Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Ray, John Sr May 4, 1850 ************************************************ 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 G, pages 123-126 Written: May 4, 1850 Recorded: Feb 1856 Testator: John Ray, Sr In the name of God. I John Ray Senr. of the County of Orange & State of North Carolina, being of sound mind & in good health - but knowing the uncertain= =ty of life & the certainty of death - do make, ordain & publish this as my last Will & testament - hereby revoking every & all other Wills & testaments heretofore made by me: ~~ Item 1st I give, devise & bequeath to my son Benton Ray, the three following negro slaves, Viz: William, about twenty years of age; Stanford, about thirteen years old; and Faucett, about ten years old. I likewise give to my said son a certain tract or parcel of land, lying & being on mountain creek in the said County of Orange, adjoining the lands of William Tilly, & of the late James Ball decd., con= taining one hundred Acres more or less, it being the parcel of land here= =tofore conveyed to me by my Brother William Ray decd - and likewise three thousand dollars ($3000) of Bank stock, owned by me in the Bank of Cape Fear - which Bank stock was formerly owned by my Brother William Ray decd. & by him conveyed to me; all of which property & Bank Stock, I devise & bequeath to my said son Benton Ray, his heirs & assigns forever. ~~~ Item 2nd I give & bequeath to my daugh= ter, Sally Hopkins, widow of the late Elgy [page 2] Hopkins decd., one negro slave by the name of Frank about twenty four years old, now in the possession of my said daughter; And likewise three hundred dollars & two thirds of a dollar ($300 2/3) of Bank stock, owned by me in the Bank of Cape Fear- & formerly owned by my Brother William Ray decd. & by him conveyed to me; which said slaves & Bank stock I give & bequeath to my said daughter Sally forever. ~~~ Item 3rd I give & bequeath to my daughter Mary a negro Girl Tempe about nineteen years old, heretofore conveyed ["to her" x-out] by me to her by Deed of Gift - And three hundred Dollars & two thirds of a Dollar ($300 2/32) of Bank Stock, owned by me in the Bank of Cape Fear, & for= merly owned by my Brother William Ray decd. & by him conveyed to me; to have & to hold to my said daughter Mary, forever.~~ Item 4th I give & bequeath to my daughter Viney Leathers, wife of William Leathers, a negro boy by the name of Haywood, about eighteen years old; and likewise three hundred dollars & two thirds of a dollar ($300 2/3) of Bank Stock, owned by me in the Bank of Cape Fear, & formerly owned by my Brother William Ray decd. & by him conveyed to me - which said slave and Bank Stock, I give to my said daughter [page 3] Viney forever. ~~ Item 5th I give & bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth, the following slaves, Viz: Lucy, about forty five or fifty years old; And her daughter Penelope, about fourteen years old, & Rebecca about one year old; And likewise five hundred dollars ($500:) of Bank Stock, owned by me in the Bank of Cape Fear, & formerly owned by my Brother, William Ray decd., & by him conveyed to me - which said slaves & Bank stock, I give to my said daughter Elizabeth forever ~~ Item 6th In addition to what I have above bequeathed to my daughter Mary, I bequeath to her the slave ["child" x-out] by the name of Gennet, about seventeen years old [----- large x-out ------] ["Ruthey" x-out]; And it is my Will that if my daughter Mary shall die without leaving issue, that the said slave Ginnet & her future increase be equally divided among the rest of my children share & share alike & if any of my said children should die, leaving issue, such issue to repre= sent in such division, their decd. parent or parents.- Item 7th I give to my daughter Charlotte, my slaves Ruthy, Alsa & Betsy - and three hundred dollars & two thirds of a dollar ($300 2/3) of Bank stock, owned by me in the Bank of Cape Fear, formerly conveyed to me by my Brother William Ray decd. ~~~ [page 4] Item 8th I give to my daughter Jane or Jincy, wife of Moses Leathers, three hundred dollars & two thirds of a dollar ($300 2/3) of Bank Stock owned by me in the Bank of Cape Fear heretofore conveyed to me by my Brother William Ray decd.: And I likewise give & bequeath to my son Benton Ray & his heirs, my two slaves Charles and Anna in trust for the sole & exclusive use & benefit of my said daughter Jane, free from the control of her said husband Moses Leathers, & free from all debts now owing by said Moses & from all debts he may hereafter contract - during the life of the said Moses - & after the death of the said Moses - or after the death of said Jane if she should die be= fore her said husband - then the said Benton Ray & his heirs, to hold the said slaves in trust for the issue of the