WILKES COUNTY, NC - WILLS - Thomas Witherspoon, 10 Apr 1790
====================================================================
     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. These 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.
		
	 The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives
	 to store the file permanently for free access.

         This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb
         Archives by: Elizabeth M Korves   korves@astro.as.utexas.edu
====================================================================
Thomas Witherspoon's Will

Last Will and Testament of Thomas Witherspoon
eldest son of John and Martha Pettigrew
Witherspoon

In the Name of God Amen --
	I Thomas Witherspoon fo Wilkes County and State of North Carolina 
being of a low state of health in body, but of a sound understanding and 
memory, and calling to mind the shortness of life and the certainty of death, 
do constitute this mylast will and testament and desire it to be received by 
all as such.
	Imprimis - I bequeath my soul to God who gave it, and my body to be 
buried at the discretion of my executors, and after all my just debts is paid 
it is my will and desire that my earthly estate which it has pleased God to 
bless me with be divided among my five children in the following manner --
	Imprimis - To my four well beloved sons, John, Joshua, Wesley, and 
David Witherspoon I will and bequeath all my land both improved and unimproved 
to be divided equally among my four sons afed. In the following manner, that 
is to say, it is my desire that my lands be rented out to some careful 
industrious man for a small term of years at a time in such manner for the 
tenant to improve the land & the rents after paying the taxes of the lands to 
go to the support of my four sons a fed.  It is further my desire that when my 
sons become of age that my lands e divided among them when the come of age by 
lot agreeable to quantity and quality.
	Imprimis - To my well beloved daughter Dorcas I will and bequeath my 
negro girl Sara, - also on feather bed and furniture, one side saddle & her 
departed mother's wearing apparel.
	Imprimis - To my four well beloved sons, John, Joshua, Wesley, & David 
Witherspoon, I will and bequeath all my personal estate which is not already 
bequeathed, such as horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, household furniture and 
plantation utensils, debts due as well as bills and bonds, together with every 
part and parcel of my estate, to be equally divided among them.
It further is my will and desire that the rents of the land afred. The use of 
the negro girl Sarah bequeathed to my daughter, also the use and increase of 
all my personal estate to go to the maintaining and schooling of my five well 
beloved children afed.
It is also my will and desire that al my personal estate be valued by two or 
three judicious and honest freeholders whom the worshipfull Court may see 
cause to appoint and that just inventory be made out to the Court and that my 
Executors give bond and security for the delivery of such estate to such 
shares equal in value to my children afed. That is to day, John, Joshua, 
Wesley, and David Witherspoons, and that the benefit, increase and profit of 
such estate go to children which I wish to be raised in a Christian manner.

It is further my will and desire that my beloved brother James Witherspoon and 
trusy and well beloved friend Benjamin Howard be the executors of this my last 
will and testament.  
	In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal 
this 10th day of April, 1790.

				Thomas Witherspoon (Seal)

Signed, sealed and acknowledged
In the present of 
Thomas Preston
Anninias Allen
Thomas Carlton
Wm. Swanson