ONSLOW COUNTY, NC - WILLS - Benjamin Ward, 15 Jul 1767 ==================================================================== 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. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Frances Henderson fhenderson@ec.rr.com ==================================================================== Contributor's notes: The will of Benjamin Ward, July 15, 1767 as transcribed by Frances B. Henderson on April 19, 1999 from a copy secured at the NC Archives on October 25, 1986. Attempt has been made to include the spelling, capitalization, and punctuation as it appears in the original. There was particular difficulty in transcribing the word for "daughter". It was finally determined to use "da(?)ter". Anyone who has a copy and wants to give it a try let me know what you come up with! In The Name of God amen I Benjamin Ward Esq being weak in body but of Sound mind and memory blessed be god Do this fifteenth day of July In the year 1767 make and publish this my Last Will and Testament In Manner following that is to Say Imprimis my will is that all my Just Debts be paid Imediately after my Deces Item I Lend unto my beloved wife Mary Ward Dureing her Life My Negro men Tombo & Isaac & my negro woman hannah and my Cowpens with the Land belonging to them and I further Lend My Wife the house and plantation where on I now Live till my Son Benjamin comes to the age of twenty one years ("of age" is marked out) and then for her to have the Iner Rume and the feild over the Mach (mash/marh? Marsh?) Joining to David Wards Land and Two fether beds & furniture Dureing her Life and my new Desk till Benjamin Comes to age Item I give to my Da(?)ter Martha My negro garle Called Grace and one Cow & Calf Called Crump and one fether bed to her and her heirs for Ever Item I give to my Da(?)ter Mary My Negro garle Called Ame and one Cow & Calf Called _ide and one fether bed to her and her heirs for Ever Item I Give to my Da(?)ter Abigil the first Child that my negro woman hannah Shall bring and If She Should not have another Child then I order for anegro garle to be boght for her and one Cow and Calf Called Stately and atwo year old heffer and one fether bed to her and her heirs for Ever Item I Give to my Son Benjamin when he Comes to the age of Twenty one years My plantation where My house Stands with the outward Rume of the house and at his mothers Deth I Give him all the house and the hole of the Land Containing Two hundred and thirteen acres and my negro man Isaac and my New Desk at his mothers Death and I order for him to pay to his brother Richard Twenty pounds (don't recognize the next word but I think it means "proclamation") money when he Comes to the age of Twenty one years and then I Give the afore Said Land & negro to him and his heirs and assign for Ever [This is the end of the first page] Item I Give to my Son Richard Two hundred and Thirteen acres of Land I boght of William Ramsey when he Comes to the age of twenty one years and I Give him My Negro Man Sambo & My Negro Woman Hannah at his mothers Death I Likewise Give him my young banks mare and one Cow and Calf and one Two year old hefer and one old Desk & one bever hat and one Duck Gun to him and his heirs & assigns for Ever Item I Give my Son Edward one hundred & fifty acres of Land where my cow pens is after his mothers Death and one Cow and Calf and one Large Chest to him and his heirs and assigns for Ever. Item I Give My Son Joseph all my Banks and Stock there on of Cattel Sheep and Hogs at Core Sound only his Mother to have the wool and Rent Tell he Comes the age of Twenty one years I likewise Give him one Mare to him & his heirs for Ever Item I order that my negro Man Will be Sold by my Executer and that Two Small negrose be boght, one for My Son Edward & one for My Son Joseph which is for them and their heirs and asg [looks like he ran out of space - probably should be "assigns"] Item I Give to my three Sons Benjamin Richard & Edward my Banks none [known] by the name of Littel banks over against my plantation to them their heirs and assigns for Ever Item I Give to Saulsberry pearson one Cow and Calf one pare of Stockins and pare of Shues Item I Give to Nathanel Hancock My Whail boat Item I Give to David Ward one Mare Colt to be Delivered to him Next Spring and one bever hat Item I Leve My negro man Cuf my Wife for which She is to pay for the Schooling of my Children and If he misbehaves I order for him to be Sold by my Executer and for them to buy a small negro which I Give to my Child that is in the womb and the Remain part of the money to Go toward, the Schooling of my Children Item I Lend all my Stock of Cattel horses and hogs with all My money Debts and all the Rest of my Estate that is not before mentioned to my Wife Dureing her [This is the end of the second page] Life and She is to pay all My Debts and at her Deces to be Devided as follows that is for all the bed & beding to be Devided among my four Sons Benjamin Richard Edward and Joseph and one half of what Cattel their is at my wifes Deth I Give to my Two Sons Richard & Edward and the other half with the Incres of My Negro woman hannah If any and all that is not before given away that was Left to My Wife I Desire It may be be Equally Devided among My Children that Is Martha Mary Abigil Benjamin Richard Edward & Joseph and I Do make and ordain my beloved wife Mary Ward Executrix and my Loving brothers Richard and Seth Ward Executers to take Cear and See the Same performed according to my true Intent and Meaning In Witness whereof I the Said Benjamin Ward have to this My Last Will and Testament set my hand & Seal the day and year above Written Signed Sealed published and Declared by the Said Benjamin Ward on and for his Last Will and Testament In the presence of us whoes names are here under Written who Did each of us Subscribe our Names as Witnesses at his Request and In his presents In the Room where he then was the word Cattel Interlind [signature] Benj Ward before Signed [signature] Elizabeth Edwards [signature] Henry (?) Simmons [signature] Tho's (?) Dulany (?)