Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Ray, John Sr August 10, 1827 ************************************************ 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 E, pages 175-177 Written: August 10, 1827 Recorded: Feb 1829 Testator: John Ray, Sr In the name of god Amen I John Ray Sr of the County of Orange & State North Carolina Being of Sound mind & memory do Constitute make & Ordain this my Last Will & Testament in manner & form as follows (To wit) first, I give & Bequeath to my Daughter Margaret Robison wife of James Robison One Negra woman named Amy and all her Children that now are in possession of my Daughter or her Husband James Robinson or any of their Heirs (Second) I Give & Bequeath to my Daughter Sally Robison one Negra Woman named Fillis & her Increase that they have in possession (Third) I Give & Bequeath to Lucy Ray Widow of my Son Josep[h] Ray (Decd) One negra Girl named Fillis, Jr to be and remain as her own property during her life & at her death to be Sold by my Executors & the amt. of Such Sale so arising the money to be Equally Divided between the Heirs of my son Joseph Ray (Decd) (Fourth) I Give and Bequeath to my Daughter ---- Lydia McKee wife of Rankin McKee one negra woman named Cealy & all her Increase that they have with them also one Boy named Jim (Fifth) I Give & Bequeath to my Son John Ray one negra Girl named Charlotte also one negra Girl named Jinney one Bed & furniture one horse Beast to be worth Seventy five Dallors or that amt. in money to be paid out of my Estate by my Executors as soon as it Can be Settled after the Sale money Becomes due (Sixth) I Give & Bequeath to my Son David Ray full and ample possession of and unto the Land whereon he has settled himself Including all the Improvements he has made Both out houses Repairs Springs &c - during my Life & the Life of my wife Sally Ray and at the death of-- Both of us the Rema[in]ing part of the plantation whereon him & myself now lives to be his in as full and ample a manner as the part which I have Conveyed to him by deed (Seventh) I Give & Bequeath unto my wife Sally Ray one negra Man Named Major one Negra woman named Nan one negra Girl named Nancy Two Hundred & Fifty dollars in Cash [page 2] to be paid out of my Estate Before any Division of money is made in any way also half of all my Stack of horses Caws Hogs Sheep & Stock of all kinds Household & Kitchen furniture Farming utensils Waggon Geers & Every thing of the kind on the plantation the one half to be for her & to her use also the part of the plantation whereon I now Live with the before mentioned Execution to be and Remain, hers as Long as she Lives & then to descend as before mentioned (Eighth) I Give & Bequeath to my Daughter Susan Ray Two Hundred & Fifty Dollars in manner & form as unto my wife also the other Half of all the Stack Household & Kitchen furniture Waggon geers farming utensils of Every kind Crop of Every Discription and Every thing appertaining to the plantation in any way to be Equally Divided Between my Wife Sally Ray & my Daughter Susy Ray & the amt.s devised to them in money to be paid out of my Estate before any Division shall take place Between the other Legatees (Ninth) all the Rest of my Estate not Disposed of my will or otherwise to be Exposed to public Sale by my Executors on Credit of What time they may think proper and out of What money may be on hand and Raised by Sale of my Estate my Executors will in the first place Discharge all my Burial Expenses & funeral Charges in the second place pay all Just Demands against my Estate in the third place pay over the legacies to Each one as before Divised and in the next place after all Expenses of Settling my Estate are finally Discharged the Remainder of the money that is or may be on hand shall be Equally Divided by my Executors Between my wife Sally Ray John Ray my son & Susy Ray my Daughter & all the Rest of my Children or their Heirs at Law - Each & Every one to Share & Share [page 3] alike in the Division of the money that may be on hand after all Expenses is paid and the Estate Settled by my Executors -- & the Legacies -- Before mentioned are all Settled by them (Lastly) I Constitute and appoint my Son David Ray and Richd. Nichols my Joint Executors to this my Last Will and Testament to Settle Distribute and Dispose of my -- Estate in manner and form as I have Before Directed them --- In Testamony whereunto I have Set my hand and affixed my Seal this 10 day of August 1827 In presence of John Ray Senir (seal) Saml Madden } } Jurant Alexander Smith } Rich, Nicholson qualfd [Will Book Volume E, page 175] In the name of god Amen I John Ray Senr. of the County of Orange and State North Carolina being of Sound Mind and Memory do constitute make and Ordain this my Last Will & Testament in manner & form as follows, to wit, First, I give & bequeath to my daughter Margaret Robinson wife of James Robinson One Negra Woman named Amy and all her Children that are now in possession of my daughter or her husband James Robinson or any of their Heirs -, Second, I