Orange County, North Carolina   
                  A Proud Member of the Genealogy Trails Group   


   Wills & Will Abstracts
RETURN

If you have data that you would like to see on this page, please email me with the information, the name you would like credited for the data, and the source. Thank you.

Click on a name to see that individual's will
Joseph Wells Nathaniel Wells William Ward
Stephen Ward

You are welcome to browse the information on these pages and at the many links provided to garner the data needed to continue your research into your family history. However, Please remember that this information, in many cases, represents years of painstaking research on the part of myself, or the many generous volunteers who have donated their information to this site. You can show your respect for these efforts by not taking things to use on other websites and/or to claim as your own. I thank you in advance for your consideration.


I Joseph Wells of Orang County and state of North Carolina being inperfict health and perfict sense and perfict memory but knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die,

I theirfore this twentyeth day of the seventh mounth in the yeair one thousand eight hundread and fore make and ordain this my last will and testament in the maner following,

first I ordain and constitute my two sons Isaac Wells and William Wells my wholey and soley executors of this my will and testament as trustees of the whole

I allow my furnal charges and just debts to be first paid out of my estate items and as touching sutch wourldly estate as it has pleased the lord to bless me with I bequeath, devize, give and dispose of as follows,

I give to my son William Wells all my rites of land on boath sides of Cane Creek and my part of the millseat and water corses like wise the planatation that I now live on with full priviliges of house articles and all other rightes and intitles of land watsoever to be freely posesed unto him his heairs and asignes for ever.

I give to my eldest son John Wells seven dollars, I give to my son Joseph Wells seaven dollars, I give to my son Nathan Wells seaven dollars, I give to my son Isaac Wells seaven dollars, I give to my daughter Margrate Gifford seaven dollars, I give to my daughter Charity mac Daniel seaven dollars, I give to my daughter mary Adamson seaven dollars, I give to my daughter Reachel Underwood seaven dollars, I give to my grandaughter daughter of Jessey Wells deascased five shillings.

I allow all these above mentioned leaguises to be paid ought of my parishable property.

Item, I allow the remainder part of my parishable property to be equally deavided between my son William Wells and Elezabeth Wells.

In witness and testamony where of I Joseph Wells have heair unto set my hand and affixed my seal the day and yeare above writen, signed and sealed in the preasence of us:

Joseph Wells {seal}
William Pike
John Pike
John Marshill
Exr qualif. (executors qualified)


Transcriber's Notes:

Joseph was born 30 Jul 1729 in Maryland, the s/o Joseph & Margaret (Swanson) Wells. He m Charity (Carrington) 23 May 1750 at Fairfax Monthly Meeting, Loudoun County, Virginia, and they soon after removed to North Carolina as part of the wave of Quakers settling the area.

Return To Top

[Submitted by Larry Wells]



Be it remembered that on the twenty sixth day of April in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventeen the last will and testament of Nathan Wells deceased was filed in the clerks office of the Orange Circuit court and proven by the oaths of Ephriam Doan, Peleg Gifford and Solomon Allen the witnesses thereunto subscribed and Levi Gifford one of the Executors therein named, performed what was necessary on his parte to obtain letters testamentory and a copy of the will is hereunto annexed to wit--

Be it remembered that I Nathan wells of Orange County and State of North Carolina being sick and weak in body but perfect in minde and memory, calling to mind the mortality of of the body and knowing that it is appointed for man once to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament in the following manner and forme--

First I ordain that all my just debts be paid together with my funeral charges and the remaining parte of my estate I give divide and dispose of the same in manner following.

I order that my wife Esther have full privalidge of the plantation that I now live on and all the buildings belonging thereto during her natural life to cultivate or rent out the land injoy the proffits arising there from if it be her choise to live on the land and at her decease or marriage I order the land to be sold by my executors and the price of it be divided in equal shears among my three sons Joseph, Nathan and John but if it be my wifes choise to remove from the above said plantation I impower my executors to make sale of the land and divide the price in equal shares among my wife and aforesaid three sons Joseph, Nathan and John.

