Hardison of Lenoir, NC. Source: Office of the Clerk of Court, Martin Co. Court House, Williamston, NC. WILLIAM HARDISON'S WILL MARTIN COUNTY COURTHOUSE, WILLIAMSTON, NORTH CAR. WILL BOOK l, PAGE 326 In The Name of God Amen. Martin County, State of North Carolina, January 16, 1797. I William Hardison Being in Very Poor State of health but thanks be to God Att present In my Right mind & memory thanks be to God for it and first of All Calling to mind the Mortality of my body and knowing that it is Appointed for All men once to Die I do make and Ordain this my last will and Testament that is to Say principally and first of Ail 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 Where With it hath pleased God to bless me I give and dispose of them In the following manner Item I give to my Well beloved wife Mary Hardison the use of my plantation and Houses I also lend to her one horse called Jupiter & one Mare Called Fancy I also lend to my Wife Mary Hardison one Negro woman named Phibea I also lend to my Wife the use of all my Stock of hos & Cattle to support her as long as she lives & I also lend my Wife one Small Nero girl named Rose and at my wifes Death the Said girl to go tomy Daughter Mary Hardison. I also lend to my Dearly Beloved wife Mary Hardison one feather bed and Furniture together with all my house hold Furniture as Long as She lives and if Phibea should have Any more Increase to Equally Divided among my Children that living at that time Item. I give and Bequeath to my well beloved Son Benjamin Hardison one Hundred & Seventy Acres of land Out of this Survey whereon I now live lying up the Swamp Joining Old Mr. Edward Coopers line and I also give to my Son Benjamin Hardison one Ridge of my Island land with all the low Swampy land lying on this side and I likewise give it to my Son Benjamin Hardison fifty Acres of land on the North Side of the Devils Gutt I give and Bequeath unto my Son Benjamin Hardison the one half of my Negro boy named Bob to him and his heirs for Ever Item. I give to well Beloved Son Cullen Hardison the Plantation whereon I now live together with all the Remaining part of Said Survey of land which is one Hundred &Twenty acres more or less In the hoal Survey two Hundred & Forty Acres and I also give to my Son Cullen Hardison one Ridge of Land lying on the South Side of Devils Gutt by the name of the Deaded Island to gether with all the Low Ground land that is between the Ridge and the Gut and Creek and Also fifty acres of Puoson Land on the North Side of the Devils Gutt I also give to my son one half of my Negro boy named Bob to my son Cullen Hardison to him and his heirs forever and my two thirds of the saw and grist mill with the two hundred and twenty five acres of land in the Narrow North neck I leave to my two sons Cullen Hardison and Benjamin Hardison to pay my debts if they think fair I also give to my Cullen Hardison one horse called Darby and all that is here mentioned to him and his heirs forever but be sure my dearest beloved son not to interrupt your mother but let her enjoy the benefit of the house and Plantation with all the inprovements thereon which is my Desire and I also give to my Son Cullen Hardison one Feather Bed and Furniture I also give to my Son Cullen Hardison one Desk to him and his heirs for Ever Item. I give to my Daughter Elizabeth Everett one Cow & Calf or five pounds to be Raised Out of my Estate in the Term of three years from this Date. Item. I give to my Daughter Hannah Gardner one Cow & Calf or five pounds to be Raised out of my Estate in the Term of three years from this Date I also give to my Daughter Sarah Blount one Cow & Calf or five pounds to be Raised out of my Estate in the Term of three years from this Date and I hereby Constitute and Appoint my Dearly Beloved Son Benjamin Hardison and my Dearly Beloved Son Cullen Hardison my hole and Soul Executors of this my will and Testament hereby uterly Revoking all former Executors of this my will and Testament hereby uterly Revoking all former wills by me at anytime made In Witness Whereof I have Hereunto Set my hand and Affixed my Seal this Sixth Day of February and in the year our Christ one Thousand and Seven Hundred and Ninety Seven Signed Sealed Published Pronounced as my Last Will and Testament in presents of His John Hardison (Jurah) WILLIAM X HARDISON Tench Carrow Mark