Wayne County, NC - Will of William Etheridge, 1879

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State of North Carolina
Wayne County
I WILLIAM ETHERIDGE of the County and state aforesaid being of sound 
mind and memory but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence 
do make and declare this my last will and testament in the manner and 
form following that is to say.
First that my executor hereinafter named shall provide for my body a 
decent burial suitable to the wishes of my friends and relatives and 
pay all funeral expenses together with my just debts howsoever and to 
whomsoever owing out of the moneys that may first come into his hands 
as a part or parcel of my estate.
ITEM I give and devise to my beloved wife MARGARET ETHERIDGE one 
hundred and twenty three acres of land to be set out in metes and 
bounds on the north end of the tract of land I now live on so as to 
include my dwelling and all out houses and other improvements to have 
and to hold to her the said MARGARET ETHERIDGE for and during the term 
of her natural life or widowhood in satisfac-tion for and in lieu of 
her dower and thirds of and in all of my real estate and if she the 
said MARGARET ETHERIDGE shall marry said estate to be equally divided 
between my lawful heirs.
ITEM I give and devise to my sister JACKAN ETHERIDGE 2 acres of land on 
the south end of my land including the house she now lives in and all 
other improv-ments on said 2 acres except my interest in the new stone 
house, bounded as follows beginning with the ditch opposite the Daniel 
Handley corner down said ditch to William Lewis line and with said line 
to the beginning to have and to hold to her the said JACKAN ETHERIDGE 
for and during the term of her natural life and at her death to my 
lawful heirs.
ITEM I give and bequeath to my beloved wife MARGARET ETHERIDGE all of 
my personal property consisting of house hold and kitchen furniture, 
stock of every description, all domestic fowls and poultry, all my 
farming implements, all the crop of every description that may be upon 
the land I now possess and all the provisions that may be on hand at my 
death to have and to hold to her the said MARGARET ETHERIDGE for and 
during the term of her natural life or widowhood and at her marriage or 
death, I give said personal property to my lawful heirs.
ITEM My will and desire is that all the residue of my estate if any be 
sold the debts owing to me be collected and should there be any surplus 
said surplus to be paid over to my wife for the benefit of my said wife 
and children.
ITEM Whereas my children are all minors and under the age of twenty one 
years, therefore my will and desire is that my friend N.J. SMITH is 
hereby appointed and constituted guardian of these my children to have 
and to hold the custody and guardianship of these respective persons 
and estates until they shall arrive at the full age of twenty one 
years.
And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my trusty friend N.J. 
SMITH my lawful executor to all intents and purposes to execute this my 
last will and testament according to the true intent and meaning of the 
same and every part and clause thereof, hereby revoking and declaring 
utterly void all other wills and testaments by me heretofore made.
In witness of, I the said WILLIAM ETHERIDGE do here unto set my hand 
and seal this the 18th day of July A.D. 1879
Signed sealed published and declared      WILLIAM (X) ETHERIDGE Seal
by the said William Etheridge to be his 
last will and testament in the presence
of us who at his request and in his
presence do subscribe our names as 
witness thereto.
Witness  Owen Peel
Witness  W.D. Bardin

Probate 13 September 1879

Wills 1776-1927
CR 103.801.5
Folder 1879 William Etheridge
NC State Archives, Raleigh, NC

William Etheridge wife, Margaret, was the daughter of Isaac Garris.

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