At my deecese I order the tract of land that I purchased of Thomas Clark a land adjoining the lands of Samuel Pike and the remainder to be sold by my executors and the price of it to be applied to the payment of my debts and other charges arising from the executor of this will and if there be any remainder I order that the same be divided in equal shares between my two daughters Esther and Sarah by my executors.

I give to my wife one good feather bed and furniture her choise of the beds in my possession and all the spinning wheels that I possess and also one square black wanet table and one gun (unreadable) and one third parte of my dressor furniture and one case, her choise of the stock to be at her intire disposal.

Item- I give to my wife one grey mare and a brown mare and all my ploughs and plowgears and all my weading hoes and one ax her choise and one mattock and my loome and tachlings, sleighs and geers and one dutch oven and four gallon pot and one skilet her choise and one washing tub and all my stock of hogs and all the flax and all the grain that is now on the place and also all the fodder and straw and straw on the place and also my house hold chiars.

I give the above mentioned property to my wife for her use and benefit during her life or widowhood and at her decease or marriage I order that the aforesaid property or such parte of it as is not consumed by using be sold by my executors and the money be divided in equal shears among my three daughters Charity, Esther and Sarah.

I order my executors to sell my wagon and brick bands one case of drawers and one ovel black wanet table one pair of dressors and all the remaining parte of my property not mentioned in this will except the beds and furniture and divide the money equal between my two daughters Esther and Sarah.

I also give to my two daughters Esther and Sarah each of them a feather bed and furniture I give to my son Stephen Wells one dollar I give to daughter Susannah Ray one dollar I give to my daughter Elizabeth Cameron one dollar I give to my son William Wells one dollar.

If my executors find that my two sons Nathan and John are not sufficiently obedient and dutifull to their mother give them power to bound them to such masters as they may think proper and lastly I nominate constitute and appoint Stephen Ward and Levi Gifford executors of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this sixteenth day of the tenth month 1814.

Signed pronounced and declared by the said Nathan Wells to be his last will and testament in presence of

Ephriam Doan
Peleg Gifford
Solomon Allen     Nathan Wells {seal}


Transcriber's Notes:

Nathaniel Wells was born in 1755 in Orange County, North Carolina. s/o Joesph & Charity (Carrington) Wells. m 12 Mar 1785, Esther (Ward) d/o William & Susannah Ward. Nathaniel & his family removed to Orange County, Indiana just shortly prior to his demise and he is buried in the Lick Creek Cemetery, Paoli, Orange Co, Indiana.

Return To Top

[Submitted by Larry Wells]



I William Ward of Orange County and State of North Carolina being in health of body and perfect mind and memory but knowing the mortality of my body and that it is appointed for all men once to die to therefore this nineteenth day of the third month commonly called March in the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred ninety and five, make and ordain this my last will and testament in the following manner----

And as touching such worldly estate as it has pleased the Lord to bless me with I bequeath, give, devise and dispose of as follows-----

First, I allow my funeral charges and just debts to be first paid out of my estate.

2nd I ordain and constitute my beloved wife Susanna Ward and my son Stephen Ward my whole and sole executors and executors of this my last will and testament as trustees of the whole.

I bequeath to my beloved wife Susanna Ward the one half of my old tract of land with priviledge and possession in this house with orchards with all amounts bills and bonds with all my negroes and plantation tools, horses and cows, hogs and sheep and all my household furniture. The negro boy called Philip I give her to be her own property.

The part of the land at her decease to be possessed by my son Anthony Ward and the remainder part of my negroes at her death to be disposed as follows.

The boy called David to my son William Ward and my daugher Susanna Pike. The negro woman called Bet to my daughters Sarah Clark and Prissilla Ferree. The negro man called Bob to my two sons Thomas and Anthony Ward. To my daughter Esther Wells ten pounds to be paid out of my estate. The desk at my wife's death I give to my son Stephen Ward.

