Names Included Seth Ward, Planter Cear Ward, wife and executrix daughters, not named George, son Seth, son Col. Reuben Grant - to train George and Seth and executor Benjamin Ward, friend and executor and witness John McCullough, executor Joseph Ward, witness Lydia Grey, witness Negroes None specifically named The will of Seth Ward, October 16, 1786 as transcribed by Frances B. Henderson, April 18, 1999 from a copy secured at the NC Archives in October of 1986. Attempt was made to include spelling, capitalization, and punctuation as found in the original. In a number of places there are dots that do not appear to be periods but merely a resting place for the pen. These were omitted. This will was a particular challenge due to the curious spelling and frequent capitalization. As transcribed, it is mostly understandable. "(?)" indicates words or letters that could not be interpreted and were left out or were questionable. Brackets are used for editorial comments. In The Name of God Amen I Seth Ward of the County of Onslow & state of NoCarolina Planter being in perfect mind & memory thanks be to god for it but Calling to mind the Mortality of my body it being appointed to all men once to die do make this my last Will & Testament Imprimis My Will is that all the debts I Justly Owe be paid Out of my Estate in a reasonable time after my death by my Executors Item I Lend to my beloved Wife Cear Ward to Inable hur to bring up my Cheldren & to Edducate them agreeable to their fortune & to feed & Cloath Said Cheldren - - and Cloath & feed What Negroes I have Now & all the Increas Their May here after proceed from them and to pay ye Tax the law Requiers on My Estate the Use of all my Land & Negroes With as Mutch of my Other Effects as My Wife with My Other Executors may think (?) sufficient for the a bove porpeses & hur Own Support while she has said Children & Negroes Under hur Command the Residue of my Perrishable Estate if any their Should be that is Not here after given a way May be sold if a Nisity Requiers it but Not other ways but is to be Keept for My Children - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -[filled out the line] and for My Wife to have the Cear of all my Daughters till they Marry or Come to the age of Eighteen, and as to my Son Geo my Will & desier is that Coln'l Ruben Grant takes him & Closely (?) Keep him to Such business that he thinks will suit his Turn & be Most advantagiouss to him and all so when My Son Seth is fitt to be put to business for Coln'l Grant to take him & Treat him in the Same Manner as is a bove Directed for my Son George to be Treeted and as My Children marryes to have My Estate Vallued & for each daughter to have their Equal part of my Parsonble Estate my Wife Risoned (?) as one in the Number & for Each daughter when Marred to be paid by my Two Sones George & Seth fifty pounds Specie a piece in a Short Time after My Sons Comes of Age & has their fortuines in their hands I mean Twenty five pounds a peace to be paid by Each of my Sons to Each of my daughters or if Either of them was to die before they have their fortunes in their hands for the Surviving Son to pay to Each of their their [sic] Sisters fifty pounds and as to the Land that I Own is to be Devided in Quantity & Qualtity as Near as May be [This is the end of the first page] In two Equel parts & for My Two Sons George & Seth to have it between them & their Equal shear of my Personal Estate. (word scratched out) All ways Reserving any house that my Wife Makes Choice to live In that I Own with as Mutch land as she Sees proper to make Use of for hur personal Support & the bring up of hur daughters with a Suffency of Negroes & other Effects to Support hur during hur Naturel Life if what Comes to hur shear is not Sufficient and for that to be drawn Out of Each Childes part in prepotion to what they Re(?) [receive?] & further Resarveing One Acor of Land at My Sound Plentation where the Grave yard is & for that to be Keept Inclosed so that Cretures May Not disturb it and for that Neaver to be Sold by Any One Clameing any Right by from or Under Me or Mine And futher Each Childs part that comes to their Shear Out of My Estate I Give them their Hires & Assigns for Ever -- And I do here by Constitute and Ordain My beloved Wife Cear Ward Exetrex and my frieands Coln'l Ruben Grant and Benj'm Ward & John McCullough Execut(off the edge of the page) to this my last Will & Testament and by these presents do Renounce & Make Void all former Will or Wills here to fore Made and do hold good this & No Other to be My last Will & Testament Where in I the Said Seth Ward have here Unto Set My hand & fixed My Seal this 16th day of Octob'r 1786. [signature] Seth Ward [seal drawn] In the presence of Us [signature] Benj. Ward [signature] Joseph Ward her Lydia + Grey [Written and circled is mark the word "Copyd"] [On the outside] Seth Wards Will was proved by the oath of Jos Ward and Ceare Ward the Extr's & Jno McCullough one of the Executors appeared and was Qualified -- at April term 1787 Reuben Grant (?) Appear'd and Qualified as an executor to the within Will. [Then the number] 86 [Then the word] Recorded [At some later time was added the number] 506