Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Laws, William August 16, 1816 ************************************************ 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 512-514 Written: August 16, 1816 Recorded: Aug 1817 Testator: William Laws In the name of God Amen I William Laws of the County of Orange & State of North Carolina being of sound mind do make ordain, and declare this to be my last Will and Testament in manner & form as follows after all my Just debts are paid & Settled I Give bequeath and devise to my beloved wife Frances Laws the use and benefit of the Land & plantation whereon I now live lying on Flat River containing by Deed one Hundred & seventy acres be the same more or Less also a Tract of Land containing Eighty five acres adjoining & Lying to the North of the Tract on which I now live with all my Household & Kitchen furniture all my plantation Tools of every description all my Horses Hogs cattle & sheep also the use of six Negroes Vizt Big Amey Little Aimey[sic] Hannah Kit Phillip and Jiney[Jincy?] ------------ Item I Give bequeath and devise to my son Jonathan Laws one Tract of Land containing one Hundred & Eighty acres be the same more or Less lying in Orange & Granville Counties & on both sides of the Mile[Mill?] Branch also one negro boy by the name of Peter my Large Waggon & the Geer belonging to Her my Largest Shot Gunn also my Horse known by the name of Clown to Him & His Heirs forever --------------- Item I Give bequeath & devise to my son James Laws the above mentioned Tract of Land that I now live on together with all the plantation Tools that may be on the plantation at the time of my wifes Death or marriage also all the Household & Kitchen furniture she may Have at that time also the Land & plantation on which my sister Elizabeth Laws now lives containing one Hundred & fifty acres be the same more or Less after the death or marriage of my sister Elizabeth Laws also one Tract of Land containing Eighty five acres adjoining & Lying on the north side of the tract on which I now live also one negro Boy by the name of Phillip after the death or marriage of my wife my Still my Blacksmiths Tools & my small shot Gun also such a Horse as he may select out of the stock my wife may Have after her Death or marriage To Him & His Heirs forever --------------------- Item I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Jenny Waller one negro Girl by the name of Easter & Her future increase to Her & Her Heirs forever --------------- [page 2] Item I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Polly Ferguson one negro Woman by the name of Letha & Her future increase also one Hundred Dollars in money to Her & Her Heirs forever -------------------- Item I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Nancy Laws my Negro man Kit after the death or marriage of my wife to Her & Her Heirs forever. Item I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Rebecca Laws one Negro boy by the name of Fortune to Her & Her Heirs Forever ----------------------- Item I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Sally Laws one Negroe Boy by the name of Cato to Her & Her Heirs Forever -------------------- Item I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Margaret Laws one Negroe Woman & Her future increase by the name of Big Amy after the Death or marriage of my wife to Her and her Heirs forever ------------------ Item I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Alsey Laws one Negro Girl by the name of Little Aimey & Her future Increase after the Death or marriage of my Wife to Her & Her Heirs forever ----------------- Item I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Frances Laws one Negroe Girl by the name of Hannah & Her future increase after the Death or marriage of my Wife to Her & Her Heirs forever ----------- Item I Give and Bequeath to my Grandson David Laws son of my Decd. son George Laws the Tract of Land on which my Daughter in law Margaret Laws now lives containing one Hundred & forty nine & Half acres of Land & Lying on the Mile Branch but in case of His death before arriving at Lawfull age or without Issue then to my Grandson Charles Laws but in case of my Grandsons Charles Death without issue I then wish the above Land to be equally divided between my sons Jonathan & James nevertheless to be occupied by daug= =hter in Law Margaret Laws during Her widowhood & no Longer Item I Give & Bequeath to my son in Law Elisha Umsted five Dollars Item I Give & bequeath to my Grand Daughter Jemima Umstead one Negroe Girl by the name of Jinsy after my Wifes death or marriage but in case of my Grand Daughters death without issue then the said negroe to revert to my children who may then be living & be equally divided among them, [page 3] Item What Ready money I may Have at the time of my Death that is not already disposed of I wish to be equally divided between my Wife & all my children -- my stock of every description at the time of the wifes death or marriage to be Equally divided among all my children who may then be living I also wish that my old negro man Fortune may remain with my wife or live with any of my children whom he may prefer ----------------- Lastly I constitute and appoint my worthy friends Thomas D. Bennehan William Roberts Senr. & my son Jonathan Laws Executors of this my last Will and Testament In Witness of all which I hereunto affixed my Hand & seal this the sixteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight Hundread[sic] & sixteen In presence of William Laws (seal) Mark Veazey Jurat William Veazey Jurat Jonathan Laws qualifd [Will Book Volume D, page 512] In the name of God Amen. I William Laws of the County of