I give to my son James Ward five pounds to be paid to him over and above his part of the land as hereafter directed. I give to my son-in-law Daniel Ferree one hundred acres of land adjoining him and Adam Cobb and I direct my executors to make him a deed for the same as soon as the deed comes to their hands.

I also direct my executors to make sale of all my entries of lands that I have not given deeds for nor bonds to make deeds and to divide the monies equally between my sons living at that time.

I also give to my son Anthony Ward my smith tools to come into his possession at my death. Likewise the remainder part of the old tract that I now live on I give to my son Anthony Ward to be possessed by him at my death to be possessed and enjoyed by him, his heirs or assigns forever. N.B. If my negro woman should have any more children from this time I give them all to my beloved wife Susanna Ward for her to dispose of as she may see best. In witness and testimony whereof I William Ward have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal, the day and year above written. Signed and sealed in the presence of

Jacob Marshill                     William Ward {seal}
Jesse Hinshaw, Jr.
Exrs. qualified


Transcriber's notes

William Ward was born about 1722 in Pennsylvania, the s/o John & Catherine Ward. he m Susanna (Foulke). William was the father-in-law of Nathaniel Wells (through his dtr, Esther) William died in1800, in what was then Orange County, North Carolina (Now Alamance) and is buried in the Cane Creek Burial Grounds.

Return To Top

[Submitted by Larry Wells]



I Stephen Ward of Orange County in the State of North Carolina do make this my last will and testament revoking all former wills by me made.

First it is my will that all my just debts be paid my executors.

Secondly, it is my will that my beloved wife shall have full possession of all the plantation I now live on with the mills and all the buildings thereon during hur natrel life. I also giv my wife one waggon and gear for two horses, one chear and harnes, two horses, two calfs, six sheep and six hogs. Like wise I giv my wife as many of my farming eutentials and as much of my household furniture as she and my executors shold think she will stand in need of. I also giv my wife my desk and my clock and one feather bed and furniture.

It is also my will that at the death of my widow the above plantation and all the other property above mentioned to be sold by my executors.

It is my will that all the other of my lands that I leav unsold at my death to be sold by my executors at the death of my wife.

It is also my will that all that my wife had when I mared her shall be given to hur to do with it as she pleased to will or be sel as she thinks best.

I like wise give and bequeathe to Stephen Ward son of William Ward fifty dollars. Likewise I give Stephen Pike son of William Pike fifty dollars. Likewise I give Stephen Elliott son of Abraham fifty dollars, like wise I give Stephen Wells, son of Nathan Wells fifty dollars. Likewise I give Stephen Moon son of James Moon twenty five dolllars. Likewise I give Leah Silar, wife of Jeremiah Silar one hundred dollars.

The above donations is to be paid out of the first money that is collected by my executors.

It is also my will that all the rest residue and remander of my estate wen sold and collected- I say all lands and all other movable property, notes, judgments, and amounts wen collected to be equally divided into seven equal parts,

one part to Susanah Pike's children, one part of William Ward's childring, one part of Ester Wells' childring, one part to Prisala Free one part of James Ward's childring; one part to Thomas Ward, one part of Anthony Ward.

Lastly, I constitute and appoint John Long and Benjamon Way executors of this my last will and testament in witness thereof I have set my hand and affixed my seale this third day of January in the year of our lord eighteen hundred and thirty three.

     Stephen Ward {seal}

Witness present
A. Shearer
C. Mendenhall

Be it remembered that on the 7th day of March 1837 at the request of the above signed Stephen Ward this name of John Long was erased from the above will and that of John Long inserted who is thereby constituted a co-executor with Benj. Way to this -- in the presence of the subscribing witnesess.

John Coble
executors qualified

Return To Top

[Submitted by Larry Wells]


~ Please Report Broken Links ~

RETURN

Copyright © 2006 by Genealogy Trails - All Rights Reserved