Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Roberts, Willis September 23, 1814 ************************************************ 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 436-438 Written: September 23, 1814 Recorded: May 1815 Testator: Willis Roberts In the name of God Amen I Willis Roberts of the County of Orange and State of North Carolina, Being of sound & Disposing mind and memory do make Constitute & appoint this my last Will and Testament in manner & form following (viz) I Desire my Executors hereafter named to pay all my Lawful Debts as Soon after my Decease as the same may be Convenient --------------------- Item I give and bequeath unto my Beloved Wife Sarah Roberts all my property Consisting of seven Negroes Called and known by the following names, (viz) Lid, Patey, Mary Fanny, Reley, Mariah, and Ned together with all my Horses, Cows, Hogs, Household & kitchen furniture Also all my farming Utensils Dureing her Natural life or Widowhood under the Incumbrance of schooling & maintaining my own Six Children ------------------------------------------- Item I give and bequeath unto my Step Daughter Rebecah Harris one Ninth part of all the property above named to my wife Sarah to be Receiv'd at the Death or marriage of her mother or as soon after as it may be convenient ----------------- Item I give & bequeath unto my S[t]ep son Ephraim Harris one ninth part of all the property above named to my Wife Sarah to be Receiv'd at the Death or marriage of his Mother or as soon after as it may be convenient ------------------ Item I give & bequeath unto my Step son Elzy Harris one Ninth part of all the property above named to my wife Sarah to be Receiv'd at the Death or marriage of his mother or as soon after as it may be convenient ------------------ Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Menday Roberts one ninth part of all the property above named to my wife Sarah to be Receiv'd at the Death or marriage of her mother, or as soon after as it may be convenient ----------------------------------- Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Louiviney Roberts one Ninth part of all the property above named to my wife Sarah to be receiv'd at the Death or marriage of her mother, or as soon after as it may be convenient ------------------------ Item I give & bequeath unto my son James Roberts one Ninth part of all the pro= =perty [above] named to my wife Sarah, to be receiv'd at the Death or marriage of his [page 2] Mother or as soon after as it may be convenient ------------------ Item I give & bequeath unto my son Jesse Roberts one Ninth part of all the property above named to my Wife Sarah to be Receiv'd at the Death or marriage of his mother or as soon after as it may be convenient ---------------------------------------- Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Sarah Roberts one Ninth part of all the property above named to my wife Sarah to be Receiv'd at the Death or marriage of her mother or as Soon after as it may be convenient ---------------------------- Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Polly Roberts one Ninth part of all the property above named to my wife Sarah to be Receiv'd at the Death or marriage of her mother or as Soon after as it may be convenient ---------------------------- Item it is my Will & Desire for all the futer Increase of all my Female Slaves be sold to the highest Bidder at the Death or Marriage of my wife Sarah, or as soon after as it may be Convenient, and the Amount of such sale to be Divided among my own Six children & Elzy Harris my step son each share and Share alike, It is also my will & Desire that in case either of my Six children should Depart this life unmarried then in such case his or her property to return to the surviving Brothers and Sisters & Divided among them Equeally each share & share alike & if my step son Elzy Harris should Depart this life unmarried its my will that his Estate be returned back & Divided among my own children each share & share alike &c &c &c---------- I do Constitute make and ordain Thomas Latta Senr and Samuel Turrentine Junr sole Executors of this my last will and Testament and I do utterly disallow Revoke and Disannul all and every other former Testament, Wills, legacies, bequests and Executors by me in any wise before mentioned, willed and bequeathed, Ratifying and Confirming [page 3] Confirming[sic] this and no other to be my last will & Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 23rd day of September In the year of our Lord Christ One Thousand Eight Hundred and fourteen (1814) Signed sealed published his pronounced & declared by Willis (WR) Roberts (seal) Willis Roberts as his last mark will and Testament in the presence of us who in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names Joseph Armstrong Jurat Peggy Armstrong her Elizabeth (X) Trimble mark [Will Book Volume D, page 436] In the name of God, Amen. I Willis Roberts of the County of Orange & State of North Carolina, Being of sound & disposed[sic] mind and Memory do make constitute and appoint this my last Will & Testament in manner & form following (Viz) I desire my Executors hereafter named to pay all my