Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Cate, Thomas April 2, 1812
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ben Franklin ben.franklin.ffru@gmail.com May 2024

Source: Loose Will, NC Archives CR 073.801, Will Book Volume D, pages 490-491
Written: April 2, 1812
Recorded: Aug 1816
Testator: Thomas Cate

In the name of God amen ~~~~

I Thomas Cate in the County of orange being
of perfict mind & memory make this My
Last Will and testament first it is my desire[?]
to be buried decently and all my Lawfull debts
to be paid out of my Estate I bequeath to
my Son Moses one hundred and fifty acres of
Land whare he now dwels also to my Son John
Cate I give and bequeath one hundred and fifty
acres of Land Whare he now dwells and the
Line I made between them Shall Stand

also I give to Ephrem my Son one hund[red]
acres of Land Whare on he did dweel

I also I[sic] give and bequeath unto my Son
Thomas Cate One hund[red] acres of Land Wha[re]
on I now dweel after the death of his mother

Also I give into[sic] my beloved Wife Sarah Cate
one hund[red] acres of Land Whare on I now
dweel and after her death or widowhood
it falls to my son Thomas Cate and also
I give unto my beloved Wife three negroes
named as fol[l]ows Randall and Joe and Rachel
and my mill my[sic] and my Smiths tools and Wagon
and horses and too[two] Stills with the utensels belong[ing] to
them with all my household furniture and
all my farming ["uten" x-out] tools with ["Cows hogs sheep" x-out]

[page 2]
my Cowes hogs and Sheep With all the appetainces
ther[e]of Said plantation Whare on I now dwel and
after her decease or Widowhood then it is to be Eaqual
ly devied amongst my Eleven Children Moses Cate
John Cate Faney Sykes Martha More
Winey Sykes Meley Roach Huldah Cate Tabitha
Smith, Elisabeth Cate Thomas Cate Ephriam
Cate I ack[n]owlege this to be my Last
Will and Testament this [x-out]
[whereun]to I do Set my hand [blot out]
this secont day of Aprile one thousand
Eighteen[sic] hundred and Twelve
Test
    Barnard Cate         Thomas Cate (seal)
        her
   Jean (+) Cate
       mark
                Exrs qualified

[Will Book Volume D, page 490]
In the name of God Amen I Thomas Cate in the County
of Orange being of perfect mind & memory make this my last
will and Testament, first it is my desire to be buried decently
and all my lawful debts to be paid out of my Estate - I bequeath
to my son Moses one hundred & fifty Acres of Land where he now
dwells, also to my son John Cate I give & bequeath one hundred
& fifty Acres of Land where he now dwells and the line I made
between them shall stand, also I give to Ephraim my son
one hundred Acres of Land whereon he did dwell - Also I give
& bequeath unto my son Thomas Cate One hundred Acres of land
whereon I now dwell after the death of his mother - Also I give
into[sic] my beloved wife Sarah Cate one hundred Acres of Land whereon
I now dwell and after her death or widowhood it falls to my son
Thomas Cate and also I give unto my beloved wife three negroes

[Will Book Volume D, page 491]
named as follows Randall & Joe & Rachel and my Mill & my Smith
tools and waggon & Horses and two Stills with the utensels belonging
to them with all my household furniture and all my farming tools
with my Cows Hogs & Sheep with all the appetainces thereof said
plantation whereon I now dwell and after her decease or Widowhood,
then it is to be equally divided amongst my eleven children -
Moses Cate, John Cate, Fanny Sykes, Martha Moore, Winny Sykes,
Milly Roach, Huldah Cate, Tabitha Smith, Elizabeth Cate, Thomas
Cate, Ephraim Cate - I acknowledge this to be my last Will &
Testament this whereunto I do set my hand this second day of
April one thousand eight hundred & twelve
    Test                            Thomas Cate (seal)
    Barnard Cate
         her
    Jean (+) Cate
         mark

                                    Orange County August Term 1816
The Execution of the foregoing last Will & Testament of Thomas Cate decd.
was duly proved in Open Court by the Oaths of Barnard Cate & Jean
Cate subscribing Witnesses thereto & Order to be recorded
                           Test

[Inventory and Sale ]
the amount of sails taken on 13 day July 1825
...
Names              Artikls                          $    Cents
Nagro Pompy        1 Crock[?] and fork --------------   | 06
...
Old Rachel         1 half bushel [basket]     -------   | 06
...
Nagro Pompy    `   1 paire of Cards ----------------    | 10
...
Nagro Pompy        1 small pot  --------------------    | 53
...
Nagro Joe          1 Coton Wheel -------------------    | 35
...
Nagro Pompy        1 Kip skin ----------------------  1 | 85 [Note 1]
...
William Thompson   one Nagro man Joe    ----------  551 | --
John Sykes Sen     on[e]  Nagro woman   ----------   62 | 40

Additional Comments:
Will Book Volume D, pages 490-491
Recorded Aug 1816

Original loose will is very badly smeared, and some large ink blobs have flaked off. Despite the date of 1812, it is written in a style more like some 50 years prior.

Estate Papers comprise 16 pages and are found in a folder entitled "Cate, Thomas (1817)". Inventory is extensive including nine pages.  It is unusual to see slaves making estate sale purchases, though the purchase prices are rather modest.

Note 1: Kip skin: Leather prepared from the skin of young or small cattle, intermediate in grade between calfskin and cowhide.