Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Rountree, Harvey J October 29, 1847 ************************************************ 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 F, pages 402-403 Written: October 29, 1847 Recorded: Feb 1848 Testator: Harvey J Rountree I Harvey J Rountree of the County of Orange and State of North Carolina being of Sound mind and memory but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existance[sic] do make & declare this my last Will and testament in manner and form following that is to Say That my executor hereafter named Shall provide for my body a decent burial suitable to the wishes of my relations and friends and pay all funeral expenses together with my Just debts howsoever and to whomsoever owing out of the first moneys that may come into his hands as a part or parcel of my estate Having no Companion neither heirs of my own body and having taken due consideration of the Same I give and devise to Harvey Rountree and John W Rountree my Brother David R. Rountree's two eldest sons the residue of my estate To Share & share Equal My Will is that the tract or parcel of land whereon I now live together with the residue of my estate accept[except] my Negroes shall be sold The Negroes are Known by the names of Polly Henry Eady Augustine Nancy and Amos also the increase Should there be any My will is that those Negroes Shall be hired until John W Rountree arrives to the full age of Twenty one years and then divided Equal between the afore named Harvey and John W Rountree Turn over [page 2] I do hereby constitute and appoint my Brother David R Rountree my lawful executor to all intents and purposes To execute this my last will and testament according to the true intent and meaning of the same and every part and clause there of hereby revoking and declaring ut[t]erly void all other wills and testaments by me heretofore made In witness whereof I the Said Harvey J Rountree do hereunto Set my hand and seal this 29 Oct 1847 Signed Sealed Published & Declared in the Presence of as[us] Harvey J Roundtree (seal) Who were Present at the time of Signing & Sealing thereof Charles Holeman Jurat Wm. J Gray Executor Qualified [Will Book Volume F, page 402] I Harvey J Roundtree of the County of Orange and State of North Carolina being of sound mind and memory but considering the uncertainty of my Earthly existence do make & declare this my last will & testament in manner & form foll= owing that is to say That my executor hereafter named shall provide for my body a decent burial suitable to the wishes of my relations and friends and pay all funeral expenses together with my Just debts howsoever & to whomsoever owing out of the first moneys that may come into his hands as a part or parcel of my estate Having no companion neither heirs of my own body and having taken due consideration of the same I give & devise to Harvey Roundtree and John W Roundtree my brother David R. Roundtree's two eldest sons the residue of [Will Book Volume F, page 403] my estate to share & share equally My will is that the tract or parcel of land whereon I now live together with the residue of my estate except my negroes shall be sold The negroes are Known by the names of Polly Henry Eady Augustine Nancy and Amos also the increase should there be any My will is that those negroes shall be hired until John W Roundtree arrives to the full age of twenty one years and then divided equal between the aforenamed Harvey & John W Roundtree I do hereby constitute and appoint my brother David R Roundtree my lawful exec= utor to all intents and purposes to execute this my last will and testament according to the true intent and meaning of the same and every part & clause there of hereby revoking and declaring utterly void all other wills and testaments by me heretofore made In witness whereof I the said Harvey J Roundtree do hereunto set my hand & seal this 29 Oct 1847 Signed sealed published & declared in the presence of Harvey J Roundtree (seal) us who were present at the time of signing & sealing thereof Charles Holeman Wm. J Gray Orange County February Term 1848 The execution of the foregoing last will & testament of Harvey J Roundtree decd. was duly proved in open Court by the oaths of Charles Holeman & Wm. J Gray the subscribing witnesses thereto & ordered to be recorded At the same time David R Roundtree the executor therein named appeared in open Court & qualified accordingly Test Additional Comments: Will Book Volume F, pages 402-403 Recorded Feb 1848 In both the loose will and in the will book copy, the writers make no distinction in the way they write both the I and the J, thus the testator's middle initial is unclear. Estate Papers comprise 18 pages and are found in the folder labeled "Rountree, Harvey I (1848)". This includes the account of the estate sale, recorded Feb 1848. In the May 1850 accounting of the estate, there is reference to slaves: "To valuation of negroes See certificate of Commrs $2000.00". This "Certificate of Commissioners" is found in these papers, as transcribed below - no further details found. The back of the paper has a few random numbers and calculations on it, but they don't seem to be related to this document. [Estate Papers - Inventory 15 Dec 1847] An Inventory of the Property of H J Rountree Decd by David Rountree Exect. &c December 15th 1847 1 Negro woman & 5 Children [sundry articles omitted] [Estate Papers - Commission to Value Slaves 21 May 1850] We the undersigned being called on by David Rountree Exr. of Harvey Rountree Decd. to assess the Slaves belonging to the Estate of sd. decd. and ascertain their value for the purpose of listing the same for taxation according to Act of Assembly, do value the sd. negroes at two Thousand Dollars, this 21st May 1850 Jas. Holeman Charles Holeman Wm. J. Gray