Tyrrell County, NC - Will of Richard Chapman, 1792

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In the Name of God, I, Richard Chapman of the County of Tyrrell in the State 
of North Carolina being in sound mind and memory.  Thanks be to God for the 
same and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make this 
my last Will and Testament.  That is to say first and princable I recommend 
my soul to God, Who gave it and my body to the earth to be buried in a 
Christian like and decent manner at the discretion of my Executors hereafter 
mentioned and as to such wordly estates as it hath pleased God to bless one 
with.  I gave and dispose of in the manner and following that is to say 

First, I gave and bequeath to my well beloved wife Joanna Chapman the use of 
my House and plantation where on I now live to be divided as the path now 
goes to the Roleing (spelling?) bridge during her natural life also I gave 
to my well beloved wife Joanna Chapman all my movable estate except one 
featherbed during her natural life.

Item  I gave and bequeath to my grandson, Samuel Chapman, the land and 
plantation where on I now live to the bounds above mentioned except one of 
my houses at the death of my wife to be held five years.

Item  I gave and bequeath to my three daughters, Joanna Collington, Ann 
Phelps, and Eleanor Webster all my movable estates at the death of my wife 
Joanna Chapman to be equally divided between them, the said Joanna, Ann, 
and Eleanor, their heirs and assigns forever.

Item  I gave and bequeath to my son, Joseph Chapman, all the remainder part 
of my land from the bounds before mentioned to the eastward during his 
natural life and at his death I gave and bequeath to my grandson, Richard 
Chapman, the said land before mentioned to my son, Joseph Chapman, to him, 
his heirs and assigns forever.

Item  I gave and bequeath to my daughter, Ann Phelps one featherbed and 
furniture to her, her heirs and assigns forever.

Item  I gave to my daughter, Eleanor Webster, one of my houses on my manor 
plantation for the term of five years.

Item  I gave to my grandson, Samuel Chapman, after the five years of my 
daughter, Eleanor, be out, to him, his heirs and assigns forever the land 
aforementioned to the aforesaid, Samuel Chapman.

Item  I devise, constitute and ordain my well beloved wife, my friend, 
Hezekiah Spruill, and my grandson, Samuel Chapman, to be whole and sole 
executors to this my last Will and Testament and I do utterly disannull all 
other Wills, gifts, and bequeaths before mentioned or bequeath in anywise 
and do allow this to be my Last Will and Testament in witness, whereof, I 
the said Richard Chapman have hereunto have set my hand and seal this 24 
day of December in 1791.

Richard (his mark) Chapman  (seal attached)

Signed, sealed and pronounced and delivered in the presents of us,

Isaac Davenport
Ann Davenport 
(their signatures)


Tyrrell County, April Term 1792  Personally appeared in Court, Isaac 
Davenport and made oath on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God, that he 
saw that Richard Chapman above named sign, seal, publish, pronounce and 
declare the above instrument of writing to be his last Will and Testament 
& at that time he was of sound disposing mind & memory, & at the same time 
he saw Ann Davenport a subscribing witness, sign her name thereunto & for 
the same note.

(can't decipher) Mackey  Clerk of Court

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Note - in 1760, Richard and Joanna Chapman were witnesses on Joseph Spruill, 
Sr.'s will.  His son was Hezekiah Spruill who was named by Richard as his 
friend to be one of the executors of his will in 1791.

Marriage bond of 17 Feb 1779 indicates Ann Chapman married Josiah Phelps.

The spelling in this will was so unusual as to make it unreadable so that I 
had to make the spelling conform to modern spelling.  Joanna's name was 
spelled Jonnah in this will.  But in 1760 was shown to be Joanna Chapman 
when she witnessed Joseph Spruill, Sr's will.  Worldly was spelled "werley", 
decent was spelled "disant", natural was spelled "natrel", and daughters was 
spelled "dafters" - to just name a few.

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This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by
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