Following is the will of David Ward as transcribed by Frances Henderson on May 19, 1999 using a copy secured from the North Carolina Archives on Nov. 8, 1986. Two other documents, copies of this will, were also secured. It appears that the most complete version is recopied from the original [which has many blank spaces]. The third copy is typed and on page 147 of the will book also having many blanks. This most complete copy does not have original signatures, but indicates that the original from which it was copied did have them. The signature of Nathaniel Loomis, clerk is on this most complete copy. Attempt has been made to preserve the spelling, capitalization, punctuation (or lack thereof) of the copy from which this transcription was made. Names Included David Ward Abigail Ward, wife Benjamin Ward, son less than sixteen Doctor French, William French, witness Gains Rowe [elsewhere transcribed as Gaius Roe] John Brack, husband of Roxanne, additional witness Roxanne Brack, daughter Asenath Williams, daughter Daniel Williams, husband of Asenath Obiah Russell, daughter Ruth Ward, daughter, less than eighteen Fanny Ward, daughter, less than twelve Josiah Ward, son and executor Mr. Strange, sold land to D. Ward David Ward, nephew George Ward, Esq., executor William Russell, executor Edward Ward, Jun., witness Thomas Russell, additional witness Isaac Sanders, additional witness Nathaniel Loomis, clerk Negroes Easter, woman Jude, woman Cate, woman Cloe, woman Cate, another woman Rose, woman Charles, boy Tom, boy Cesar, boy Sillar, woman Jude, girl Pero, boy Winna, woman Randolph, boy Vashty, girl Tom, boy Chaney Isaac, boy Moses Charles, another male Fillis Cyrus Sanders, man Citt Bett Dinah Jacob In the Name of God Amen I David Ward of the County of Onslow & State of No Carolina - Calling to mind the mortality of my Body and of disposing mind and memory do make & ordain this my last will and Testament in manner & form following - first of all I recommend my Soul into the hands of God who gave it me, & my body to the Earth to be buried in a decent manner - & for all my Just Debts to be paid, and what it has pleased God to bestow on me in this Life of my Worldly Estate, I Dispose of in the following manner First of all I lend to my beloved Wife Abigail Ward during her Natural life the Easter most room (struck out "I now live") of the House I now live in, & all the Cleared Land (struck out "I now live on") Adjoining thereto with a privilige of the woodland land for repairs of Houses fences & fire wood until my Son Benjamin comes to the age of twenty one years or marries, reserving one half of the cleared Ground to lie out Every year, and after my Son Benj'n comes to the age of twenty one or marries In [too faded to read] to have one half of the Cleared ground with the priviledge afors'd during her natural life [faded word] my working tools horses Cattle and hogs, Except what I shall hereafter give away with as much of my houshold goods & furniture as She Shall See fit to Keep for her use & comfort Except thre feather Beds one desk one new walnut table & two chests I privilege her with all my houses until the time afors'd and further I lend her my negro woman Easter Jude Cate Cloe and the cate I bought of Doctr French during her natural life and my Negro man Sanders during her life or marriage. I desire that my Wife Should Keep my Son Benj'n and Fanny & all there property until the time I Shall mension for it to be delivered to them & if either of the negroes should die that I leave to my Son Benjamin or Fanny before they are of age or marries I order that their loss should be made to them out of what I have lent their Mother for life. & at her Decease if thur Should be no loss, in neither of the parts Before mensioned, then that the above named Easter Jude Cloe Cate & the other Cate if alive, with their Increase, & the Cattle if any be Equally divided amongst my daughters without Issue & Issue of my Daughters at my wifes death to them & their heirs Forever. [end of first page] turn over Item I leave to the care of my Trusty & Beloved friend Gains Rowe, my Negro woman Rose boys Charls tom & Cesar with all the use of the Negroes, & Increase that Shall be hereafter together with the Land I purchased of John Brack where he now lives, & their Increase, one yoke of Oxen one large table & Several other things, for the alone use of my Daughter Roxanne Brack & Support of her Children during her Natural life and at her decease I leave for the above with all the Increase together with