Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Harris, Sterling September 14, 1808 ************************************************ 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 387-389 Written: September 14, 1808 Recorded: Aug 1815 Testator: Sterling Harris In the Name of God Amen I Sterling Harris of the County of Orange and State of North Carolina being in sound and perfect Mind and Memory do make and ordain this my last Will & Testament in Manner and form following towit, -- Imprimis. It is my will and desire that my just debts and funeral charges be paid out of my Estate. Item, it is my will and desire, that my Executrix and Executors hereafter named sell such part of my personal Estate, or my Lott Number Sixty two (No. 62) with its Im= provements in the Town of Hillsborough, (by the advice and consent of my dearly beloved Wife Hannah Harris) as they may think proper for the purpose of paying my just debts and funeral expenses, but if it should so happen that by Executrix and Executors hereafter named should think it advisable to sell any of my Negroes for the purposes aforesaid, It is my Will and desire that said Negroes be sold at private Sale and that due regard should be had to the humanity of the purchaser, and that such Negroes [page 2] so to be sold, shall be such as my said Wife should prefer selling - - - Item, I give and bequeath to my dearly beloved daughter Charlotte Street Wife of John Street of the Town of Hillsborough one feather Bed & furniture and Ten pounds North Carolina Currency to be raised out of my Estate after my just debts and funeral expenses are paid to her and her heirs forever - - - Item, I give & bequeath to my dearly beloved Wife Hannah Harris the Tract of Land whereon I now live, together with all my Stock of Horses, Cattle Hogs & Sheep and all the Crop that may be growing on my plantation at the time of my decease, all my working Tools, & plantation Utensils one Waggon & Gears, one riding chair, and harness. I also give and bequeath to my dearly beloved Wife Hannah Harris the following Negro Slaves (to wit) Meriday, Will, Amos, James, Jack, Willis, Ned, Dilcey, Milley, Sally, Susannah, Spice, Sylvia, Betty, Nancy and their Increase And also one Lott in the Town of Hillsbo =rough Number Sixty two (No. 62) with its Improvements if the Same should not be [page 3] sold by my Executrix & Executors here after named for the purpose of paying my debts & funeral expenses, all which property I give to my said dearly beloved Wife to be at her entire disposal. And lastly I do hereby nominate and appoint my dearly beloved Wife Hannah Harris Executrix and my trusty friends Levi Whitted, James Phillips and William Kirkland Executors of this my last will and Testament - hereby revoking and disannulling all other or former Wills and bequests heretofore by me made, ratifying and confirming this & this only to be my last will & Testament --- In Witness whereof I do hereto set my hand and Seal this fourteenth day of September in the year One thousand Eight hundred and Eight Signed Sealed published } pronounced & declared by the } said Sterling Harris to be his } S. Harris (Seal) last Will & Testament in the } presence of us, who in his presence } & in the presence of each other } have subscribed our names as } Exr. Levi Whitted qualfd Witnesses } John Young } J Taylor } Jurat Theophilus Thompson } [page 4] Codicil I Sterling Harris of the County of Orange & State of North Carolina do make this Codicil to my last Will and Testament, to wit, I give and bequeath to my dearly beloved Wife Hannah Harris all my household and Kitchen Furniture of every discription and the residue of my Estate not already named in my Will and this Codicil, to be at her disposal. In Witness whereof I do hereto set my hand & Seal this 15th day of September 1808 Witness John Young Jurat S. Harris (seal) Henry Sheets Jay Taylor Jurat [Will Book Volume D, page 387] In the Name of God Amen, I Sterling Harris of the County of Orange & State of North Carolina being in sound & perfect Mind & Memory, do make and ordain this my last Will & Testament in manner & form following to wit ~~~ Imprimis. It is my Will & desire that my just debts & funeral charges be paid out of my Estate Item, It is my Will & desire, that my Executrix & Executors hereafter named sell such part of my personal Estate or my Lot Number Sixty two (No. 62) with its Improvements in the Town of Hillsborough (by the advice & consent of my dearly beloved Wife Hannah Harris) as they may think proper for the purpose of paying my just debts and funeral expenses, but if it shou[l]d so happen that by Executrix & Executors hereafter named shou[l]d think it advisable to sell any of my Negroes for the purposes aforesaid. It is my Will and desire that Such [orig: said] Negroes be sold at pri =vate Sale, and that due respect [orig: regard] be had to the humani =ty of the purchaser and that Such Negroes so to be sold shall be such as my Said Wife shou[l]d prefer Selling Item. I give & bequeath to my dearly beloved daughter Charlotte Street Wife of John Street of the Town of Hills =borough one feather Bed & furniture and Ten pounds of North Carolina Currency to be raised out of my Estate after my just debts & funeral Expenses are paid to her and her heirs forever ~~~~~ Item. I give & bequeath to my dearly beloved Wife Hannah Harris the Tract of Land whereon I now live, together with all my stock of Horses, Cattle Hogs & Sheep, and all the Crop that may be growing on my plantation at the time of my decease, all my working tools and plantation Utensils, One Waggon & Gears, one riding [Will Book Volume D, page 388] Chair & harness. I also give & bequeath to my dearly beloved Wife Hannah Harris the following Negro Slaves (to wit) Merriday, Will, Amos, James, Jack, Willis, Ned, Dilcey, Milly, Sally, Susannah, Spice, Sylvia, Betty, Nancy & their increase and also one Lot in the Town of Hillsborough Number Sixty two (No. 62) with its improvements if the Same shou[l]d not be sold by my Executrix & Executors here =after named for the purpose of paying my debts and funeral expenses, all which property I give to my [said] dearly beloved wife to be at her entire disposal ~~~~ And lastly I do hereby nominate & appoint my dearly beloved Wife Hannah Harris Executrix and my trusty friends Levi Whitted, James Phillips & William Kirkland Executors of this my last Will & Testament ~~~ hereby revoking & disannulling all other [or] former Will[s] and bequests heretofore by me made ratifying & confirming this & this only to be my last Will [&] Testament ~~~~ In Witness whereof I do hereunto set my hand and Seal this fourteenth day of September one thousand eight hundred & eight Signed Sealed published } pronounced & declared by the } S. Harris (seal) Said Sterling Harris to be his } last Will & Testament in the } presence of us, who in his presence } and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses John Young J Taylor Theophilus Thompson Codicil I Sterling Harris of the County of Orange & State of North Carolina do make this Codicil to my last Will & Testament, Viz, I give and bequeath to my dearly beloved Wife Hannah [Will Book Volume D, page 389] Harris all my household & Kitchen furniture of every description and the residue of my Estate not already named in my Will & this Codicil, to be at her disposal. In Witness whereof I do hereto set my hand and Seal this 15th day of September 1808 Witness John Young S. Harris (seal) Henry Sheett Jay Taylor Orange County August Term 1813 The Execution of the foregoing last Will and Testament of Sterling Harris, and the Codicil thereto was duly proved in Open Court by the Oaths of John Young & J. Taylor Subscribing Witnesses thereto & ordered to be Recorded at the same time Hannah Harris the Execu =trix & Levis Whitted one of the Executors named in the said Will were qualified Test Additional Comments: Will Book Volume D, pages 387-389 Recorded Aug 1815 Estate Papers comprise three pages and are found in a folder labeled "Harris, Sterling (1827)". No family history found.