Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Freeman, William September 30, 1781 ************************************************ 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 Written: September 30, 1781 Testator: William Freeman In the Name of God Amen the thirtieth day of September 1781 I William Freeman of the County of Bertie & State of North Carolina being sick and afflicted with bodily pain though of sound and perfect mind and memory thanks be to God but calling to mind the mortality of mankind and knowing it is appointed for all men once to die doth make and ordain this my last Will and Testament and do give demise and dispose of my Estate in the following manner (towit) I Lend unto my well beloved wife Tabitha Freeman during her natural lifetime my while Estate of all kind and after her decease I Give and dispose of it as followeth Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Burke her heirs and assigns forever one Negro Girl named Nell ~~~ Item I Give and bequeath unto my Grand Daughter daughter of my Daughter Frances McKerall her heirs and assigns forever One Negro Girl name Polla ~~~ Item I Give and bequeath unto my Mullatto[sic] woman Rachel and all her Children their freedoms to be free and clear from bondage or Slavery forever- Item I have formerly given my Daughter Frances McKerall all the part of my Estate I alot[t]ed for her~~~ Item I Give and bequeath unto my two Sons John Freeman and Robert Freeman their heirs and assigns forever all my Lands, Lots, Plantations lying and being in Norfolk and in Norfolk County State of Virginia and all my Lands and Plantations lying [in] the aforesaid County of Bertie & State of North Carolina to be equally divided between them two share and share alike, my said Son John Freeman is now at Sea and in case he should never return I then give and bequeath unto my said Son Robert Freeman his heirs and assigns forever all my Lands & Plantations Item I Give and bequeath unto my Son Robert Freeman [page 2] his heirs and assigns forever all my Negroes that is not heretofore given in Legacies and all my stock of all kinds and all my household furniture and Utensils of all kinds ~~~ Lastly I nominate constitute and appoint my well beloved wife Tabitha Freeman my Son Robert Freeman & Noah Hinton Executors to this my last Will and Testament - and I do hereby utterly deny revoke and deny all other Wills Testaments and bequests by me heretofore made In Witness whereof I the said William Freeman hath hereunto set my hand & Seal the day and year first above written Signed Sealed published pronounced and declared by the said William Freeman to be his last Will & Testament in presence of us (SS) Additional Comments: This is obviously a hand-written copy of the original, undoubtedly filed in Bertie County. See the Will of his wife, Tabitha Freeman for a more information. There is a second copy of this same will in the folder, which appears to have been requested by Abner B. Bruce during the legal proceedings concerning the will of Tabitha and AB Bruce's part thereof.