WAKE COUNTY, NC - WILLS - Needham Bryan, 23 Mar 1861 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Will: Needham Bryan 13 Mar 1861 From Wake County Record Book Vol 32, page 622 In the name of God Amen! I Needham Bryan, of the County of Wake, and state of North Carolina being of sound disposing mind and memory, but weak of bodily strength, do make this my last will and testament. Item: I give and bequeath unto my wife Sally Bryan all of my household property; together with my stock of horses, cattle and hogs, also one yoke of oxen and cart, and my farming utensils, all of my crop of corn on hand and bacon. It is my desire that my wife shall posess and enjoy the lands on which I now live. I give also one negro woman Mary and child (Vick?) to my wife to dispose of as she may think proper. After the death of my wife the above named property to be divided equally (that is the negro property) between my children in common, also one buggy and harness to my wife. Item: I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter, Lenowki Ann Bryan one negro girl, Celary. This girl I loan unto my said daughter and then to her bodily heirs. Should she die before she marries or has a bodily heirs, said girl to revert to the survivor or survivors, that is my children in common. Item: I loan unto my beloved daughter Rowan Sarah Bryan one negro girl, Lucy and then to her bodily heirs and should she die before she marries or have a bodily heir, said girl to revert to the survivor or survivors, my children in common. I also give unto my two daughters fifty dollars each, also one feather bed, bedstead and the furniture that they have acquired, and should either of them die before they have a bodily heir, are to revert as before named. Item: The lands on which I now live to be equally divided between my six youngest sons after the death of my wife and should either of them die before they have a bodily heir, said lands to be equally divided between the surviving sons. Item: I give what money and notes I have on hand to Needham F. Bryan, Linnarus W. Bryan, William S. Bryan, Henry C. Bryan, Thomas P. Bryan, George R. Bryan except one hundred to my son Angus M. Bryan and all the products arising from my farm to the support of family. Should my wife think proper she can dispose of such of the stock as she may see proper for the support of her and family. I constitute and appoint my sons Angus M. Bryan and Samuel H. Bryan executors to this my last will and testament. In witness I hereunto set my hand and seal this the 23rd of March 1861. Needham Bryan A proper writing without subscribing witnesses purporting to be the last will and testament of Needham Bryan deceased is exhibited for probate in open Court by Sally Bryan begater therin and is thereupon proved by the oath and examination of William L. Fort that the said will was found among the valuable papers of the said Needham Bryan after his death and it is further proved by the oath and examination of three competent and credible witnesses to wit; Wm. J. Allen, J. J. Ferrell & Jno F. Ellington that they are aquainted with the handwritting of the said Needham Bryan, having often seen him write and believe that the name of the said Needham Bryan subscribed to the said will and the said will itself and every part thereof is in the hand writting of the said Needham Bryan. And it is further proved by the evidence of said witnesses that the said handwritting is generally known to the said witnesses. It is therefore considered by the Court that the said paper writing is the last will and testament of the said Needham Bryan and the same is ordered to be recorded and filed. J. J. Ferrel, Clerk. ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Carl Oehmann ___________________________________________________________________