the Land above mensioned to be Equally divided amongst all her Children, Sons & Daughters of John Brack, to them & their heirs forever Item I lend to my Daughter Asenath Williams my Negro Woman Sillar & negro gril Jude & my boy Pero, one bed & furniture, I have lent to her during her natural life, at her decease, the Negroes with their Increase to be Equally divided amongst all her Children, Sons & daughters of Daniel Williams to them and their heirs forever Item I Give to my Daughter Obiah Russell my Negro Woman Winna & my boy Randolph, one feather bed & furniture one Womans Saddle one cow & calf to be delivered her next Spring one large Chest painted Green to her and her heirs forever Item I Give to my Daughter Ruth Ward at the age of Eighteen, my Negro girl Vashty & my negro boy Tom one bed and furniture one Cow & Calf to be delivered her at the age of Eighteen or day of Marriage to her & her heirs forever Item I Give to my Daughter Fanny Ward my Negro Chaney & my negro boy Isaac to be delivered her at the age of twelve years old, and at her mothers death one feather Bed & furniture, one Cow & Calf, to be delivered her next Spring, to her & her heirs forever Item I Give to my Son Josiah Ward my point plantation with all the Land belonging thereto Including the Cleared Land I Bought of Strange begining at the mouth of [end of second page] turn over Small gut on the marsh to the Sd Westard of Sd Cleared Land, & running a Straight line to the head of morgans branch Stranges Corner which Shall be a division line Between him & his Brother Benjamin Ward One Hundred and twenty acres of pine Land between Jumping run & Cowhead, one hundred and twenty five Acres of pine land over Browns branch together with my Negroes Moses Charles fillis & Cyrus & at his mothers Death or marriage my Negro man Sanders, also one horse Called pirate & one Mare Called Silver, all the Cattle & hogs in his mark, one feather Bed & furniture, one Desk one large Walnut Table, one Chest my riding Saddle one gun & all the Turpt'n & tar he can have made the next Ensueing Season, over one Hundred twenty Barrls. Which must be for the Support of his Mother and her Family, to Enable him to Build him an House, and if he Should die Before his Brother Benj'n Ward, or without heir, my desire is for him to have his Estae, if not it is for him and his heirs forever -Item I Give to my Son Benj'n Ward the westermost Appartment of the House I now live in one half of the Cleared Ground adjoining thereto, with a priviledge of the Woodland Land to his Brothers line, when he comes to the age of twenty one years or Marries, and at his Mothers Death the whole of the Houses and Land also one hundred and twenty five acres of pine land. Between Jumping Run & Cowhead, one hundred and twenty five Acres of pine Land laying over Browns branch and my Negroes Citt (?) Bill Dinah & Jacob, and the grey Mares Colt all the Cattle in his mark, and one Cow and Calf ruming at handcocks, the Cattle being his property now, the Negroes to be delivered him at the age of Sixteen ("him" struck out) years old, one Saddle and Bridle one Small walnut table, one bed and furniture not to be delivered him till his Mothers Death, and if he Should die without heir and before his Brother, my will is that his Brother Josiah Ward Shall have his Estate, if not I give to him and his heirs forever. [end of third page] turn over Item I Give to my Nephew David Ward my old Gun my Silver Shoe and neebuckles to him and his heirs forever - I leave my Son Josiah Ward George Ward Esqr And Wm Russell Executors to this my last will and Testament of which I have hereunto set my hand and fext my seal this 23rd Ocb'r 1799 Signed David Ward [seal drawn] Witness William French Edward Ward, Jun This may certify that we the Subscribing Do hereby agree that the above & within Shall be Binding on our parts as touching the will of David Ward Dec'd John Brack Tho's Russell Isaac Sanders [Note: all of the above signatures appear to have been copied from a pervious version of this will that was very difficult to read. This last comment was added after David Ward died] [On outside in later style of handwriting] David Ward 1801 Recorded in Book of Wills 180? on Page 147 [this page is typed copy entered much later] State of North Carolina Onslow County July term 1801 The executors of the within will of David Ward was proved by the oath of Dr. William French one of the subscribing witnesses thereto - at the same time Josiah Ward qualified as an Executor thereto Signed Nath Loomis clk