Northampton County, NC - Wills - ROBERT RUFFIN-1767 File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Clay Blankenship Northampton Co, NC Will Book 1, p 153. Robert Ruffins Will In the name of God amen I Robert Ruffin of the County of Northampton & Province of North Carolina being in good health & of sound mind & memory for preventing disputes which may arise in my family about the estate I may leave at my death do make this my last will & testament in manner following that is to say. Imprimis I lend to my wife Anne the use of my plantations of Lands I purchased of Samuel Ruffin & John Morse containing one hundred & eighty acres more or less during her natural life. Also the Labor of my negroes Yask[?] never[?] Severport[?] Luke Daniel & Rachel during her natural Life. I likewise give to my said wife ten cows & calves & four year old steers, ten sheep, my three best feather Beds & furniture, six sows & pigs, one years Provision for herself and Family, our mare & two horses, the choice of all I die[?] papiped[?] of all the remainder of my household goods. I do not give away by this will, one fourth part of all my ready money, all the working tools carts & plaughs belonging to me, all my geese, all my cider casks, her riding saddle & bridle. Item I give & bequeath to my son William Ruffin & to his heirs & assigns forever all my Lands in the counties of Edgcombe & Northampton in the Province aforesaid, also my Brandy still, our guns[?], my riding saddle & bridle & my wearing appearel. Item I give & bequeath unto my grandson Robert Ruffin, my negro girl Pegg. Item I give & bequeath unto my grandson Robt Barrow, my negro girl Jarne[?]. Item I give & bequeath unto my daughter Anne Smith my negro girl Mintilla[?] one feather bed & furniture, one horse or thirteen pounds six shillings & eight pence proclamation money. Also six pounds thirteen shillings & four pence like money. Item I give & bequeath unto Olive Barrow one feather bed & furniture also twenty pounds proclamation money. Item I give & bequeath the negroes whose labor I have lent to my wife during her life, after her death to be equally divided between my three children, William Anne & Olive. My will & desire is that they divide the negroes between themselves without selling any of them to any other person. Item I give & bequeath to my two daughters Anne Smith & Olive Barrow all the remainder of my stock of cattle & sheep to be equally divided between them. Item I give & bequeath all the remainder of my estate of what nature or kind serves to be equally divided between my three children William Anne & Olive, each to have an equal share & part. Item My will & desire & positive orders is that no part of my estate be sold appraised or inventoried, but that my wife & children divide the same among themselves in specie, according to my will, any law custom or usage to the contrary notwithstanding. Item I nominate constitute and appoint my wife Anna & my son William Ruffin whole and sole executors of this my last will and testament, revoking all former wills by me made and declaring this only to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal the 28th day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty seven. signed sealed & delivered to me Robert Ruffin [a seal] the last will & testament of the subscriber in primis[?] of Henry Dawson, Mary Cotton her mark John Hall. Know all men by these presents[?] that whereas I Robert Ruffin of the Province of North Carolina & County of Northampton have made & declared my last will & testament bearing equal state with this schedule, I the said Robert Ruffin by this present codicil or schedule confirm & ratify my said last will & testament excepting that demise or that part of my said will by which I gave unto my wife Anne only the one fourth part of my ready money, imprimis & I do in[?] the room & stead of the aforesaid one fourth part of my ready money give & bequeath unto my living wife Anne two hundred & fifty pounds in gold part of the ready money I have by[?] me. Item I give & bequeath unto my grandson Robert Ruffin fifty pounds in hard money, that is to say in gold & silver & my will & meaning is that this codicil or schedule to & be adjudged to be part and parcel of my said last will & testament and that all things herein contained & mentioned be faithfully & truly performed, and as fully & amply in every respect as if the same were so declared & set down in my said last will & testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal this 28th day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & sixty seven Robert Ruffin [a seal] signed sealed & delivered to be his last codicil or schedule of the subscriber or testator in presence of August Court Northampton County This will was exhibited in court and proved by the oath on Henry Dawson[?] & John Hull two of the subscribing witnesses also the codicil annexed thereto, at the same time William Ruffin qualified as Exers. one motion ordered to be certified & recorded Jeste[?] Willis Ines[?] c ct ============================================================== 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. The electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. 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