In the Name of God amen, I, Matthew Rowan, of New Hanover County, Esqr., in ye Province of North Carolina, being of Sound and disposing mind, Memory & Understanding, do make and Ordain this to be my last Will and Testament in manner following:
Imprimis, I bequeath my Soul to God who gave it; & my body to be decently Interred; & all my just debts and funeral Expence to be first paid-
Item, I give to my Niece. Rose Rowan, daughter of my Brother Andrew Rowan, ye Sum of One hundred and thirty three pounds six Shillings & Eight pence, proclamation, to be paid one year after my decease-
Also, I give to Mathew Rowan, son of my Brother, Atcheyson Rowan, the sum of One hundred & thirty three Pounds, six shillings & eight Pence, proclamation Money, to be paid two years after my decease-
Also, I give to my Niece, Ann Rowan, daughter of my Brother, William Rowan, ye Sum of four hundred pounds, Proclamation Money, to be paid three years after my decease-Also, I give to Richard Lyon, Esqr., of Spring hill, in the County of Bladen, ye sum of three hundred and thirty pounds, proclamation money, being the remainder of ye Sum I intended to give him with my Niece, Margaret Rowan.
Also, I give ye Negroe Boys named Dickey, Sam, Johney, Hecton and Africa, together with ye Negroe Wenches, named Black Milley, Lucinda, Bella, Maria, Bess, with their Increase, to Mildred Lyon, Daughter of John Lyon, & Mildred Lyon; but in Case ye said Mildred Lyon, should dye before she is married or of Age, then I Give said Slaves to her Sister, Mary Lyon.
Also, I Give & Devise all that tract of Land Situate on ye North East Side of Ye No. East River, Opposite to Stag Park, in New Hanover County, containing five hundred acres, unto Frederick Gregg, of Wilmington, Esqr., to him & his Heirs. I also give unto ye said Frederick Gregg, my Negroe Fellow Ogee & little peg & My Gold Watch. Also, I give & bequeath all those two tracts of Land, ye one Containing five hundred acres, ye other four hundred acres, situate on ye White Marsh, in Bladen County, being land in the possession of Robert Rowan, upon part of which ye said Robert Rowan now lives, & ye following Negroes, Jack, Sanca, Africa, Boatswain, John Lindsey, & Joan a Negroe Wench, unto ye sd. Frederick Gregg, & Richard Lyon, in trust for Esther Rowan, wife of said Robert Rowan, and ye Heirs of her Body Lawfully begotten, to ye Sole use and benefilp of ye said Esther Rowan, free from ye power & Controul of her husband, Robert Rowan, nor in any wise subject to his Debts, my meaning in this devise being no more than to vest ye said two tracts of land & Negroes last mentioned in ye sd. Frederick Gregg & Richard Lyon as Trustees for ye use of ye sd. Esther Rowan, so as to bar any rights to ye sd- lands & Negroes last mentioned which ye said Robert Rowan might Claim as Husband to ye sd. Esther Rowan.
Also, I Give ye Sum of twenty six Pounds, thirteen shillings, and four pence, proclamation money, a year, to be paid Annnaly out of my Estate not heretofore disposed of, unto ye said Frederick Gregg & Richard Lyon, in Trust for my Daughter in Law, Elizabeth Maclaine, Wife of Archibald Maclaine, of Wilmington, Mercht. to be paid annually to ye said Elizabeth Maclaine, to her sole use, free from ye powre of her husband, Archibald Maclaine, nor in any wise Sibject to his debts.
Also, I Give and devise all my three parcels of land ye. one being on ye South West Side of ye. N. West River, Situate on ye. lower side of land belonging to Henry Simmonds, deceased, Containing 320 acres; ye other on ye No East Side of sd. River, Situate as aforesaid Containing 640 Acres; ye third on ye No East Side of sd. River Joyning ye above, 297 Acres, all in Bladen County, and all that tract on ye No. East Side of ye No. West River, lying betwixt Judge Lenards Land, & Nelltown in Bladen County, aforesaid being 640 Acres; & all that Parcill of Land part of ye Marsh on ye River trent, Opposit to Newbern, in Craven County, containing 197 acres unto my Executors hereafter Mentioned, to sell and dispose of in ye best maner they can, & to apply ye money arising by such Seale in discharge of ye Legacies heretofore given, and lastly, I give & devise all my Estate of what kind soever, both real & personal, not heretofore disposed of after my Death, to John, ye Son of Jane Stubbs, of Bath town, in ye Province aforesaid, & Commonly Called & known by the Name of John Rowan, now of ye Island of Barbadoes, Mariner, & ye Heirs of his body lawfully begotten; and in default of such Issue, then to ye said mentioned Mathew Rowan, son of my brother Atcheyson Rowan, & his Heirs and Assigns. And I do make John Rowan, Frederick Gregg, & Richard Lyon, Executors of this my last will, hereby revockbg all former Wills by me heretofore made.
In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and Seale this 18th Day of April, in ye year of our lord, 1760.
Matt. Rowan. (seal)
Signed, Sealed Published and
declared in ye Presence of us,
whose Names is hereunto affixed,
Saml. Walters.
Geo: Gibbs.
Thos: Clark.
Personally Came before me Thomas Clark, one of the Subscribing Witness to the above will, who being duly sworn, deposed that he saw the above Testator, Mathew Rowan, Esqr., Subscribe Seal & Publish the above win as his, as also that he saw this in presence of the other Witnesses Sam! Watters & George Gibs & farther says to the best of his knowledge the said Testator was perfectly in his Senses. Wilmington, 15 July. 1760.
Given under my hand, Ordered therefore that Letters Testamentary may issue. Arthur Dobbs.
No. Carolina New Hanover County-.
These are to Certify that Frederick Gregg and Richard Lyon, Esqrs.. Qualified as Executors to the Last Will and Testament of The Hon’ble Matthew Rowan, Esqr., Deceased, according to Law, before me.
Given under my hand this 19 day of July, 1760.
Corns. Hainett, J. P.
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)