Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Tinnin, James April 6, 1793 ************************************************ 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 C, pages 114-115 Written: April 6, 1793 Recorded: May 1798 Testator: James Tinnin In the Name of God Amen, I, James Tinnin of ye County of Orange and State of North Carolina Being of perfect mind and Memory thanks be given unto God Calling unto mind the Mortality of my Body and Knowing that it is appointed for all men Once to Die, ["that is to say" x-out] do make and ordain This my Last Will and Testament, that is to say Principally and first of all I give and recommend My Soul into the Hand of Almighty God that gave it and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be Buried at the discretion of my Executor in Decent Christian Burial. Nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I Shall receive the Same again by the Mighty Power of God And as touching Such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pl[e]ased God to bless me in this life I give devise and dispose of the Same in the following manner and form ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ First I give and Bequeath to Elizabeth my Dearly Beloved Wife the One Half of all that we do possess and my Four Negroes Namely Jim, Joseph, Hett & Alexander during her Natural life for her support and after Her Decease it is my Will they Should have their freedom for their good Services done to me. 2d. I give And Bequ[e]ath unto Alexander Tennin the Sum of Ten Pounds the son of John Tinnin/3d. and to Cearns Tennins ["The" x-out] Son Robert, the Sum of of Ten pounds 4th to Robert Tennins son Robert the sum of Five Pounds 5th to his Brother Cearns, the Sum of five Pounds 6th. to James Tennin the son of Robert Tinnin the Sum of Ten Pounds -- 7th And to Sarah Johnston the Sum of Ten pounds ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Also, I Give to my Beloved Wife Elizabeth whom I likewise Constitute make and ordain my Executrix & John Thompson Miller my Executor of this my last will and Testement, I say unto my wife Elizabeth all and Singular my lands Messuages and Tenements during Her Natural life, I give unto Her to be freely possessed and enjoyed, and I do hereby Utterly Disallow revoke and Disannul all and Every other former Testament[s] Wills, Legacies, Bequests, and Executors By me in any ways before Named Willed and Bequeathed, Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will And Testament in witness Whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand and Seal this Sixth Day of April in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred & Ninety Three ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Signed Sealed published pronounced and Declared by the Said James Tennin as his last Will & Testament in the presence of us John Reading } his Archd. Campbell } Jurat James (X) Tennin (seal) William Morrow } mark Exrs both qualified [Will Book Volume C, page 114] In the Name of God Amen; I James Tinnin of the County of Orange and State of North Carolina being of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God Calling to mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all men Once to die do make and Ordain this my Last Will and Testament, that is to say principally and first of all I Give and Recommend my soul into the Hand of Almighty God that gave it and my Body I Recommend to the Earth to be Buried at the discretion of my Executor in a Decent Christian Burial, nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I Give Devise and Dispose of the same in the following manner and form - First I Give & Bequeath to Elizabeth my dearly Beloved wife the One half of all [that] we do possess and my four negroes, namely Jim, Joseph, Hett & Alexander during her natural life for her support and after her decease it is my Will they should have their freedom for their good services done to me -- 2nd I give & Bequeath unto Alexander Tinnin the sum of ten pounds the son of John Tinnin --- 3rd And to Cearns Tinnin's son Robert the sum of of Ten pounds 4th to Robert Tinnin's son Robert the sum of Five pounds 5th to his brother Cearns the sum of Five pounds -- 6th to James Tinnin the son of Robert Tinnin the sum of Ten pounds -- 7th and to Sarah Johnston the sum of Ten pounds Also I Give to my Beloved wife Elizabeth whom I Likewise Constitute Make and Ordain my Executrix and John Thompson Miller my Executor of this my Last Will & Testament I say unto my wife Elizabeth all & singular my Lands, Messuages and Tenements during her natural life, I give unto her to be freely possessed and Enjoyed, and I do hereby utterly Disallow, Revoke and Disannul all & Every Other former [Will Book Volume C, page 115] former[sic] Testaments, Wills, Legacies, Bequests & Executors by me