State

Old-time Wills A lot of interesting old docu¬ ments nre to be found in the» archives of Им* Historical Com¬ mission in Raleigli. Here are a feu examples. If;/ DORIS GOEHCII ALL my black popper, silver "shiibuekels,” trundle beds and i bolsters, «"Id sleeve buttons. ox enrts, tea spoons, a new coat, cows, gold watches, sauce pan*, dressing tables, gilt smelling bottle», mourning rings, three gallons of fat, blankets and knee buckles wore all included in wills drawn up in the period of North Carolina's history prior to the Revo¬ lutionary War. Almost every will began with the person's bequeathing bis soil I to God. A typical example is that of Sarah Allen who composed her will in Wil¬ mington in 1761. “First," the will reads. "I commit my Soul to (Sod, in humble hopes of his mercy through Jesus Christ and of a joyfull Resur¬ rection, and my body I commit to the Earth to be decently buried at the Discretion of my Executors, ns near the Remains of my late Husband as may be, so as not to hurt the foundation of his Tomb which was bestowed on liitn by my beloved niece, Mrs. Sarah Frankland." Excusing the Mortgage Another interesting paragraph in Sarah Allen’s will concerns the hus¬ band of "in у beloved niece. Mrs. Sarah Frankland.*’ "It is my will." she writes, "that all my Just Debts and Funeral charges be paid and satis- lied as soon as conveniently may be after my Decease Imping that Thomas Frankland, Esquire, my said Niece’s husband (whose mortgage on the said Kleazer Allen's Estate may perhaps go near to Swallow the whole) will not avail himself of that mortgage so as to cut off the just Demands of my other creditors.” Richard Blaeklcdge of Craven County wrote in bis will in October, 1777, “Allan half of all my Lands on Mosleys Creek Excepting whats before given nlUo Excepting one Trad for Six hundred and Forty Acres of Land that I Ilought of William Rus¬ sell. This I Desire may l«> sold, by my Exec, (if Peter A David Golstrup Dont take ill as they A I partly agreed, you I find ye memorandon made in the Day Hook).” Joseph Barclift in composing his will in Perquimans County in 1759 told his wife exactly what she could and couldn’t have and from the items mentioned, he evidently pointed out that he expected her to put in a little hard labor before she joined him. "I Give and Bequeath to my loveing Wife Elizabeth Barclift the use of one third part of the Plantation and Land whereon I now live during her natural Life, together with the use of the outward Room A- upper Chamber of my house A to my wife the use and Labour of one negro man called Tom rind the use of one Negro woman Called joan During her Natural life; also the use of my large Looking Glass during her natural Life; also the use of one Feather Bed A' Furniture, she having her choice; also one 3 Gallon jtigg, & one Gallon Ditto; also the use of one hilling hoe & two weeding hoes and two Pr. Pot-hooks A- Gridiron A ho-cako-hoe.” Provided for Education Many plantation owners made provisions for their children's educa¬ tion. An example is John Baptista Ashe, who wrote on November 2, 1731 in Brunswick: “I will that my Slaves be kept to work on my lands, and that my Estate may lie managed to the best advantage, so as my sons may have as liberal an Education as the profits thereof will afford; and in their Education 1 pray mv Excrs. to observe this method : Let Them be taught to read and write ami be in- trodured into the practical part of Arithmetic^ not too hastily hurrying them to Latin or Grammar, but after they are pretty well versed in these let them be taught Latin and Greek. I propose this may be done in Virginia; after which let them learn French, perhaps Some French man at Santee wile undertake this; when they arrive at age 1 recommend the pursuit A Study of Some profession or business ( I could wish one to ye Law, the other to Merchandize) in which let them follow their own in¬ clinations. "I will that my daughter bo taught to write and rend A some femanine accomplishments which may render her agreeable; and that she be not kept ignorant as to what appertains to a good house wife in the manage¬ ment of household affairs.” Edward Bryan of Graven County also looked after his children’s educa¬ tion, writing in 1746. “And my Desire is that my four children should have Seven Years schooling and between the Age of seven years old and Seventeen years Old. to lie given in such Sicncioe as the Ex», shall think proper, and the Cost of their cloath- ing. washing, lodging, and schooling and Vittling, shall lie paid out of their negroes Labor put to use as the Executors shall agree and think proper.” Slaves Given Freedom Although the majority of planta¬ tion owners left slaves to the members of their families as they would pieces of furniture, even prior to the Revolutionary War one slave owner wrote, “It is my Desire that my two uiolatto Boys, Nutt. A George, l»oth have their freedom, when they arrive to the Age of thirty five years. And also that my Negro fellow, old Larry have his freedom, as soon ns my son, Joseph, Comes of age; till which time to he and remaine on the plantation as usual without being turned into the field or other hard Duty.” Most of the wills of the early days of North Carolina’s history were written in peculiar English with every other word capitalized and often proper names Iiegan with small let¬ ters. Richard Caswell’s will was a model in proper English, compared to most of the wills of his day. The word “girl” is spelled “gairl, garle, grail or girle” in many wills. Other unusual spelling* are “encreas. chcfest, nui reage. enquillev or cakqeley, noors, aJoyninn, roun tar¬ pon, dnfter (daughter), sieneies, liequievo, npoynt, sown (sound), metell, bote, dcureing, and botells.” Names of white people and slaves too sound queer today. There were numerous Bible names including. Xhadrach, Limirus, Zaolinriuh, Enoch, Judah, Hannah. Jacob, Joshua, Jere¬ miah. Gideon. Caleb. Mathew, Moses, Magdalene, Israel, end Isack. Plantation owners named their sons: Solo, Elcazar, Muatiphor, (Continued on page sixteen )