Orange & State of North Carolina being of sound mind, do make ordain and declare this to be my last Will and Testament in manner & form as follows, after all my Just debts are paid & Settled, I give bequeath and devise to my beloved Wife Frances Laws the use & benefit of the Land and plantation whereon I now live lying on Flat River containing by Deed one hundred and Seventy acres be the same more or less, also a tract of Land containing eighty five acres adjoining and lying to the North of the tract on which I now live with all my Household & Kitchen furniture all my plantation tools of every description All my Horses, Hogs, Cattle and Sheep also the use of six negroes Vizt Big Amy, Little Amy, Hannah, Kit, Phillip & Jinny ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Item I give bequeath & devise to my son Jonathan Laws one tract of Land containing one hundred and eighty acres be the same more or less lying in Orange & Granville Counties & on both sides of the Mile[Mill?] branch, also one negro boy by the name of Peter my large Waggon & the Geer belonging to her, my largest Shot Gun also my Horse known by the name of Clown ~ to him & his heirs forever Item I give bequeath & devise to my son James Laws the above men tioned tract of Land that I now live on together with all the plan tation tools that may be on the plantation at the time of my Wifes death or Marriage also all the Household & Kitchen furniture she may have at that time, also the Land & plantation on which my Sister Elizabeth Laws now lives containing one hundred & fifty acres [be the same] more or less after the death or marriage of my Sister Eliz =abeth Laws also one tract of Land containing eighty five acres adjoining & lying on the north side of the tract on which I now live also one negro boy by the name of Phillip after the death or Marriage of my Wife my Still my Blacksmith tools & my small shot gun also such a Horse as he may select out of the Stock my Wife may have after her death or marriage to him & his heirs forever Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Jinny Waller one negro Girl by the name of Ester & her future increase to her and her Heirs forever ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Polly Ferguson [Will Book Volume D, page 513] one Negro Woman by the name of Letha and her future increase also one hundred Dollars in money, to her & her heirs forever ~~~~ Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Nancy Laws my negro man Kit after the Death or marriage of my Wife to her & her heirs forever ~~ ~~ ~~ Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Rebecca Laws one negro boy by the name of Fortune, to her & her heirs forever Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Sally Laws one negro boy by the name of Cato to her & her Heirs forever ~~~~~~~~~~~ Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Margaret Laws one negroe Woman & her future increase by the name of Big Amy after the Death or marriage of my wife to Her and her Heirs forever [Item] I give & bequeath to my daughter Alsey Laws one negro Girl by the name of Little Amey & her future increase after the death or marriage of my Wife to her & her Heirs forever ~~~~~~~~ Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Frances Laws one Negro Girl by the name of Hannah & her future increase after the Death or marriage of my Wife to her & her Heirs forever ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Item I give and bequeath to my grandson David Laws son of my decd. son George Laws the tract of Land on which my daughter in law Margaret Laws now lives containing one hundred & forty nine & an half acres of Land & lying on the Mile branch but in case of his death before arriving at lawful age or without issue then to my grandson Charles Laws, but in case of my Grandsons Charles death without issue I then wish the above land to be equally divided between my sons Jonathan & James Nevertheless to be Occupied by daughter in law Margaret Laws during her widowhood & no longer ~~~~ Item I give & bequeath to my son in Law Elisha Umstead five Dollars ~~~~~~ Item I give & bequeath to my grand daughter Jemima Umstead one negro Girl by the name of Jinney after my Wifes death or Marriage but in case of my grand daughters death without issue then the said Negro to revert to my children who may be then living & to be equally divided among them ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ [Will Book Volume D, page 514] Item what ready Money I may have at the time of my death that is not already disposed of I wish to be equally divided between my Wife and all my children. My stock of every descrip =tion at the time of the Wifes death or marriage to be equally divided among all my Children who may be then living. I also wish that my old Negro Man Fortune may remain with my Wife or live with any of my children whom he may prefer ~~~ Lastly I constitute and appoint my worthy friends Thomas D Bennehan, William Roberts Senr. & my son Jonathan Laws Executors of this my last Will & Testament ~~ In Witness of all which I hereunto affixed my hand and Seal this the sixteenth day of August in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred & sixteen ~~~~~ In presence of William Laws (seal) Mark Veazey William Veazey Orange County August Term 1817 The Execution of the foregoing last Will and Testament of William Laws decd. was duly proved in Open Court by the Oaths of Mark Veasy & William Veazy subscribing Witnesses thereto & ordered to be recorded, at the same time Jonathan Laws one of the Executors therein named qualified accordingly Test Additional Comments: Will Book Volume D, pages 512-514 Recorded Aug 1817 No estate papers found.