Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Forrester, Benjamin November 5, 1800 ************************************************ 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 D, pages 23-24 Written: November 5, 1800 Recorded: Feb 1801 Testator: Benjamin Forrester In the Name of God Amen, I Benjamin Forrester of the County of Orange & State of North Carolina Planter Being of sound & disposing Mind & memory Do hereby make & ordain this my last Will & Testament in Manner & form following - viz --- In the first place it is my Will & desire that all my Just debts may be paid as soon as possible by my Executors hereinafter named - and to enable them the more easily to do so, it is my Will & I hereby Authorise & empower them to sell fifty acres of the land whereon I live viz that part adjoining George ~~ Carrington & John Cains lands, being the south West part of my Tract ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ And for ready Money, or upon Credit as to them may seam most for the advantage of the Estate ---- Likewise it is my Will that my beloved Wife ~~ Sarah shall have & enjoy for and during her natural life my land & plantation containing about One hundred & fifty acres after deducting the abovementioned fifty acres, directed to be sold as abovementioned, and I will & bequeath the said One hundred & fifty Acres to my Son Ila after my Wifes decease to him & his heirs forever I give & bequeath to my son Edmond ten shillings I also give & bequeath to my Son Josiah one Cow & Calf one feather bed & two Sheets - to my son Benjamin [page 2] Benjamin[sic] the sum of ten shillings, to my daughter Jemimah Woods Wife of Harris Wood[sic] ten shillings, to my daughter Drucilla Dosset Wife of William ~~ Dosset the sum of Ten pounds - to my Daughter Nancy One Cow & Calf one feather bed & furniture the residue of my personal Estate I give & be- -queath to my Wife for and during her natural life & at her decease the whole to be equally divided be- -tween my daughters Betsy & Milly - And it is my wish that my said daughters Betsy & Milly continue to reside with my said Wife until her death, or their Marriage whichever of these events may first happen ---- And I hereby nominate & appoint my friends ~~~ James Woods & Joseph Woods Executors to this my ~~ Last Will & Testament & I hereby revoke, and annul, all & every Will by me heretofore made And I hereby Publish & declare this to be my ~~ last Will & Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my Seal this Fifth day of November Anno Domini 1800 Signed Sealed, Published & declared } his to be the last Will & Testament } Benjamin (B) Forrester (seal) of the Testator in presence of } mark Walter Alves Jurat Wm. Bennehan Exrs qualifd [Will Book Volume D, page 23] In the Name of God Amen, I Benjamin Forrester of the County of Orange and State of North Carolina planter, being of sound & disposing mind and memory do hereby make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following Viz ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In the first place it is my Will and desire that all my Just debts may be paid as soon as possible by my Executors herein after named, and to en- =able them the more easily to do so it is my Will and I hereby authorise and impower them to Sell fifty Acres of the land whereon I live, Viz. that part adjoining George Carrington and John Cains Lands being the south [West] part of my Tract ~~~~ And for ready money, or upon credit as to them may seem most for the advantage of the Estate, likewise it is my Will that my beloved Wife Sarah shall have and enjoy for and during her natural life my land and plantation Containing about one hundred and fifty acres after deducting the above mentioned fifty acres directed to be sold as above mentioned and I will and bequeath the said one hundred and fifty Acres to my Son Ila after my Wifes decease to him and his heirs forever I give and bequeath to my son Edmund ten Shillings. I also give and bequeath to my son Josiah one cow and calf one feather bed and two sheets ~~ To my son Benjamin the sum of ten Shillings. To my daughter Jemimah Woods Wife of Harris Woods ten Shillings. To my daughter Drucilla Dosset Wife of William Dorset[sic] the sum of ten pounds. To my daughter [Will Book Volume D, page 24] Nancy one Cow and calf one feather Bed and furniture, the residue of my personal Estate I give and bequeath to my Wife for and during her natural life and at her decease the whole to be equally divided between my daughters Betsy and Milly And it is my Wish that my said daughters Betsey and Milly continue to reside with my said Wife until her death or their mar[r]iage which ever of these events may first happen. And I hereby nominate and appoint my friends James Woods and Joseph Woods Executors to this my last Will and Tes- tament and I hereby revoke and annul all and every Will by me heretofore made and I hereby publish and declare this to be my last Will and Testament In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this fifth day of November Anno Domini 1800 Signed Sealed, Published and declared to be the last Will and Testament of the Testator in presence of his Walter Alves Jurat Benjamin (B) Forrester (seal) William Benneham mark Orange County Febr. Term 1801 The Execution of the foregoing last Will and Testament of Benjamin Forrest Decd. was duly proved in open Court by the Oaths of Walter Alves and William Benneham subscribing Witnesses thereto and Ordered to be recorded ~~ At the same time James Woods and Joseph Woods the Executors therein named qualified accordingly Additional Comments: Will Book Volume D, pages 23-24 Recorded Feb 1801 Extremely neat handwriting, and mostly modern spellings, unusual for a will of this date. Obviously not written by the testator. Testator's mark is with the initial "B". No estate papers found.