Will of Sarah Reeves Durham
Orange County, North Carolina
Will Book F, Page 422-424
8 Apr 1847
Recorded Nov 1848
Transcript
In the name of God AmenI Sarah F. Durham resident of Orange County in the State of North Carolina being weak in body but of a sound disposing mind and memory thanks be to God for the same and Knowing that it is appointed for all mankind once to die do make and ordain this to be my last will and Testament -
First and principally I do commend my Immortal Spirit into the hands of God my Savior who gave it to me and my body to be buried in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my executors and being possessed of some worldly estate do will & dispose of the same in manner and form following, viz:
My desire is that all my Just debts be paid of which there is but few
Item 1st I give & bequeath to my Executor the use of as much of my estate as will decently wall in the grave yard where my white family is buried on the place where I now reside with suitable tomb stones attached to the grave of my decd daughter Harriet A. Reeves' grave and also one other grave meaning the grave of Thomas M. Durham decd who is Intered at a grave yard on Collin's Creek to be decently jaled (sic ?) in and suitable Tombstones attached to the same
Item 2nd I do give and bequeath to my friend Manly Snipes the sum of three hundred dollars to be paid to him out of the proceeds of my estate so soon as the circumstances of my estate will admit after my decease
Item 3rd I do give and bequeath to my beloved aunt Tabitha Riddle and my cousin Elizabeth Riddle the sum of one hundred dollars to be equally divided between them so soon as the circumstances of my Estate will admit after my decease and if either of them my said aunt or cousin should die before my decease my desire is that the surviving one shall inherit the whole of the said sum of one hundred dollars at the proper time as above alluded to -
Item 4th I do give & bequeath to my friend Bryant M. Strowd the sum of one hundred dollars to be paid to him out of my estate so soon as the circumstances of my estate will admit after my decease
Item 5th It is my desire that if Spencer S. Reeves should be acquitted from the charge now alleged against him and he should live until after my decease my desire is that he be furnished yearly with three suits of common clothing & common diet sufficient to support him without any extravagance to be allowed him in no respect it is moreover my desire that my executor have the special management of this case so far as it respects Spencer S. Reeves
Item 6th It is my desire after my decease that all my negroes in the first place be allowed the privilege of choosing such men to buy them as they may prefer as owners provided there can be fair valuable prices obtained by such manner of selling them - Provided nonetheless that if fair & reasonable prices cannot be obtained for the negroes in the manner as above stated my will is that they be sold on a credit by my Executor at public sale giving a reasonable credit so as that my negro man Simon and his wife Judy may be sold together and not separated and that all the rest & residue of my perishable estate be sold as is above expressed
7th My will & desire is that after all the foregoing bequests are fully paid and complyed with and there should any monies or other effects be remaining in the hands of my said Executor, then and in that case my desire is that such residue, if any, be paid over and equally divided between my two nephews Maurice T. McCauley and Samuel S. McCauley equally share & share alike.
And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my worthy friend Manly Snipes my Executor of this my last will and testament, revoking all other wills by me heretofore made
In testimony of which I Sarah F. Durham do hereunto affix my hand and seal the 8th day of April A.D. 1847
Signed Sealed & delivered Sarah F. Durham (Seal)
in presence of -
B. Strowd
Wilson Atwater
Orange County Nov Term 1848
The execution of the foregoing last will and Testament of Sarah F. Durham decd was duly proved in open court by the oaths of B. Strowd and Wilson Atwater the subscribing witnesses thereto & ordered to be recorded. At the same time Manly Snipes the Executor therein named appeared in open court & qualified accordingly.
Test -