Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Sykes, Henry October 13, 1863 ************************************************ 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 416-418 Written: October 13, 1863 Recorded: Nov 1863 Testator: Henry Sykes In the name of God Amen Know all men by these presents that I Henry Sykes in the County of Orange and State of North Carolina a farmer and being in a feeble body and health and of a sound and disposing mind and memory Calling to mind the uncertainty of human life and being desirous settling my worldly affairs and directing how the estate with which it has pleased God to bless me Shall be disposed of after my decease while I have strength and so to do do make and publish this my last Will and testament her[e]by her[e]by revoking and making null and void all other last wills and testaments by me her[e]tofore made and I commend my Immortal being to Him who gave and my body to the earth to be decently buried by my Executors hereinafter named and as to my Worldly estate and all the property Real or personal or mixed of which I shall die seized and and[sic] possessed or to which I shall be entitled at the time of my decease I devise bequeath and dispose of in the following manner to wit Item 1st My will is that all my Just debts and funeral Charges shall by my executors her[e]inafter named be paid out of my estate as soon after my deceas[e] as shall by them be convenient first I give devise and bequeath to my beloved wife Elisabeth Sykes my home plantation adjoining of the lands of W Thompson N Holmes T. J. Cates and others containing one hundred acres more or less with every thing apperta[in]ing thereunto My houses woods & ways and also my Stock of horses Cows and hogs also my Sheep with all of my household & kitchen furniture and all of my farming tools waggon gear Carriage and all of my personal property what ever [page 2] And theris[?] increase my Corn wheat oats fodder Shucks straw and all of my growing Crop that I may have on hand at my decease My wife Elizabeth Sykes is to have hold and use alle of the above mentioned property during her natural life to hold and to have with all the money and notes that I have on hand at my decease Second I Give unto my Son Richard A Sykes my plantation Known as the Roach Tract containing one hundred & thirty Seven acres more or less adjoining of the Lands of David More B Hays and others with every thing appertaining there unto and also his horse that I have in possession to hold and to have him his heirs exuters[sic] assigns administrator or administrators 3rd I give unto my Son John A Sykes my track of land Known as the Thomas Bony track containing one hundred & ten acres more or less adjoining the lands of N Holmes J Howard T Ray and others if ever he Returns from war or the army he is to have a horse Equal with R A Syke[s] out of my Estate which he is to have and hold him his heirs executors assigns admin istrator or administrators and if he never Returns and if he never Returns[sic] I give it unto my beloved wife to have and to hold during her natural life all of the said John A Sykes legacy 4 I Give unto my Son Sidney A. Sykes my hom[e] plantation Containing on[e] hundred Accres more or less at the decease of my Beloved wife my son Sidney is to have the above named place a horse equal with R A Sykes with every thing appertaining thereunto to hold and to have him his heirs assigns [page 3] executers administrator or administrators 5thly If my Son John A Sykes never returns Back from the war or the army at the decease of my beloved wife Elizabeth Syke[s] my Executors hereinafter mentioned will Sell the tract of land that I bequaith[sic] unto my son John A Sykes and Shall give my son Richard A Sykes & Sidney A Sykes the Priviledge of Buying it at the tax cessation price and it is my will that my daughter Mary M Syke[s] have a bed & furnitu[r]e Cow & Calf every thing equal with my other two daughters viz Cornealy C Jones wife of James V Jones and Martha A Jones wife of Thomas T. Jones and further I will that my daughter Elizabeth E Sykes have a bed and furnitu[r]e Cow & Calf & every thing Equal with my other above name[d] three daughters and my will is further that my two daughters and one son Sidney A Sykes Mary Margarett Sykes and Elizabeth E Sykes must be Schooled Equal to my daughters Cornealy A Jones & Martha Jones and that their Schooling is to come out of my undivided estate and at the decease of my beloved wife Elizabeth Syke[s] my Executors will expose to Public Sale all of the Perishable including[sic] and every [thing] that will be left that I have not Bequeath[ed] to the highest bidder and all he proceed[s] and funds on hand and income that may arrise[sic] and after the necessary expenses shall have been paid My Will is that it shall be divided in the following manner in the place[sic] I bequeath unto my daughters Cornealy C Jones wif[e] of James V Jones [page 4] Martha A Jones wife of Thomas T. Jone[s] Mary Margarett Sykes and Elizabeth E Sykes that one half in the first place be Equally Distributed between my four named daughters and they shall draw that in the first place because I have not bequeath[ed] to them any of my Real Estate and the Remaining half is to be Equally divided between my seven Children to wit Cornealy C Jones wif[e] [of] James V Jone[s] Martha A Jones wife of Thomas T Jones Richard A. Sykes John A. Sykes Sidney A [Sykes] Mary Margaret Sykes Elizabeth Ellen Sykes I do hereby constitute and appoint my Said Son Richard A. Sykes and Thomas J. Cates Sole Executors of this my last will and testament in witness wher[e]of I have here unto set my [hand] and fixed[sic] my seal this the thirty first day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & sixty three Test John M Howard Henry Sykes (seal) Sidney Ray [Will Book Volume G, page 416] In the name of God Amen Know all Men by these presents that I Henry Sykes in the County of Orange and State of North Carolina a farmer