in any ways before Named, Willed, and Bequeathed Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament -- In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this sixth day of April in the year of Our Lord One thousand seven hundred & seventy [orig: Ninety]three Signed sealed published pronounced } his and declared by the said James } James (#) Tinnin (seal) Tinnin as his last Will & Testament } mark in the presence of us -- } John Reading Archd Campbell William Morrow Orange County May Term 1798 The Execution of the foregoing Last Will & Testament of James Tinnin deceased was duly proved in Open Court by the Oaths of John Readying, Archibald Campbell and William Morrow sub= =scribing Witnesses thereto and ordered to be Recorded -- At the same time Elizabeth Tinnin Executrix & John Thompson Executor therein named qualified accordingly Test Additional Comments: Will Book Volume C, pages 114-115 Recorded May 1798 There is a handwritten copy of the will along with the original loose will. Estate Papers comprise 10 pages and are found in a folder labeled "Tinnen, James (1800)". Cearns is Carnes. The testator's widw, Elizabeth Tinnin, died about Nov 1801. Legatees: John Thompson & Wife [? This seems to align with "Sarah Johnston" in the will] Alexander Tinnin (of John) Robert Tinnin (of Carnes) James Tinnin (of Robert) Robert Tinnin (of Robert) Caners Tinnin (of Robert) [Estate Papers - Petition to Emancipate Slaves Nov 1802] State of North Carolina } Orange Court of Pleas } November Sessions 1802 and Quarter Sessions } The Petition of John Thompson Miller, Executor of the last Will and Testament of James Tinnin deceased. Your Petitioner sheweth unto your Worships, that James Tinnin late of the County of Orange aforesaid, in his lifetime duly made and published in writing his last Will and Testament, and thereof appointed your Petitioner with Elizabeth his wife Executors; and that Your Petitioner caused the said Will to be duly proved in this worshipful Court; and took on himself the burthen of execution the same. And your Petitioner further sheweth, that the said James Tinnin in and by the said Will, among other things, gave bequeath and direct as follows, Vizt "I " give and bequeath to Elizabeth my dearly " beloved wife; the one half of all we " do possess, and my four negroes, namely, Jim " Joseph, Hett, and Alexander during her " natural life for her support; and after her " decease, it is my Will, they should have their Freedom " for their good services done to me ~~~~ And your Petitioner further sheweth, that the said negroes for many year, by their labor and diligence contributed greatly to the care and comfort of heir said Master and his family: And during the space of five years next preceding his death, while he was by age and infirmity confined and rendered helpless, the, by their unusual Industry care and diligence made a sufficient and comfortable support and maintenance for him and his family; and during his said illness with attention and tenderness, assisted in nursing and rendering him as easy as possible And have at all times behaved and conducted themselves peaceably and honestly [page 2] And your Petitioner further sheweth that the said James Tinnin was possessed of a good and absolute right and property, in and to the said negroes; that there are no debts or demands against his estate; and that the said Elizabeth, the widow, departed this life in or about the month of November one thousand eight hundred and one; and therefore no person will be injured by granting the prayer of their Petitioner ~~~~ Your Petitioner pray that he said John, Joseph Hett and Alexander may be liberated and set free; and that the said Jim, may be hereafter know and called by by the name of James Tilman - , and the said Joseph by the name of Joseph Henderson , and the said Hett by the name of Hetty Tilman , and the said Alexander by the name of Alexander Tilman ~~~~ and your Petitioner will every pray &c Jno. Thompson [Estate Papers - Decree circa Nov 1802] The Court having heard the Petition of John Thompson Miller Executor the the last Will and Testament of James Tinnin deceased and the evidence of the several matters of fact therein set forth and considered the same. It is Ordered and adjudged by the Court that they the said Jim Joseph Hett and Alexander, be, and they are hereby liberated and set free; and permitted to have, exercise and enjoy all the right, priviledges and immunities of free persons of colour; And that the said Jon be henceforth known and called by the name of James Tilman, and the said Joseph by the name of Joseph Henderson, and the said Hett by the name of Hetty Tilman, and the said Alexander by the name of Alexander Tilman - ; and that the said John Thompson, of the asset in his hand as Executor aforesaid pay the Costs of this petition ---