said Jane. ~~~ Item 9th I give to my daughter Martha, my two slaves Polly and Joseph and three hundred Dollars & two thirds of a dollar ($300 2/3) of Bank stock, owned by me in the Bank of Cape Fear, heretofore con= =veyed to me by my Brother William Ray decd. - to have & to hold the same to her, the said Martha, forever: And I give to my daughter Martha likewise my sorrel year old colt, out of my mare Candis. ~~ Item 10th I give to my Grand-child, Cornelia Ball, the only child of my daughter Ed= =ney Ball decd., my negro boy by the name [page 5] of Jim, about fourteen years old: And it is my will, that my daughter Mary should have the management of the said slave, for the benefit of my said Grandchild, untill said Grand child arrives to the age of twenty one years, or marries - and that if my said Grand child should die under twenty one year of age, without issue, it is my Will that said slave Jim should be equally divided among my chil= =dren. ~~ Item 11th I desire my Executors hereafter named to sell my slaves Isaac & Jack, for the purpose of paying my debts. Item 12th All the rest of my Estate, con= sisting of the tract of land on which I reside, & all my stock, not heretofore bequeathed household & kitchen furniture & plantation tools. I I[sic] give & devise to my daughters Mary, Charlotte, Betsey & Patsey, to be equally divided among them. ~ Item 13th I hereby charge the whole of my Estate, above herein bequeathed & devised, with the comfortable sup= =port & maintenance of my beloved Wife Mary, during her lifetime. Item 14th I nominate my son Benton Ray & Col. John Douglass, Executors of this my Will. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal, this 4th day of May 1850 Wit: P. H. Mangum John Ray (seal) Willie P. Mangum, Jr. [Will Book Volume G, page 123] In the name of God I John Ray Snr. of the County of Orange & State of North Carolina being of Sound mind & in good health but knowing the uncertainty of life & the certainty of death do make, ordain & publish this as my last Will & testament hereby revoking every and all other Wills & Testaments heretofore made by me Item 1st I give devise & bequeath to my son Benton Ray the three following negro slaves, Viz, William about Twenty years of age Stanford, about thirteen years old and Faucett about ten years old I likewise give to my said son a certain tract or parcel of land, lying & being on Mountain Creek in the said County of Orange adjoining the lands of William Tilly, & of the late James Ball decd, Containing one hundred acres more or less, it being the parcel of land heretofore conveyed to me by my Brother William Ray decd and likewise Three Thousand dollars ($3000) of Bank stock owned by me in the Bank of Cape Fear which Bank Stock was formerly owned by my Brother William Ray decd & by him conveyed to me; all of which property & Bank Stock I devise & bequeath to my said son Benton Ray his heirs & assigns forever Item 2nd I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Sally Hopkins Widow of the late Elgy Hopkins decd., one negro Slave by the name of Frank about Twenty four years old now in the possession of my said Daughter and likewise Three hundred dollars & two thirds of a dollar ($300 2/3) of Bank Stock owned by me in the Bank of Cape Fear & formerly owned by my Brother William Ray decd. & by him Conveyed to me which said slave & Bank stock I give & Bequeath to my said Daughter Sally for ever Item 3rd I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Mary a negro Girl Tempe about nineteen years old heretofore conveyed by me to her [Will Book Volume G, page 124] By Deed of Gift and Three Hundred ollars & two thirds of a Dollar ($300 2/32) of Bank Stock owned by me in the Bank of Cape Fear & formerly owned by my Brother William Ray decd. & by him Conveyed to me to have & to hold to my said Daughter Mary, forever Item 4th I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Viney Leathers, wife of William Leathers a negro boy by the name of Haywood about Eighteen years old and likewise Three Hundred Dollars & two thirds of a Dollar ($300 2/3) of [blot out] Bank Stock, owned by me in the Bank of Cape Fear & formerly owned by my Brother William Ray decd. & by him conveyed to me which said slave and Bank Stock I give to my said Daughter Viney forever. Item 5th I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth the following Slaves (Viz) Lucy, about forty five or fifty years old and her Daughter Penelope, about fourteen years old & Rebecca about one year old and likewise five Hundred dollars ($500:) of Bank Stock owned by me in the Bank of Cape Fear [&] formerly owned by my Brother, William Ray decd. & by him Conveyed to me which said slaves & Bank stock I give to my said Daughter Elizabeth for ever Item 6th In ad[d]ition to what I have above bequeathed to my daughter Mary I bequeath