SPRUILL FAMILY WILLS
JOSEPH SPRUILL, SR.
August 2, 1760
In the name of God Amen August the second day in the year of Our Lord
one thousand seven hundred and sixty I Joseph SPRUILL Senr of Tyrrell
County in the Province of North Carolina, being in perfect health mind
and memory thanks be unto almighty God and calling to mind the uncertainty
of this life and the mortallity of my body and knowing that it is appointed
for all men once to die doe make and ordain this my last will and testament
that is to say
First and principally I give and recommend my soul into the hand
of God that gave it and my body I commit to the Earth to be buried in a
Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors nothing doubting
but at the day of Resurection I shall receive the same again by the mighty
power of God. And as touching such a ??? Estate wherewith it hath pleased
God to bless me in this life I give and dispose of in the following manner
I lend unto my beloved wife Mary all my estate together with all
my household goods and ??? and all and singular all my land and tenaments
freely to be possessed and enjoyed by her during her
natural lives containing one hundred and fifty acres more or less bounded
thus begining at a gum in a valley on ??? side of the plantation runing
thence up the small swamp to a gum standing on the side of the swamp westerly
by a line of north trees to a corner tree thence by a line of marked trees
south to the head then along the said line and to a branch called the Cypress
Swamp Line thence down the said ??? and to the first station to the use
benefit and behoof of my son Godfree during his natural life at
whose death I give the aforesaid parcil of land to be divided between his
too sons Godfree and Thomas in the following manner.
First I give to my grandson Godfree the plantation part with
sev? acres of land begining at a gum on the east of a branch that runs
through the plantation then ??? line of marked trees to the head line the
other part I give unto my grandson Thomas unto them Godfree
and Thomas and the heirs of their body lawfully begotten. I likewise
give unto my son Godfree SPRUILL all my shoemaker
tools.
I give and bequeath unto my son Joseph SPRUILL my cooper tools
I give unto my beloved son Joshua SPRUILL one young cow and calf
and my hunting gunn
I give and bequeath unto my beloved son Hezekiah SPRUILL a certain
parcil of land known by the name of the Roundabout and bounded all round
by the Roundabout branch containing fifty acres
more or less unto him and his heirs lawfully begotten of his body for ever.
But in case my son Hezekiah should die leaving no such heir then
unto my son Benjamin SPRUILL and the heirs of his body lawfully
begotten and I give unto my son Hezekiah one young cow and calf
and one feather bed
I give and bequeath unto my beloved son Benjamin SPRUILL the
manour Plantation whereon I now live the live thereunto belonging begining
on the Sound at ??? point thence by a line of marked
trees to a wh?? the Roundabout Branch a corner tree thence down said branch
to a gum thence on Joshua SPRUILL line to a corner near the water
thence up the sound to the first ?????????????
unto him and the heirs of body lawfully begotten for ever but provided
my son Benjamin should die without lawfull issue then the aforesaid
manour and percil of land to revert to my son Hezekiah and the heirs
of his body lawfully begotten for ever.
I give unto my beloved daughter Joannah CHESSON one dollar
I give unto my beloved daughter Keziah CHESSON one dollar
I give unto my beloved daughter Mary SPRUILL one dollar
I give unto my beloved daughter Zilpah SPRUILL one cow and calf
and one feather bed
I give unto my beloved daughter Ann SWAIN one feather bed
I give unto my beloved daughter Tabitha SPRUILL one cow and calf
one two year old hiefer and one feather bed.
I give unto my beloved son Benjamin SPRUILL (whome I appoint constitute
and ordain Executor of this my last will and testament) all my household
goods debts stock goods and chattle which I have not heretofore given by
him to be freely possessed and enjoyed for ever and I do hereby utterly
disallow revoke and disannul all and every other former testaments wills
legacys
bequeaths and Executors by me in any vise before named willed and bequeathed
ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament
in witness thereof the said Joseph
SPRUILL Senr have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year before
written.
JOSEPH SPRUILL SENR
Signed sealed published pronounced}
and declar'd by the said Joseph SPRUILL}
as his last will and testament}
in the presence of the subscribers}
S? HOOKER
RICHARD CHAPMAN
JOANNAH (her J mark) CHAPMAN