Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Riggs, John February 18, 1811
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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
Written: February 18, 1811
Testator: John Riggs

In the name of God amen, the Eighteenth day of February In the Year of
Our lord Eighteen hundred and Eleven I John Riggs being sick in body
But of a good and perfect memory thanks be to almighty God and
Calling to remembrance the uncertain estate of this transitory life, and that all
Flesh must yeald unto death when it Shall please God to call, do make Constitute
Ordain and declare this my last Will and testament, in manner and form
Following revoking and annulling by these presents all and every testament and
Testaments, will and wills heretofore by me made and declared Either by word
Or writing and this only is to be taken for my last will and testament
And none other, and first being penitent and sorry from the bottom of my
Heart for my Sins past most humbly desiring forgiveness for the same
I Give and Commit my Soul unto Almighty God my Saviour and Redeemer
In whom and the merits of Jesus Christ I trust and believe assuredly to be
Saved and to have full Remission and forgiveness of all my sins and that
My Soul with my Body at the General day of Resurrection shall rise again
With Joy, and thro the merits of Christs death and passion possess and inherit
the Kingdom of heaven prepar'd for his elect and Chosen and please my Executors
["for" overwritten] Hereafter Named to appoint, and now for the setting of my temporial estate
and Such Good Chattels and debts as it hath pleas'd God to bestow upon me
I do Order give and dispose the same in manner and form following (that is to say)

First I will that all my debts and dues which I owe Shall be well and truly paid

And this house and land where I now dwell and all the Good Chattles and
Tenement that Belong thereunto Shall and must be for my boys until my Younest
Son Becomes of age and then to him and his heir for Ever after
Attest                                           John Riggs (seal)
Robert Jameson
Robert Walker
John (X) Gess

On the back side:
Nov Term 1811
The Jury find
this not to be the
last Will and
Testament of
John Riggs decd.

Additional Comments:
It appears that this will was not accepted into probate and thus not entered any will book.  The two "Robert" signatures are written in the same hand, which might be the issue with this will.  The testator's signature is very shaky, and he also might not have been considered competent to make a will.  Furthermore, the body of the will is very unusual with no mention of names of legatees.  Perhaps this is why there are so many pages of estate papers for this estate.

Estate Papers comprise 157 pages and are found in the folder labeled "Riggs, John (1812)".  Testator died in March 1811. On 30 May 1811 Dr. Benjamin Bullock was appointed Administrator.  Frances Riggs married Benjamin Cates

[Estate Papers - Bill of Complaint Sep 1814]
State of North Carolina }
Orange County           } In Equity

To the Honourable the Judge of the Court of Equity in and for the
County of Orange,

        Humbly complaining shew unto your Honour your Orators
James Webb, Jonathan Teasley and Jane his Wife, Robert Hall and Mary
E. his Wife, Ezekiel Laws and Peggy his Wife, that
John Riggs late of Orange County departed this life intestate many
years ago, leaving the following Children him surviving, to Wit, Jane
intermarried with Jonathan Teasley, Mary E. intermarried with Robert Hall,
Betsey intermarried with John Guess, Peggy intermarried with Ezekiel Laws,
William Riggs, John Riggs, George D. Rigs, Thomas Riggs, Cyrus
Riggs, Albert Riggs, Francis Riggs, and Samuel Riggs, who are his
Heirs at Law and upon whom the Land & Hereditaments of which the Said
John Riggs died Seized, descended, to Hold the Same as Tenants in Common.

    Your Orators shew that the Said John Riggs died Seized of two tracts
of Land lying, situate and being in the County of Orange aforesaid,
On the South Fork of Little River, adjoining the Land of Joseph Wood
Robert Walker and Others, and bounds as follows, to Wit: One Tract
                                                          (Beginning

[page 2]
"Begin[n]ing at the River, run[n]ing North to a White Oak, thence East twenty
"Chains to a red Oak: thence North to a Stake, a Line agreed upon between
"George Riggs & the Said John Riggs, thence West to a Stake an agreed Line
"between George Riggs and James Riggs: then South to a Stake on the Bank
"of the River, an Agreed Line between George Riggs and James Riggs, thence down
"the River to the first Station, containing in the whole two hundred Acres, more
"or less." It being a part of a Tract of Land devised to George Riggs and by him
conveyed to the said John Riggs --

        Your Orators shew that John Guess and Betsey his Wife and George
D. Riggs aforesaid, have for a valuable Consideration to them paid, conveyed
to your Orator James Webb their undivided Shares of the Said tract of Land
and that Judgments having been recovered against Thomas Riggs John Riggs and Cyrus Riggs
aforesaid in Orange County Court, executions were issued thereon and the undivided
shares of the said Thomas, John and Cyrus in the Said tract of Land were lined[levied?] and
approved[?] to Sale by Virtue of the Said executions, when your Orator James Webb
became the Purchaser, and the Sheriff of Orange County aforesaid, hath duly
conveyed to you Orator James Webb their Said undivided Shares.  And the Said
Betsey Guess hath been privily examined in Orange County Court meeting her
voluntary execution of the Deed aforesaid, & the Said Deed hath been duly
admitted to Probate therein and Ordered to be registered - Your Orator James
Webb further shews that by virtue of the Conveyances aforesaid he hath
become one of the Tenants in Common of the aforesaid Tract of Land, holding

[page 3]

thereof five undivided Shares--

        Your Orators shew that by making Partition of the Tract of Land
aforesaid among the Several Tenants in Common therein, the Value thereof would be
greatly diminished, in as much as the Several Dividends would be too Small for
establishment of a farm thereon: And that it is to the Advantage of the Said Tenants
to have the Said Land exposed to Sale and the Proceeds of the Sale to be divided among
them: And Your Orators are willing to join in Such Sale, but the aforesaid Albert
Riggs, Francis Riggs and Samuel Riggs are Minors under the Age of twenty one Years
and incapable of conveying their estates - Your Orators pray your Honour to appoint
one or more Guardians to the Said Albert, Frances and Samuel for the Purpose of defending
their Interest in this Application to Your Honour and to Order and Decree that
the Said Land be exposed to public Sale and the Proceeds of said Sale be divided
between Your Orators according to their respective Interest in the Said Land, & that
your Orators may have Such Other and further Relief as Shall be agreeable to
Equity and good Conscience; & Your Orators as in duty bound will ever pray &c
                                        A.D. Murphey Pro Complts