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
Transcribers 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.
[Submitted by Larry Wells]
