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: Ye tenth day of October in ye year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and sixty five I John Rhoad of the County of Tyrrel and province of North
Carolina Planter 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 & 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 give and recommend my soule
into the hands of God that gave it and for my body I recommend it to ye Earth to be
buried in a Christian like and decent like manner at the durection of my Executors
nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the
mighty power of God and as touching such Worlkly Estate wherewith it pleased God to
bless me in this life I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner
and form that is to say ---
In the first place I give and bequeath to my children a young negro wench and her
increase called Nan.
Item - I give to my wife Elizabeth Rhoads one negro wench called Bess and her increase
to be eaqually divided between my wife and children ---
Item - I give to my son Steven Rhoads my manner plantation ---
Item - If the child which my wife goes with should be a son I desire that it may have the
land called the Pine Rige if it is a daughter I Will that the said land may descend to
my son Steven ---
Item - That my negro fellow called Fourtaine be sold and the money divided between my
wife and children. I will that ye remainder of my moveable Estate be Eaqually divided
amoungst my wife and children and the perishable part belonging to my children to be sold
according to law and ye money put ye interest ---
Item - I likewise constitute make and ordain my wife Elizabeth Rhoads Executrix and
John Garrett and Benjamin Blount Executors of this my last Will and Testament and I do
hereby utterly disallow revoak and disannul all and every other other former Testaments
Willes and Legacies bequeaths & Executors of this my last Will and Testament and I do
hereby utterly disallow revoak and disannul all and every other former Testaments Wills
and Legacies bequeaths & Executors by me in any ways before this time named Willed and
bequeather ratifieng and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written.
John Rhoads (Seal)
Signed sealed published pronounced and
Declared by the said John Rhoads as his
last Will and Testament in the presence of us
Jonathan Corprew
John Collins Jurt.
Pertheen Rhoad
- 1766
