ONSLOW COUNTY, NC - WILLS - Seth Ward, 10 Oct 1786 ==================================================================== 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. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Pauline Mitchell Pierce pollyp@e-tex.com ==================================================================== Contributor's Notes: This will and probate record are taken from the original records held in the Archives in Raleigh, NC. SETH WARDS WILL was proved by the oath of JOS. WARD and CEARE WARD the Extrx. & Jno. McCullough one of the Executors appeared and was qualified at April Term 1787. Reuben Grant Esq. appeared and qualified as an executor to the within will. Recorded. There is a very large inventory of his estate. The daughters were Serena Ward, married 1st. Thomas Snead, 2nd. William Cox; Alice Ward, married 1st. Dr. Nathaniel Loomis, m. 2nd. Daniel M. Dulaney, no children from either marriage; and Clarissa Ward who married David Mitchell. ************************* In the name of God Amen I SETH WARD of the County of Onslow & State of North Carolina Planter being in perfect mind & memory thanks be to God for it but calling to mind the mortilliaty of my body it being appointed to each once to die do make this my last will & testement. Primus: I lend to my beloved wife CEAR WARD to enable her to bring up my children & to edicuate them agreeable to their fortune & to feed & cloth my said children--- and cloth & feed what negroes I have now and all the incress their may here after proceed from them & to pay estate tax the law requires on my estate the use of my land & negroes with as much of my other effects as my wife with my other executors may think full sufficant for the above properitys here after supposrt while she has said all children & negroes under her command. The residue of my perrishable estate if any more should be that is not ehre after given away may be sold if nicety requires it but not other wise but is to be kept for my children. And for my wife to have the care of all my daughters till they marry or come to the age of eighteen, and as to my son GEO. my will & desire is that Coln. Ruben Grant takes him & closely keep him to such business that he thinks will sure his turn & be most advantage to him and all so when my son SETH is fitt to be put to business for Col. Grant to take him & treat him in the same manner as above directed for my son GEORGE to be treated and as my children marrieys to have my estate ______? & for each daughter to have their part of my personalle estate my wife risened as one in the number & for each daughter when married to be paid by my two sons GEORGE & SETH fifty pounds a peice in a short time after my sons comes of age and has their fortune in their hands I mean twenty five pounds a peice to be paid by each of my sons each of my daughters or if either of them was to die before they have their fortune in their hands for the surviving son to pay to each of their sisters fifty pounds and as to the land that I own is to be divided in quantiety and quality as near as may be in two equal parts and for my two sons GEORGE and SETH to have it between them and their equel share of my personal estate. Allways reserving any house that my wife makes choice to live in that ____? with as mutch land as she sees prooper to make use of for her personal support and she bring up all her daughters with a sufficanty of negros and other effects to support her during her natural life. If what comes to her share is not sufficant and for that to be drawnout of each childs part in proportation to what they reserve and futher reserving one acre of land at my sound Plantation where the grave yard is and for that to be kept inclosed so that creatures may not disturbe it and for that never to be sold by anyone claiming any right by, from, or under me or mine and futher each childs part that comes to their share out of my estate and given them their heirs and assigns forever---and I do here by constitute and ordaine my beloved wife CEAR WARD Excutor and my friend COL. RUEBAN GRANT and BENJAMIN WARD and JOHN McCULLOUGH excuotrs to this my last will or wills here to fore made and to hold good this and no other to be my last will and testament where in I the said SETH WARD have here unto set my hand and fixed my seal this 10 day Oct. 1786. In the presence of us SETH WARD BENJ. WARD JOSEPH WARD LYDIA M. GREY her mark Onslow County } On motion of Tho. Snead Esq. to have the estate of Apr. Term 1791 } SETH WARD Esq. Dec.d. divided agreeable to the last will and testament of the Dec.d. That Tho. Dulany, Will. Gibbs, Will. Montfort, Geo. Hazzard and William W. Taylor are appointed to divide the same and make return to the next term. Will. Cray ************************************************************