Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Clark, James February 25, 1850
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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 G, pages 46-47
Written: February 25, 1850
Recorded: May 1854
Testator: James Clark

            In the name of God amen
I James Clark of the County of Orange and
State of North Carolina do on this twenty fifth
day of February 1850 Make and publish
this my last will and Testament in the manner
and form following Viz first after the
payment of all my Just debts I give and
bequeath to My son David T Clark my home
plantation dureing his natural life and at his
death one third of said plantation to his dau=
ghter Susan Jane the balance to be equally divid=
ed betwe[e]n his children if he should have any
in case he should have no children the other two
thirds of said plantation to my two daughters
Nancy & Letecia

    I give and bequeath to my two daughters Nancy
and Letecia each one negro woman each to have
th[e]ir choice

        I give and bequeath to my grand son
John K Hughes three hundred dollars but in case
of his death before he arrives to the age of twenty one
years I wish his portion to be equally divided be=
=twe[e]n my three Children viz Nancy Letecia & David

    I give and bequeath to my grand daughter
Susan Jane one negro girl by the name of Martha

    I wish my Brown plantation to be sold

[page 2]

    The balance of my negroes after Nancy & Letecia
makes their choice to be equally divided betwe[e]n
My three Children viz Nancy Letecia & David

        at the death of either of my Children I wish
the negro property I have left to them to go to their
Children --- the balance of my property of every
discreption[sic] not named above I wish to be equally
divided betwe[e]n my three Children Nancy Letecia
& David -- If they can mutually agree I recom=
mend that they divide without a sale ---

        I appoint and constitute my son David
T Clark and my son in law Ezekiel C Forrest
Executors to this my last will and testament
Signed sealed & Acknowledged
    in the presents of           James Clark (seal)

    Jno Bane Jurat
    William Clark

[Will Book Volume G, page 46]
In the name of God Amen

I James Clark of the County of Orange
and State of North Caralina[sic] do on this
Twenty fifth day of February 1850 make and
publish this this[sic] my last Will and Testament
in the manner and form following (Viz)

first after the payment of all my Just debts
I Give and bequeathe to My son David T Clark
my home plantation during his natural life
and at his death one third of said plantation
to his Daughter Susan Jane the Balance
to be eaqually divided between his Children
if he should have any in case he should
have no children the other Two Thirds
of said plantation to my Two daughters
Nancy & Letecia

[passage in the loose will, not found in the will book]
I give and bequeath to my two daughters Nancy &
Letecia each one negro woman each to have
their choice
[end of missing passage]

I give & bequeathe to my Grand son John
K Hughes Three Hundred Dollars but in case
of his death before he arrives to the age of Twenty
one years I wish his portion to be eaqually
divided between my three Children (viz)

[Will Book Volume G, page 47]
Nancy Letecia & David I Give and bequeathe
to my Grand Daughter Susan Jane one negro
Girl by the name of Martha I wish my Brown
plantation to be sold The Balance of my Negroes
after Nancy & Letecia makes their choice to be
eaqually divided between my three Children
Viz Nancy Letecia & David at the death of either
of my Children Children[sic] I wish the negro
property I have left to them to go to their Children
the balance of my property of every description
not named above I wish to be equally divided
between my three Children Nancy Letecia &
David ~~ if they can mutually agree I recom
=mend that they divide without a Sale

I appoint and constitute my son David T. Clark
and my son in law Ezekiel C Forrest Executors
to this my last Will and testament

Signed sealed & acknowledged
in the presents of              James Clark (seal)
John Bane
William Clark

Orange County Court May Term 1854
The Execution of the foregoing Last Will and
Testament of James Clark was duly proved in open
Court by the oath of John Bane one of the subscri
-bing Witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded
and thereupon David F Clark & Ezekel C Forrest the
Executors therein named appeared in open Court
and qualified as such by taking the oath
required by Laws
                Test Geo Laws CCC

Additional Comments:
Will Book Volume G, pages 46-47
Recorded May 1854

Estate Papers comprise 11 pages and are found in a folder labeled "Clark, James (1854)".

[Estate Papers - Inventory Jun 1854]
Inventory and A list of property sold that the sale of
    Jas. Clark Dec'd on the 22nd day of June 1854
    Nine months credit

page 8
The negroes were divided as Directed in the will

A Brown was allotted  [slaves names crossed out, listed below]

    Julia as directed in the will
    Guilford  valued at    $1000.00
    Frances   valued at      800.00

E. C. Forrest was allotted

    Rachel as directed in the will
    John      valued at      750.00
    Isabell   valued at      700.00
    James     valued at      500.00
    Mark      valued at      125.00

David T. Clark was allotted

    Anderson  valued at      850.00
    Jennett   valued at      800.00

    And to equalize the above lots in value E. C. Forrest
pays to A Brown $75 and to D. T. Clark $125

          David T. Clark {
          E.C. Forrest   { Executors