give & bequeath to my daughter Sally Robinson one negra Woman named Phillis & her increase that they have in possession -, Third, I give & bequeath [to] [Will Book Volume E, page 176] Lucy Ray widow of my Son Joseph Ray decd. one negra Girl named Fillis, Jr to be and remain as her own property during her life and at her death to be sold by my Executors & the amount of such Sale so arising the money to be equally divided between the Heirs of my son Joseph Ray decd., Fourth, I give and Bequeath to my daughter Lydia McKee wife of Rankin McKee one negra woman named Celia & all her Increase that they have with them, also one boy named Jim. Fifth, I give & bequeath to my son John Ray one negra Girl named Charlotte also one negra Girl named Jinney; One Bed & furniture one Horse beast to be worth Seventy five dollars or that amount in money to be paid out of my Estate by my Executors as soon as it can be settled after the Sale money becomes due. Sixth, I give & bequeath to my son David Ray full & ample possession of and unto the land whereon he has settled himself, including all the improvements he has made, both out Houses, repairs, Springs &c during my life & the life of my Wife Sally Ray and at the death of both of us the remaining part of the plantation whereon him & myself now lives to be his in as full and ample a manner as the part which I have conveyed to him by Deed -- Seventh, I give & bequeath to my Wife Sally Ray one Negro Man Named Major one Negro Woman named Nan, one negro Girl named Nancy, Two hundred & fifty Dollars in Cash to be paid out of my Estate before any division of Money is made in any way, Also half of all my Stock of Horses Cows, Hogs Sheep & Stock of all kinds, Household & Kitchen furniture farming Utensils Wagon Geers & every thing of the kind on the plantation, the one half to be for her & to her use, also the part of the plantation whereon I now live, with the before mentioned execution to be & remain hers as long as she Lives & then to descend as before mentioned, Eighth, I give & bequeath to my daughter Susan Ray Two hundred & fifty Dollars in manner & form as unto my Wife, also the other half of all the Stock Household & Kitchen furniture Wagon Geers farming Utensils of every kind, Crop of Every description, and every thing [Will Book Volume E, page 177] appertaining to the plantation in any way to be equally divided between my Wife Sally Ray & my daughter Susy Ray & the amount devised to them in Money to be paid out of my Estate before any division shall take place between the other Legatees -, Ninth, All the rest of my Estate not disposed of my Will or otherwise to be exposed to public Sale by my Executors on Credit of What time they may think proper, and out of what Money may be on hand and raised by Sale of my Estate my Exe =cutors will in the first place discharge all my Burial expenses & Funeral Charges in the second place pay all Just demands against my Estate, in the third place pay over the legacies to each one as before devised, and in the next place after all expenses of settling my estate are finally discharged the remainder of the Money that is or may be on hand Shall be equally divided by my Executors between my Wife Sally Ray John Ray my son & Susy Ray my daughter & all the rest of my Children or their Heirs at Law - each & every one to share & share alike in the division of the Money that may be on hand after all expenses is paid and the Estate Settled by my Executors, & the Legacies before mentioned are all Settled by them - Lastly. I constitute and appoint my Son David Ray and Richd. Nichols my Joint Executors to this my last Will and Testament to settle distribute and dispose of my Estate in manner and form as I have before directed them --- In Testimony whereunto I have set my hand and affixed my Seal this 10 day of August 1827 In presence of John Ray Senr. (seal) Saml Madden } Alexander Smith } Orange County February Term 1829 The Execution of the foregoing last Will and Testament of John Ray Senr. decd. was duly proved in open Court by the Oaths of Saml Madden and Alexander Smith subscribing witnesses thereto, and ordered to be recorded - At the same time Richd. Nichols one of the Executor therein named appeared in open Court & qualified accordingly Additional Comments: Will Book Volume E, pages 175-177 Recorded Feb 1829 Estate Papers comprise three pages and are found in the folder labeled "Ray, John, Sr. (1829)". [Estate Papers - Estate Sale 20 Mar 1829] Richd Nichols (Executors) Dr ------------ in acct. with John Ray Sr Estate [entries omitted] 1829 March 20 To Sale of Negroes as follows, due 12 Months after date " Rachel Bought by Sally Ray Widow 1 " Tom " " " David Ray " 216 " " Bob " " Susan Ray Jr. " 360 " " Lucy & Edward " Susan Ray Widow 390.05 " Samuel " " John Y Parker 380.50 " Jerry " " William Lipscomb 436.25 " Ailsey & Anny " Tim. Dunagan " 403 " " Alfred " " Susan Ray Jr " 291 " " Mariah " " Sally Ray Widow 200 " " Richard " " Thomas Barlow 195 " " Clary " " Michael Ray " 126.50 " Rebcca " " W. Woods Sr. 184.50 Richd. Nichols Executor