In the name of God Amen the 29 day of August in the year of our Lord God Seventeen
hundred and fifty three I William Rhoads Senior of Terrill County & porvince of
North Carrolina plantor being in a very weak & low condition in body but in perfect
mind & memory thanks be given unto God for ye same & calling to mind the mortality
of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die I doe make &
ordain this my Last Will & Testament that is to say principally and first of all I
give recommend my Soull in to hands of God that gave it & for my body I recommend to
the Earth to be buried in a Cristian manner at the discreion of my Executors nothing
doubting but at the Generrall Resurection I shall receive ye same again by the mighty
power of God that gave it & touching sutch worldly Estate whear with it hath pleased
God to bless me with in this Life I give _(page torn)__ and dispose of the same in
ye manner & form following that is to say
Imprimus - I will and bequeath that all my just debts be lawfully paid out of my
personnall Estate.
Item - I give and will & bequeath to my dearly beloved wife Elizabeth Rhoads the
labour of to Negroes York and Rose during her natural Life as all for one third part
of my houshold goods and the third part of my home of Cattell and Sheep and all my Stok
of hogs during her naturall Life: as aforesaid
Item - I give and bequeath unto my beloved son William Rhoads my manner plantation
I now dwell on and the land belonging to the famelies heirs and assings for over the
one third part only exepted to the use of my beloved wife during her natural life.
Item - I give and bequeath to my son William Rhodes & my son John Rhodes and my
daughter Margrot Collins all other of my houshold goods to be equally devided in fore
parts the forth part to be paid to my deceased duaghters Elizabeth Garret's son and
daughter William Garret & Sarah Garret: and the other two thirds of my home stok of
Cattel after my wifes thirds taken out to be devided betwen my son William Rhoads &
my daughter Margrott Collings only my grand daughter Sarah Garret to have a forth part
of it.
Item - I give and bequeath two my beloved son John Rhodes my stok of cattell belonging
to the pine rige and at my wifes death the said Negroes to be returned to my son William
Rhoades and John Rhoads to wit - York & Rose and her increase & the personall Estate
likewise me bequeathed: as a legase to my wife to be returned in like manner to my to
sons as aforsd
Item - I constitute make and ordain my beloved sons William Rhoads and John Rhoads
my only and Sole Executors of this my Last Will and Testament and I doe hearby utterly
disalow revoke and disanull all and every former Testaments Wills & Legacies bequeaths
and Executors by me in any wise before named willed or bequeathed confirming this and
noo other to be my Last Will and Testament.
In wittness whearof I have hearunto sett my hand & Seal the day & date above whritting
Willm Rhoad
Signed Sealed pronounced and declard
by the said William Rhoads as is Last
Will and Testament in presance of us
Thomas Bedford Jurot
John (his -x- mark) Browning Jurot
Christopher (his -x- mark) Buttery
Then was the within will duly proved in open court by the oaths of Thomas Bedford
and Jno. Browning two of the evidence thereto and at the same time William Rhoads
and John Rhoads was duly qualifyed thereto as Executors as the Law directs. Ordered
that the Honorable Jas Murray Esqr. Secretary have notice that Letters Testamentory
issue thereon accordingly.
In the name of God amen: The eleventh day of May in ye year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and sixty five I William Rhoads of the County Tyrrel and province of
North Carolina being very sick and weak in body but of perfict mind and memory thanks
be given to God for the same and calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing
that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last Will and
Testament that is to say principally and first of all I recommend my soul into the hands
of God that gave it and my body I recommend to ye earth to be buried in a Christain
and decent manner at ye durection of my Executors nothing doubting but at the General
Ressurection I shall receive ye same again by ye mighty power of God and as touching
such worldly Estate where with it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give
devise and despose of ye same in ye manner and form folllowing that is to say ---
Imprimis - In the first place I give and bequeath to Perthena my beloved wife two
negroes to wit one negro man called Peter and one negro girl called Jane and horse
and mare and the use of my manner plantation ye term of ten years from ye date hereof
also ye use of one still during the same term ---
Item - I give my beloved son Charls Rhoads two negroes to wit one negro boy called
Pomp one negro girl called Patinance three gold rings one pair of gold buttons and one
gun and six silver spoons with my manner plantation where I now live and all the land
thereto belonging to have and to hold ye above said negroes and other articles to him
his Executors Administrators and assigns forever ---
Item - I give and bequeath to my Daughter Judith Rhoads one negro girl called Sue one
negro girl called Moll three cows and calves to her and her heirs Executors Administrators
forever ---
Item - I give and bequeath to my son Arthur Rhoads two negro girls to wit one negro girl
called Jude and one called Nan one gun one smal tract of land joiuning William Howards
line and William Garretts and three cows and calves to him and his heirs Executors
Administrators and assigns forever ---
Item - I Will that ye remmander part of my Estate may be equally divided between my
wife Perthena Roads and my two sons Charles and Arthur and my daughter Judith and I will
the perishable part belonging to my son Arthur and my daughter may be sold according to
law and the money be put to use ---
Item - I Will that the Legacy due to my son in law Thomas Fagan may be raised and paid
by my Executors out of ye work of ye negroes labour with what they can raise of the
plantation without lessoning any part of my other childrens Legacies ---
Item - I do likewise constitute make and ordain my Perthena Rhoads Executrix and
John Rhoads and Joseph Hardison Executors of this my last Will and Testament and I do
hereby utterly disalow revoak and disannul all and every other former Testaments Wills
Legacies Bequests and Executors by me in any ways before this time named Willed and
Bequeathed Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my had and seal day and year above written.
W. Rhoad (Sealed)
Signed sealed and delivered by ye sd. William Rhoads
as his last Will and Testament in the presence of
Benja. Blount
Margrat (her -x- mark) Collins
Africa Blount