Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Cates, Lazarus June 11, 1854 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ 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 G, pages 108-109 Written: June 11, 1854 Recorded: Aug 1855 Testator: Lazarus Cates In the name of God Amen I Lazarus Cates of the County of Orange & state of North Carolina being of sound mind & memory, but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence do make & declare this my last will & Testament in Manner & form following that is to say First. That my Executor hereinafter named shall provide for my body a decent burial suitable to the wishes of my relations & friends; & pay all funeral expenses, together with my Just debts howsoever & to whomsoever owing out of the monies that may first come into hir hands as a part or parcel of my estate Item - I give & bequeath to my beloved wife Mary Erwin Cates all my land for the benefit of her & her minor Children; till the youngest child viz) Cornelia Susan Cates is twenty one years of age Item - I give & bequeath to my two sons John Murphy Cates & Robert Henry Cates after my youngest daughter - Cornelia Susan Cates becomes of the age of twenty one years, fifty acres of my land each, to be taken off of the east side of my land to be made of equal value, by one paying to the other if need be to make it equal Item - my will is that my wife have the balance of my land after the two boy[s] get fifty acres each during her natural life or widowhood. Item - that after the death or marriage of my wife that the balance of my lands that is not given to my two sons to be equally divided between my seven daughters namely Frances Jane Cates Lucretia Ann Cates Elizabeth Cathrine Cates Mariah Louisia Cates Sultena Evans Cates Mary Erwin Cates [page 2] & Cornelia Susan Cates Item - My will is that all the balance of my estate consisting of my stock of all kinds farming tools, house hold & kitchen furniture together with all & every species of property that I have at my death, be kept for the support of my wife & minor children till the youngest one comes of age & not to be wasted by any of them lastly I appoint my beloved wife Mary Erwin Cates my sole Executor[sic] to this my last will & testament to all intents & purposes to Execute this my last will according to the true intent & meaning of the same & every part & clause thereof hereby revoking & declaring utterly void all other wills & testaments by me heretofore made. In witness whereof I the said Lazarus Cates do hereunto set my hand & seal this 11th day of June 1854 his Lazarus (+) Cates (seal) mark Signed Sealed, published & declared } by the said Lazarus Cates to be } his last will & testament in the } presents of us who at his request } & in his presence do subscribe } our names as witnesses thereto } William W. Guess Jurat Anderson Latta Jurat [Will Book Volume G, page 108] In the name of God Amen.~~ I Lazarus Cates of the County of Orange and State of North Carolina being of sound mind and memory, but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence do make & declare this my last Will & Testament in Manner & form following ~~ that is to say First That my Executor hereinafter named shall provide for my body a decent burial suitable to the wishes of my relations & friends & pay all funeral expenses together with my just debts howsoever & to whomsoever owing out of the monies that may first come into her hands as a part or parcel of my estate.~~ Item I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Mary Erwin Cates all my land for the benefit of her and her minor children; till the youngest child Viz: Cornelia Susan Cates is twenty one years of age Item I give and bequeath to my two sons John Murphy Cates & Robert Henry Cates after my youngest daughter Cornelia Susan Cates becomes of the age of twenty one years fifty Acres of my land each to be taken off of the East side of my land to be made of equal value by one paying to the other if need be to make it equal.~~ Item My Will is that my wife have the balance of my land after the two boys get fifty Acres each during her natural life or widowhood Item That after the death or marriage of my wife that the balance of my lands that is not given to my two sons to be equally divided between my seven daughters namely Frances Jane Cates Lucretia Ann Cates Elizabeth Cathrine Cates Mariah Louisa Cates Suthena Evans Cates, Mary Erwin Cates & Cornelia Susan Cates Item My will is that all the balance of my estate consisting of my Stock of all Kinds farming tools, house hold & Kitchen furniture together with all & every species of property that I have at my death be kept for [Will Book Volume G, page 109] the support of my wife & minor children till the youngest one comes of age and not to be wasted by any of them Lastly I appoint my beloved wife Mary Erwin Cates my sole executor[sic] to this my last Will & testament to all intents & purposes to execute this my last Will according to the true intent & meaning of the same & every part & clause thereof hereby revoking & declaring utterly void all other Wills and testaments by me heretofore made In Witness whereof I the said Lazarus Cates do hereunto set my hand & Seal this 11th day of June 1854 his Lazarus (+) Cates (seal) Signed Sealed published & } mark declared by the said Lazarus } Cates to be his last Will & testament } in the presence of us who at his } request & in his presence do subscribe } our names as witnesses thereto } William W. Guess } Anderson Latta } Orange County Court August Term 1855 The Execution of the foregoing last Will & testament of Lazarus Cates decd. was duly proven in open Court by the oaths of William W Guess and Anderson Latta the subscribing Witnesses thereto and ordered to be Recorded and filed as such. At the same time Mary Erwin Cates the Executrix therein named appeared in Open Court and qualified by taKing the oaths prescribed by Law Test Geo Laws CCC Additional Comments: Will Book Volume G, pages 108-109 Recorded Aug 1855 Estate Papers comprise six pages and are found in a folder labeled "Cates, Wm & Lasarus (1855)". No family history found.