Names Included Solomon Ward, Planter Aleph Ward, wife Cerene Ward, purchased land from Woodhous Ward, son and executor Sparkman, land as reference point Adam (Abram) Looton - land as reference point John Ward, son and executor Butler, land as reference point Sarah Ward, daughter Henry Ward, son James Williams, sold land to him Butter(s), land as reference point Cases, land as reference point David Grinto [later Gornto], friend and executor Margaret Ward, daughter John Com________, witness Chry [later Chorssy] Sparkman, witness W. [G. or J.}Ward, witness Negroes man - John female - Apple female - Else man - March female - Rachel her child, Aime man - Moris female - Charlotte female - Cinda man - Alfred female - Dinah The will of Solomon Ward, August 4, 1804 as transcribed by Frances Henderson on April 20, 1999 from a copy secured at the NC Archives on October 25, 1986. Attempt was made to include spelling, capitalization, and punctuation as found in the original. Words or letters that were undecipherable are indicated "(?)" while editorial notes are in brackets. Several lines end with dashes or short lines, apparently to indicate that nothing else should be written on that line. This was not a particularly good copy from which to work, and the handwriting was difficult in places, but most of it is understandable. It says: In the Name of God Amen I Solomon Ward of the State of N. Carolina & County of Onslow Planter being Weak of Body but of Perfect mind and Memory and Calling to Mind the Mortality of my body & that it is apointed for all Men once to Die do there by Make & Constitute this my Last Will & Testament -- & first my Soul I Resign into the hands of God who Gave it & my Body to the Earth to be Buried in a Christian & decent like Manner at the Discretion of my Executers -- & secondly I Will that all my Just Debts be Paid if any I owe -- & touching Such Worldly Estate God has Blessed me with in this Life I [faded, in the fold, but looks like "give and bequeath"] in the Manner following & [faded word in the fold, could be the first part of "here by"] by Revoke all Wills & testaments by me formerly made declareing this & this only to be my Last Will & Testament. Imprimis I Give & Bequath to my Dearly beloved Wife Aleph Ward four Cows and Calves one Horse Bridle and Saddle - one Bed and furniture and a sufficiency of Hoags [perhaps this is the symbol for etc.] for the support of her one year The above Mentioned Property to Her Her Heirs and assigns forever. & for and during her natural Life or Widowhood at the Sole discretion of my Executors the following Negroes Viz one Negroe fellow named John one ditto wench named Apple & one ditto named Else subject as above Mentioned to the discretion of my Exetuors as to either of the above Mentioned - terms of time and also that Part of the Old (?)[name unclear] Plantation [end of first page] Which I Purchased from Cerene Ward with a sufficiency of Plantation tools & Whatever House hold furniture not otherwise disposed of to my Children in this Will for and during the afores'd term of Her natural Life or Widow Hood and also at the Descration of my executors Item I Give & Bequeath to my Beloved Son Woodhous Ward one Hundred Acres of Land Joining that Plantation Where Sparkman now Lives beginning at Adam [could be Abram] Looton's Corner & Running along sd. Sparkmans Line to the Line of that Land which I Purchased of Cerenna Ward & Running the Various Coursses of sd Land to the first Station it being a Part of the old Patent Line with a sufficient out Let if these lines do not Admit it [unclear word] the same more or less ("& I" scratched out) to Him His Heirs & Assigns forever and I also Give & Bequeath to my said Son Woodhous Ward one Negro Fellow named March and one ditto Wench named Rachel & the sd Rachels Child named Aime also one Horse Bridle & Saddle Also one Bed and furniture to Him His Heirs and Assigns forever Item I Give and bequeath to my dearly beloved Son John Ward all that Land I Purchased of Cerenna Ward witn Privilege of an outlet on the West side of Cowbridge Neck to the banks Line of Butlers old Line then down sd Line to Sparkmans Line also a Negroe Fellow named (two names scratched out - one was "Daniel") Moris & one ditto Wench named Charlotte [The second page ends with these words] turn over [The third page begins here] also one Feather Bed & furniture one Horse Bridle and Saddle & such Part of the old Plantation tools sufficient for the Culture of his Land All to Him his Heirs and assigns forever Item I Give & bequeath to My beloved daughter Sarah Ward one Negroe Wench named ("Lucinda" is scratched out.) Cinda one Horse Bridle and Saddle one Bed and furniture one Chest one tea Chest one half doz'n Silver tea Spoons two Canisters to the tea Chest also two Large Silver table Spoons all to Her Her Heirs & assigns forever Item I Give & bequeath to My beloved Son Henry Ward all that Land which I Purchased from James Williams Likewise all the Land Lying in the fork of Mill Run and Cowbridge to Butters back Line & to Cases's Line also one Horse Bridle & Saddle one Bed & furniture one Negroe named Alfred one ditto Negroe Wench named Dinah to Him his Heirs & assigns forever And it is my Will and desire that if John Ward my Son & Henry Ward my Son any or either of their Negroes die then my desire & will is that they be made good out of those Negroes Lent to My Wife Aleph Ward or at the Expiration of my sd Wifes term which she Holds sd Negroes sd negroes to be sold & each of my Above two sons be Paid an Equal quoto [not sure of this word] in Proportion to their Loss and if no such Loss should happen then the negroes Left it is my Will and desire that they Should [Third page ends here and fourth page begins] be Equally Divided Amongst these my [unsure of word - probably means "previously" or "afore"] mentioned Sons Viz. Woodhouse Ward & John & Henry Ward and also my daughters Margaret & Sarah Ward And it is my Will and Desire that all the other Lands not mentioned in this Will Belonging to me or wh [sic] I own at my Decease to be Equally Divided among my three Sons viz Woodhouse John & Henry Wards to them their Heirs & Assigns forever And it is my Will and Desire that all the Coopers & other Working tools not already disposed of as Willed or that (word scratched out) be not (word scratched out looks like "be") mentioned in this my Last Will to be Equally Divided among sd three Sons (short space) & it is further my Will & desire that if my Wife Aleph Ward Suffer any Loss in her Quoto the [looks like a word is left out here - perhaps "same"] to be Redressed at the Discretion of the Executors and I do Nominate Constitute and Appoint my trusty & Beloved Sons Woodhouse & John Ward with my trusty Friend David Grinto Executors to this my Last Will and Testament in Witness Whereof I have Hereunto Put my Hand and Affixed my seal this 4h day of Aug't Anno Dom 1804 [signature] Solomon Ward [seal drawn] Signed Sealed and } [signature] John Com________? Declared & in the } [signature] Chry Sparkman Presence of us & } [signature] W. (?) [could be "J" or "G"] Ward in Presence of } each other } [Added at the bottom] Proved Oct term 1804 & Woodhouse Ward & David Gornto Qualified As Ex'r by Chorssy(?) Sparkman