and being in a feable body and health and of a sound and disposing mind and memory Calling to mind the uncertainty of human life and being desirous settling my worldly affairs and directing how the estate with which it has pleased God to bless me. Shall be disposed of after my decease while I have strength and so to do. Do make and publish this my last Will and testament hereby revoking and making null and void all other last wills and testaments by me heretofore made And I commend my im[m]ortal being to him who gave and my body to the earth to be decently buried by my Executors hereinafter named. And as to my worldly estate and all the property Real or personal or mixed of which I shall die seized and and[sic] possessed or to which I shall be entitled at the time of my decease I devise bequeath and dispose of in the following manner to wit Item 1st My will is that all my Just debts and funeral Charges shall by my Executors herein after named be paid out of my Estate as soon after my decease as shall by them be convenient First I Give devise and bequeath to my beloved wife Elisabeth Sykes my home plantation adjoining of the lands of W Thompson N Holmes T. J. Cates and others Containing one hundred acres More or less with every thing appertaining thereunto my houses woods & ways and also my stock of horses Cows and hogs also my sheep with all of my household and Kitchen furnature and all of my farming Tools waggons geer Carriage and all of my personal property whatever And there is increase my Corn wheat Oats fodder shucks straw and all of my growing Crop that I may have on hand at my decease My wife Elizabeth Sykes is to have hold and use all of the above mentioned property during her natural life to hold and to have ["with" x-out] [Will Book Volume G, page 417] With all the money and notes that I have on hand at my decease. Second I Give unto my Son Richard A Sykes my plantation Known as the Roach Tract Containing one hundred & thirty Seven Acres More or less adjoining of the Lands of David Moore A Hays and others with every thing appertaining thereunto and also his horse that I have in possession to hold and to have him his heirs Executors assigns administrator or administrators 3d I Give unto my Son John A Sykes my Tract of land Known as the Thomas Berry tract Containing one hundred & ten Acres more or less adjoining the Lands of N Holmes J Howard T Ray and others If ever he returns from war or the Army he is to have a horse equal with with[sic] R A Sykes out of my Estate which he is to have and hold him his heirs executors assigns and Administrator or administrators and if he never returns I give it unto my beloved wife to have and to hold during her natural life all of the said John A Sykes legacy Fourth I Give unto my Son Sidney A Sykes my home plantation containing one hundred acres more or less at the decease of my beloved wife my son Sidney is to have the above named place a horse equal with R A Sykes with every thing appertaining thereunto to hold and to have him his heirs assigns Executors administrator or administrators 5th If my Son John A Sykes never returns back from the war or the Army at the decease of my beloved wife Elizabeth Sykes My Executors herein after mentioned will sell the tract of land that I bequeathed unto my son John A Sykes and Shall give my son Richard A Sykes & Sidney A Sykes the privileges of buying it at the Tax cessation price And it is my will that my daughter Mary M. Sykes have a bed & furnature Cow & Calf every thing [Will Book Volume G, page 418] equal with my other two daughters viz Cornelia C Jones wife of James V Jones and Martha A Jones wife of Thomas T. Jones and further I will that my daughter Elizabeth E Sykes have a bed and furnature Cow & Calf & Every thing Equal with my other above named three daughters. And my will is further that my two daughters and one son Sidney A Sykes Mary Margaret Sykes and Elizabeth E Sykes ["and" x-out] ["Sidney B Sykes" x-out] must be schooled equal to my daughters Corneley A Jones & Martha Jones and that their Schooling is to Come out of my undivided estate, And at the decease of my beloved wife Elizabeth Sykes my Executors will expose to Public Sale all of the perishable property and every -- that will be left that I have not bequeathed to the highest bidder and all he proceeds and funds on hand and income that may arise and after the necessary expenses shall have been paid My Will is that it shall be divided in the following Manner in the ---- place I bequeath unto my daughters Corniley C Jones Wife of James V Jones Martha A Jones wife of Thomas T. Jones Mary Margaret Sykes and Elizabeth E Sykes that one half in the first place be Equally distributed between my four named daughters and they shall draw that in the first place Because I have not bequeathed to them any of my Real Estate and the remaining half is to be Equally divided between my seven Children to wit Corneley C Jones wife James V Jones Martha A Jones wife of Thomas T Jones Richard A Sykes John A Sykes Sidney A Sykes Mary Margaret Sykes Elizabeth Ellen Sykes I do hereby constitute and appoint my said son Richard A Sykes and Thomas J Cates Sole Executors of this my last will and testament In witness whereof I have hereunto set my _____ ____ and fixed my seal this the thirty first day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight Hundred and sixty three Test } John M Howard } Henry Sykes (seal) Sidney Ray } Orange County Court Novr Term 1863 The foregoing last will and testament of Henry Sykes was duly proven in open Court according to law and ordered to be recorded Additional Comments: Will Book Volume G, pages 416-418 Recorded Nov 1863 Estate Papers comprise 13 pages and are found in a folder labeled "Sykes, Henry (1873)" Elizabeth Sykes, the testator's widow, died 23 Dec 1872. Distributees were Sidney A. Sykes, Cornelia wife of James V. Jones, Martha wife of Thomas T. Jones Mary M. wife of Priestly M Sykes and Elizabeth E. wife of Thomas Dodson.