to her the slave by the name of Gennet, about seventeen years old and it is my Will that if my daughter Mary Shall die without leaving issue that the said slave Ginnet & her future increase be Equally divided among the rest of my children Share & Share a like & if any of my said Children should die leaving issue such issue to represent in Such division their decd. parent or parents [Will Book Volume G, page 125] Item 7th I give to my Daughter Charlott, my slaves Ruthy Alsa & Betsy and Three hundred dollars & two thirds of a dollar ($300 2/3) of Bank Stock owned by me in the Bank of Cape Fear formerly conveyed to me by my Brother William Ray decd. Item 8th I give to my Daughter Jane or Jincy wife of Moses Leathers Three hundred dollars & two thirds of a dollar ($300 2/3) of Bank Stock owned by me in the Bank of Cape Fear heretofore conveyed to me by my Brother William Ray decd And I likewise Give & bequeath to my son Benton Ray & his heirs my two slaves Charles and Anna in trust for the sole & exclusive use & benefit of my said Daughter Jane free from the control of her said husband Moses Leathers & free from all debts now owing by said Moses Leathers & from all debts he may hereafter contract during the life of the said Moses ["Leathers" x-out] & after the death of the said Moses or after the death of said Jane if she should die be fore her said Husband then the said Benton Ray & his heirs to hold the said Slaves in trust for the issue of the said Jane Item 9th I Give to My Daughter Martha, my two Slaves Polly and Joseph and Three hundred dollars & two thirds of a dollar ($300 2/3) of Bank Stock owned by me in the Bank of Cape Fear heretofore conveyed to me by my Brother William Ray decd. to have & to hold the same to her the said Martha for ever and I give to my Daughter Martha likewise my sorrel year old Colt, out of my mare Candis Item 10th I give to my grand child, Cornelia Ball the only Child of my Daughter Edney Ball [decd.] my negro Boy by the name of Jim about fourteen Years old and it is my will that my Daughter Mary should have the management of the Said Slave, for the benefit of my said Grand child, until said Grand child arrives to the age of twenty one years, or marries [Will Book Volume G, page 126] and that if my said grand child should die under twenty one year of age without issue it is my Will that said Slave Jim should be eaqually divided among my Children Item 11th I desire my Executors hereafter named to sell my Slaves Isaac & Jack, for the purpose of paying my debts. Item 12th All the rest of my Estate, consisting of the Tract of Land on which I reside & all my stock not heretofore bequeathed House hold & Kitchen furniture & Plantation tools I give & devise to my Daughters Mary, Charlotte, Bettsy & Patsey to be equally divided among them Item 13th I hereby charge the whole of my estate above herein bequeathed & devised, with the comfortable support & maintainance of my beloved Wife Mary during her lifetime. Item 14th I nominate my son Benton Ray & Col. John Douglass Executors of this my Will In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal, this 4th day of May 1850 Wit John Ray (seal) P H Mangum Willie P. Mangum, Jr. Orange County Court Feby Term 1856 The Execution of the foregoing last Will and Testament of John Ray decd was duly proved See minutes Test Geo Laws CCC Additional Comments: Will Book Volume G, pages 123-126 Recorded Feb 1856 Witness P. H. Mangum is Priestley H. Mangum. Estate Papers comprise 28 pages and are found in a folder labeled "Ray, John (1856)" In a Feb 1856 petition, it states "certain slaves to wit: Bill and Mary children of Anna in possession of M. Leathers" Legatee Mary Ray received negro Jim, but after Mary's death, Jim was taken into the possession of Benton Ray as guardian (pendente lite) of Cornelia Ball who was at the time "10 or 11 years old". In Jun 1860 Benton petitioned to sell Jim to support Cornelia and appears to have received $1076.50 some time before Fall Term of the Court of Equity. Benton Ray was appointed guardian or Cornelia Ball 14 May 1861 [Estate Papers - Inventory 22 Mar 1856] An Inventory of the Personal Property of John Ray dec. which came into the hand of Jno Dou glas his Exr 22nd March 1856 [sundry articles omitted] 1 Negro Man Jack 1 " " Frank 1 " " Haywood 1 " " Charles 1 Woman Ann 1 " Lucy 1 " Penelope 1 child Rebecca 1 Woman Tempy 1 Child Tom 1 Boy Alsa 1 Man Stanford 1 " William 1 " Faucette 1 " Jim The above slaves are now in possession of the persons to whom they were willed. [articles omitted] An inventory and list of sale of Personal property of John Ray decd. which property was not embraced in will - & sold by him 22nd day March 1856 Persons Names Articles Sold Elizabeth Ray Negro Man Jack 00.25 Charlotte Ray " Child Bill 14 months old 100.00 Do Do " " Jane 4 mos old 75.00