In the Name of God Amen. I, John Martin Frank, of Craven County, in the province of North Carolina, being in good health of Body and of sound and perfect mind & memory, praise be therefore Given to God, doe make and ordain this my laste trill and testament in manner and forme following: that is to say, first and principally, I Commend my soule to almighty God that Give it me; and my Body I Commit to ye Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors bcare after Named, and as touching the Disposal of such temporal Estate as it hath pleased God to bestow me I Give and dispose thereof as followeth:
First, I will that my Just Depts and funeral Charges be paid and satisfied,
Item. I lend and bequarth to my loving wife, Sevil Frank, one plantation called by ye name of Chinpin, with foure hundred Acors of Land, moore of less, for and Iniuren her Natural Life, and after her discease to My son, John Frank, to him and his heairs for Ever; like wise, I lend and bequarth to my loving wife three Negrous (to wit), teney, and Rachel his wife, and filles, one feather Bead and pare of pillers, one pare of sheets, one Rug, one Blancit and Boulster, and after her disease to fall to her heairs lawfully begojing of her Body with me. Further, I Give to my loving wife wife, one pare of Curtins, and twelve Cowse and Calves, the fifth Parte of ye dry Cattle, half of ye hogs, ye fifth parte of ye Sheep. like wise, I Give to my loving wife, one sorrel horse Named brass, one white maire branded with G K, and Colte, and an Equal parte of ye Depts that is Come in after my Lawfull Depts is paid, and one lite Gray horse Called friday Branded M F; likewise, I Give to my loving wife, two small spinning wheales and one Grate spinning Wheale, and one smale Bell mettle skillet one Large Copper Cittle I Bought from Celley, and one bell mettle Mortor, and one potrack, one Stiver peper box, and one Gray horse.
Item. I Give and bequarth to my Son, Edward Franck, Three Negrows (to wet), Bungy, antoney, and torn; and twelve Coues and Calves, an Equal parte of the dry Cattle after my beloved wife, Sevil Franck, has her parte out, one feather Bead, one Rug, one pare of Sheets, one Boulster. Like wise, I Give to my Son, Edward Franck, thre youse and one Bam, and one Silver Wach he has Rec'd alridy. Further, I Give to my son, Edward Franck, one Maire Called plesant, one Bay horse Called frollik, and one horse Called Bay, and and an Equal part of my Depts that is Due to me after my beloved wife, Sevil Franck, has her share out, and all my lawfull Depts is paid, and an Equal parte of ye moveable that is to be sould After my beloved wife, Sevil Franck, has her shere out of it; one Warnote Dask.
Item. I Give and bequarth to my son, John Franck, Three Negrow (to wet), tobey, farow; and one feather bead, Boulster, Rug, one pare of sheets, one silver wach, one silver Wach that I sente out with Mr. Godfree to be mended, and one Clock, and an Equal parte of ye Drie Cattle, and twelve Coues and Calves, an Equal parte of ye Sheep after my beloved wife, (wife) sevil Franck, has her share out, and one marc and Colte Called fiie, and Equal parte of ye Deapts that is Due to me after my law-full Depts is paid and my beloved wife has her share out, an Equal parte of ye bogs, and an Equal parte of ye Movables after my beloved wife has her share out, and two plow horsis, one Gray horse and one Bay horse.
Item. I Give and bequarth to my Daughter, susanna Franck, Three Negrows (to wet), James and his wife Cate, and Jack, and twelve Coues and Calves, and an Equal parte of ye Drie Cattle, one silver spoone, and an Equal parte of ye Sheep after my beloved wife, sevil Franck, has her share out, and one feather Bead, one pare of sheets, one Rug, one Boulster, one pare of pillers, and an Equal parte of ye Depts that is Due to me after my Lawfull Depts is paid, and an Equal parte of ye Movables, an Equal part of ye Land that is to be sould after my beloved wife has her share out, and ye first Choice of all ye young horses. Likewise, I Give to my Daughter one young maire that Came of plesent, one little Warnote Dask.