Lawful debts as soon after my decease as the same may be convenient -- Item, I give and bequeath to my Beloved Wife Sarah Roberts all my property consisting of Seven Negroes Call'd and known by the following Names (Viz) Lid, Patey, Mary Fanny Reley Mariah & Ned together with all my Horses, Cows, Hogs, House =hold & kitchen furniture. Also all my farming utensils during her natural life or Widowhood under the incumbrance of schooling and maintaining my own six Children --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Item, I give and bequeath unto my Step daughter Rebeccah Harris one ninth part of all the property above named to my Wife Sarah, to be received at the death or Marriage of her Mother or as soon after as it may be convenient -------Item I give and bequeath unto my Step Son Ephraim Harris one ninth part of all the property above named to my Wife Sarah, to be received at the death or marriage of his Mother or as soon after as [it] may be convenient ------ Item I give and bequeath to my Step Son Elzy Harris one ni[n]th part of all the property above named to my wife Sarah to be received at the death or marriage of his Mother or as soon after as may be convenient --- Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Menday Roberts one ninth part of all the property above named to my wife Sarah to be received at the death or Marriage of her Mother or as soon after as may be convenient -- Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Louiviney Roberts one ninth part of all the property above named to my Wife Sarah to be received at the death or Marriage of her mother or as [Will Book Volume D, page 437] soon after as it may be convenient --- Item, I give and bequeath unto my son James Roberts one ninth part of all the property [above] named to my Wife Sarah to be received at the Death or marriage of his [page 2] Mother or as soon after as may be convenient --- Item I give and bequeath unto my son Jesse Roberts one ninth part of all the property above named to my Wife Sarah, to be received at the death or marriage of his Mother or as soon after as it may be convenient ---- Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah Roberts one ninth part of all the property above named to my Wife Sarah to be received at the death or marriage of her Mother or as soon after as it may be convenient -- Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Polly Roberts one ninth part of all the property above named to my Wife Sarah, to be received at the death or marriage of her Mother, or as soon after as it may be convenient Item, It is my Will and desire for all the future increase of all my female Slaves be sold to the highest bidder at the death or Marriage of my Wife Sarah or as soon after as it may be convenient, and the Am =ount of such sale to be divided among my own six children and Elzy Harris my Step son, each share and share alike, It is also my Will and desire that in case either of my xix children should depart this life unmarried, then in such case, his [or her] property to return to the survi= =ving Brothers and Sisters & divided among them equally [each] share & share alike, and if my Step son Elzy Harris should depart this life unmarried it is my Will that his Estate be returned back and divided among my own children each share & share alike &c &c &c--- I do constitute make and Ordain Thomas Latta Senr. & Samuel Turrentine Junr. Sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament and I do utterly disallow, revoke and disannul all and every other former Testament Wills [Will Book Volume D, page 438] Legacies, Bequests and Executors, by me in any wise before mentioned Will'd and bequeathed, Ratifying & Confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this 23rd day of September in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand Eight hundred and fourteen (1814) Signed, sealed, published, pronounced } his & declared by Willis Roberts as his last } Willis (WR) Roberts (seal) Will and Testament in the presence of us } mark who in the presence of each other have } hereunto subscribed our names } Joseph Armstrong Peggy Armstrong her Elizabeth (X) Trimble mark Orange County May Term 1815 The Executor of the foregoing last Will and Testament of Willis Roberst decd. was duly proved in Open Court by the oath of Joseph Armstrong a subscri =bing Witness thereto and Ordered to be recorded Test Additional Comments: Will Book Volume D, pages 436-438 Recorded May 1815 Note: There is a second, unsigned, incomplete handwritten copy of the will in the folder. It might have been a draft. The slave names in the copy are given slightly differently: "Lidda, patey, Mary, Fanna, Rilly, Mariah and Ned" Elzy Harris' name is also rendered "Elza Harris" in the second copy. Other name variation include: "Lovina Roberts", and "Rebecca Harris" Estate Papers comprise five pages and are found in the folder labeled "Roberts, Willis (1815)". [Estate Papers - Inventory (undated)] An Inventary[sic] of William Roberts Estate 1 Negro Woman name Lidda 1 Negro girl name Patta 1 Negroe girl name Mary 1 Negroe name Fanny 1 Negroe girl name Rilly 1 girl name Mariah 1 Negroe boy Nead 1 boy Daniel [sundry articles omitted]