Wayne County, NC - Will & Estate Records File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Elton Cooke 1808 Will of Arthur Cook of Wayne County, N.C. To all to whom these presents shall come or that may be concerned herewith, Know ye that I Arthur Cook of Wayne County in North Carolina being weak of Body but of a sound Mind and Memory, do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in the following Manner. My Will and desire is that all my Just Debts to be paid and my Riding Cheer and Gear, and Three Barrels and Barrel Timber be sold to pay these Debts, and if there be any over I desire it should go to Schooling of my Children namely Nathan, Achsah, Betsy and Nanny Cook. 1st. I give to my Son Benjamin Cook my youngest Ball Horse to he and his Heirs forever. 2nd. I lend my Wife Miriam Cook my oldest Ball Horse during her Life or Widowhood also all my Lands and Plantations and Stock of all kinds, and Plantation Tools, all the Beds and ferniture and Household goods of all kinds. My Will and desire is after my Wife Deceases or Marries for my son Benjamin to have my lands on the West side of Turner Swamp, and my son Nathan to have my lands on the North side of the school-house Branch where I Now live to them or their Heirs forever my Will and desire is after my Wife deceases or Marries for all my Property to be sold, and to make all my Daughters up Equal to what my Daughter Sally has received, and after for all the Remainder to be Equally Divided Between my Six Daughters Sally Sanders, Maryann, Patsy, Achsah, Betsy and Nanny Cook. I also desire that my Negro Patience and all her children to be left to my Wife during her Widowhood my desire is that my lands be Equally divided between my Two sons I also desire that my Wife to have all the Corn & fodder flax & Cotton & wool I also desire my gun to belong to my Wife during her Widowhood and after to be sold and Divided between my Two sons, my desire is if Either of my sons dies = //End page one// Without an Heir the other Brother to possess his Land First and Lastly I appoint my son Benjamin Cook and Joseph Sanders Executors to this my Last Will and Testament this 27th of December 1808. (Signed) Arthur Cook (Seal) Witnesses: (Signed) Jacob Cook (Signed) William Cook //Source: N.C. State Archives Xerographic copy of the Original Will of Arthur Cook of Wayne County, Original Wills of Wayne County, reference number C103.801.003. //Contributor's notes: Arthur, Jacob and William Cook were sons of Jones Cook, one of the early settlers of Wayne County who died in 1783. Some researchers have confused Jones Cook's son Arthur with Jones' brother Arthur Cook of Wake County. Joseph Sanders was probably the husband of Arthur's daughter Sally Sanders. On Nov. 15, 2001, I personally examined the document transcribed above. I found the original document, which consists of two handwritten pages, to be in an excellent state of preservation and highly legible. _______________________________________________________________________ USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. The electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. _______________________________________________________________________