Item. I Give and bequarth to my Daughter, sevil Franck. two Negrows (to wet), little Cate and Samboe, one feather Bead one pare sheets, one Boulster, one pare of pillers, on: Rug and one silver spoone, and twelve Couse and Calves, and an Equal parte of ye Land that is to be sould after my Lawfull Depts is paid, and Equal parte of all ye Movables: like wise, I Give to my Daughter, Sevil Franck, ye second Choice of ye young horsis and one young maire Came of Bonaey, and an Equal parte of ye sheep after my beloved Wife has had her out, and an Equal parte of all ye Movables.
Item. I Give and bequarth to my Daughter, Barbara Franck, two Negrows (to wet), little Rachel, little pater, Twelve Couse and Calves, one silver spoone, one feather Bead., one Rug, one pare of sheets, one Boulster and an Equal parte of ye Drie Cattle, an Equal parte of ye Movables after my beloved wife has her share out, and an Equal parte of my Deapts that is due after my law depts is paid, and an Equal parte of ye land that is to be sould, and one young maire three years ould.
Item. I Give and bequarth to my Daughter, Cathrine Franck, two Negrows (to wit), Joseph and Sammuel, and Five hundred Acors of land, moore or less, lying upon ye North side of trente River, Joining unto ye Land Called Chinpin, Running up ye Crick to ye Complement. Like wise, I Give to my Daughter, Catnrine Franck, twelve Couse and Calves, and one feather Bead, and one Rug, one paire of sheets, one Boulster, and one silver spopne, an Equal parte of ye Brie Cattle after my beloved Wife has her share, and an Equal parte of the movables, an Equal parte of ye Land that is to sell after all my lawful Depts is paid, and one young maire Abought two or three yeare ould.
Item. I Give and bequarth to my Daughter, Mary Worsley, one Negrow man (to wet), Johnno, and an Equal parte of ye Drie Cattle after my beloved Wife, Sevil Franck, has her share out like wise, I Give to my Daughter, Mary Worsley, six hundred and forty Acors of upon wine swamp, Commonly Called James Marchels plantation, and an Equal parte of Depts that is Due after my Lawful Depts is paid, and an Equal parte of ye Land that is to be sould after my lawfull Depts is paid.
Item. J Give and bequarth to my Daughter, Elizabeth Harrold. one Negrow man (to wet) Hector, and an Equal parte of ye Drie Cattle, and an Equal parte of the Depts after ray beloved wife, Sevil Franck, has her share out, and an Equal parte of ye Land that is 'o be sould after my Lawfull Depts is paid.
Item. I Give bequarth to my Gran Children, that is, John Worsleys Children, Every one of them, one two years old hef-fer apease. like Wise, I Give and bequarth to my two Gran-children, Thos. Harroids, Every one of them, one two yeare ould heffer apease.
Lastly, all the Rests and Resedue of my Estate, Both Reale and parsonal, my will is that it be sould and ye money Arise-ing therefrom to pay and satisfie my Just depts And funeral Charges, and the surpluss money ariseing by the sd. soale to be Equailly Devided betwen my loving Wife, sevil Franck, and my Children before menchened, (to wit) Edward Franck, John Franck, susanna Franck, Sevil Franck, Barbara Franck. Cathrine Franck, Mary Worsley, Elizabeth Harrold; and I appoint my loving Wife, Sevil Franck, my son, Edward Franck, and my loving frind, Frederick Isler, my Executrix, Executors of this my Last will and tastamente, heareby Revoking all other and former will and testamente by me heareto fore maid, Ratifying, allowing and (Unarming these two sheets of paper to be my laste wnl and testamente.
In Witness whereof, I have Heare unto sect my hand and seals, This Third Day of November in ye yeare of our Lord, 1744.
John Martin Franck. (Seal)
Sined, sealed, published, pur-
nounsed and Delivered by ye sd.
John Martin Franck, to be his last
will and Testament in ye presents
of us:
his
Chrestian CE Isler.
mark.
Melcher Remm.
Fredrick Isler.
(Endorsement) Martin Franks Will 1745.
Copied from Original Will, filed in the Office of the Secretary of State.
Source: North Carolina Wills and Inventories, copied from Original and Recorded Wills and Inventories In the Office of the Secretary of State by J. Bryan Grimes, Secretary of State, Published 1912)
