Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Reading, Thomas July 8, 1820
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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, page 591
Written: July 8, 1820
Recorded: Feb 1821
Testator: Thomas Reading

In the Name of God Amen this Ei[g]hth Day of July In the year of
Our Lord God One thousand Eight Hundred and twenty I Thomas Reading
of Orange County and State of North Carolina Planter and being at this time
weak of Body But of Sound and perfect mind and memory thanks be to God
for the Same and Cauling to mind the mortality of my Body and [k]nowing
that it is ap[p]ointed for all men Onst to Die do make and Ordain this and
Now[No] other my last will and Testament as for Such worldly Estate as it Has
Pleased God to Bless me within this life I give and beque[a]th In form and manner
as followeth Impremis and first of all I Recom[m]end   my Sould to God that gave it
me likewise I Recom[m]end my Body to the earth to be Buried in Cristian manner
at the discretion of my Executors here after named Item I give and beque[a]th
unto my Beloved wife Mary one third part of my Hold[whole] Estate Both Rail[real] and
Personal and One Cow and Calf as also the Hole Estate to be and Remain in Heir[her]
Hands tell the day of Heir death at heir discretion after Paying my Just depts
Item I give and beque[a]th unto the Children the Remainder part of my Rail
and personal Estate Namely John Reading Stephen Reading Martha Beever
Mary Whitakar Elizebeth Horn Thomas Reading and It is my desire at my Wifes
Death that my Hole Estate Both Rail and personal to be Sold and a Equal Devision
a monst all the Children above Named Item I also Constitute and ap[p]oint my Son
John Reading Hole and Sole Ex[e]cutor of this my last Will and Testament
In Witness whereof I the Said Thomas Reading Hath set my Hand and Assig'd
my Seal the Day and year first above Written
Sig'd in the presence of Us
Test
John Redman Junior Jurat                  Thomas Reding (seal)
Jones Cardin
                           Exr qualified

[Will Book Volume D, page 591]
In the Name of God Amen this Eighth day of July In the year of our
Lord God one thousand Eight hundred & twenty I Thomas Reading of
Orange County & State of North Carolina Planter & being at this time weak
of body but of sound & perfect mind and memory thanks be to God
for the same & calling to mind the mortality of my body & knowing
that it is appointed for all men once to die do make & ordain this
& Now other my last will & testament as for such worldly Estate as it has pleased
God to bless me within this life I give & bequeath in form & manner
as followeth Imprimis & first of all I recommend my Soul to
God that gave it me likewise I recommend my soul[body] to the Earth
to be buried in Christian manner at the discretion of my Exe=
cutors hereafter named Item I give & bequeath unto my beloved
Wife Mary one third part of my Whole Estate both real & per=
sonal & one Cow & Calf as also the Whole Estate to be & remain
in their[her] hands til the day of her death at heir discretion after
paying my just Debts Item I give & bequeath unto the children
the remainder part of my real & personal Estate namely John Rea
=ding Stephen Reading Martha Beever Mary Whitakar Elizabeth
Horn, Thomas Reading & it is my desire at my wife's Death
that my whole Estate both real & personal to be sold & a equal
division amongst all the children above named Item I also
Constitute & appoint my son John Reading whole & sole Executor
of this my last Will & testament. In Witness whereof I the Said
Thomas Reading hath set my hand & assigned[sic] my seal the day
& year first above written
Signed in the presence of us          Thomas Reding (seal)
Test John Redman Junior Jurat
Jones Cardin

                      Orange County February Term 1821
The Execution of the foregoing last Will & testament of
Thomas Reading was duly proved in open Court by the
oath of John Redman Junr a subscribing Witness thereto
& ordered to be Recorded
                         Test

Additional Comments:
Will Book Volume D, page 591
Recorded Feb 1821

Estate Papers comprise 30 pages and are found in folder labeled "Redding, Thomas (1828)", and these papers are for at least two testators, one with a widow named Elizabeth, and administered by Moses McCown.  The widow listed in the above will was Mary, and the executor is John Reding with the inventory taken after Mary's death.  There is an additional administrator is appointed in these papers, but it is not clear which Thomas Reding he was assigned.

The inventory that definitely belongs to the above will does not contain family history.