ORANGE COUNTY, NC - WILLS - James Foraster, 5 Sep 1755
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Contributor's Note:  This is the will of my husband's ancestor James 
Foraster, (b. abt 1700; d. 5 Sep 1755, Orange County, NC).  He was married 
to Ann Ashley.  I tried to leave the spelling as it was in the original 
paper and only put clarifying words in parenthesis when the words were 
very hard to decipher.  I have left his name spelled as it was first 
written in the will.  It appears by his X at the bottom of the will, that 
he himself was not able to write his name so it was spelled at the 
discretion of the holder of the pen.  As you will notice in this one 
document the surname is spelled 4 different ways and another way when the 
will was proved.  

WILL OF JAMES FORASTER
(descendents of James & Ann Foraster, spell the surname many different 
ways, including but not limited to:  Forester, Forrester, Forrest, Forest, 
etc.)

In the Name of God amen
James foraster of the provens of north Carolina and in Orang County being
weake in body but in perfict mind and memory thanks be to God for the same
Calling to mind the mortallity of my Body that it is appoinded for all men
once to Die I give and bequeth my love to the hand of God that gave it and 
my bodey to the Earth to be buereed in acresten (A Christian) and desent 
menner I do Constate make and orde this to be my sole and last will of 
testamen revoking all former wills by me made as for my worldly Estate it 
hath pleased God to bestow on me I Give and bequeth as foloweth I Give and 
bequeth to my son William foraster the plantation he now lives on leying 
on the North Side of Eno River to be bounded by the said River and a 
brench Comonly Called the High hill Brench to live and his heirs for Ever.  
I Give and bequeth to my son James forster all the Residue of my Land on 
the North side of the Saide River to him and his heirs for Ever.  I give 
and bequeth to my son in law John Manning two hundred acres of land more 
or less the place where he lives on now leying on the South side of the 
Said Eno River in orang County to him his his heirs for Ever  I Give and 
bequeth to my son Benjamin foraste the plantation I now live on Containing 
on half of the Resdue of my land to him his heirs for Ever then I Give and 
Bequeth all the Resedue of my Said Land on the South Sid (side) of the 
Said River unto my son Thomas foraster to him his heirs for Ever then I 
Give and bequeth unto my loveing wife ann forastor all the Rest of my
Estate During her naturall Life or widow hood my will and desires at the 
Death of my said wife or the Removael of her from widow hod (hood)  all 
the Saide Estate given her Shall be Equal Devided amongst all my Children 
then I appoint my Said wife Ann whole and Sole Executor to this my Last 
will and testament for witness whereof I heave hereunto Sett to my hand 
and Seal Fifth Day of September Seventeen hundred and Fifty five.  

Signed Sealed published and
Delevred in presents of
Pat? McCulloch
Hugh Wood
his mark  X  James foraster
***************************************************************
N. Carolina
Orange to Wit December Court 1755
Present His Majesty's Justices
the within Will was proved in open Court according to the Directions of an 
Act of Assembly of this Province by the oath of Hugh Wood, one of the 
within subscribing evidences who swore that the within named James Forrest 
was in perfect mind & memory at the time of the execution thereof & also 
Delivered the same to be his last Will & Testament.

Test.    JaS Watson C. C.