1834 Will of John Reaves, Sr.
Wayne County, North Carolina
Record Book Vol. 7, p. 32
22 Dec 1834
Transcript
In the name of God amen I John Reaves of the State of North Carolina & County of Wayne being of Sound & perfect mind & memory thanks be to almity god for the Same but Calling to mind the Mortality of my body Knowing that it is appointed once for all men to die I do Constitute make & ordain this to be my last will Testament in the following manner & form principally & first of all I Recommend my Soul unto the hands of God that give it & my body I recommend to the earth to be decently buried at the direction of my Exetors hereafter named & as touching Such worldly Estate as it has pleased allmity god to bless me with in this life I do Give & dispose of in manner of follows.1. My will & desire is that all my Just debts and funeral expenses be paid
2. I lend to my beloved wife Catharine Reaves all my land that was excepted & reserved for her in the two deeds I gave to my two Sons David & Robert A. Reaves. I lend the Same to her during her natural lifetime or widowhood also I lend ot my wife Catharine the following Negroes namely Ne, Sooe, Milly Tamer & Chilly also I lend my wife two Horses oxen and Cart horse cart riding chair & harness four cows & calves three Sows & pigs all my plantation Farming Blacksmith tools and all my household & Kitchen furniture excepting four beds & furniture during her natural lifetime or widowhood and no longer also I give her one Years allowance to be laid off to her by my Exetors hereafter named.
3. Item I Give to my son Robert A. Reaves all that tract of Land which which (sic) I have Given in a deed containing five Hundred & fifty three acres and a half to him his hereon & assigns forever I also give to my son Robert A. Reaves one Hundred & fifty dollars arising out of the Sale of my Estate or out of money if any on hand also I Give him two beds & furniture Horse Bridle & Saddle of choice incase the Bride & Saddle are not on hand my desire is that my Exetor hereafter named Shall get them for my Sons David & Robert and pay for them out of the money arising from the Sale of my estate.
Item 4 I Give to my Son David Reaves all that tact of Land which I have deed him Containing Three Hundred & Eight Six acres to him his heirs & assigns forever I also Give to my Son David Seven Hundred & fifty dollars in money arising from the Sale of my estate or if money enough on hand two beds & furniture one Horse first choice Bridle & Saddle. 5 Item My will & desire is that after the death or widowhood of my wife Catharine the Negroes I lent her Shall be Equally divided between my Seven children namely Jonas, John, William, Edmond, David, Robert A. Reaves & Civil Craddock also the rest of my estate which is not been heretofor Given away my wil & desire is that it Shall be sold by my Exetors on a nine months credit and the money arising from the Sale after paying all my Just debts & Legacy before given away to be Equally divided among all my Seven Children above named Lastly I do nominate & appoint m two Sons namely Jonas Reaves and Edmund Reaves my whole & sole Executors to this my last will & testament In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand an Seal this 22nd December 1834 Signed Sealed in the presence of us
John Reaves (seal)
Solomon Grantham
James Everitt
Solomon Pope
Wayne County Feby Term 1835
Then was the within will of John Reaves dec'd offered for probate by Edmund Reaves one of the Executors therein named and duly proved by the oath of Solomon Grantham & James Evritt two to the Subscribing witnesses therein Wherefrom it is ordered by the Court that the Same be recorded at the Same time Edmund Reaves qualified as Executor thereto let letters testamentary issue.
Feby Co. 1835 Jno. A. Green Clk