No. Carolina, Perqs- County, ss.
In the Name of God Amen, the 23d of April 1759. I, John Barclift, of the County and Province aforesd, farmer, being Weak in Body, but of a Perfect mind and Memory, thanks be to god for the Same, Therefore Calling to mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will &. Testament, that is to say:
Principally & first of all, I Recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it, & my Body I Recommend to the earth to be Burned in Decent Christian Burial at the Discretion of my Executors, hereafter Named; and as for Such worldly Estate it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life, I Give Devise and Bequeath in the following manner and form:
Imprs. I Give and Bequeath to my Loving 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 & upper Chamber of my house & also the use of the Lower Room of my Brick house; also I give to my wife the use and Labour of one negro man Called Tom and the use & Labour 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 my desk during her Natural Life; also the use of one Chest; and the use of one Dozon of Chairs: also the use of one large Brass Kittle; also the use of one large iron Kittle, & the use of two iron Pots, she having her Choice; also the use of one yoke of Stears, with yoke, Ring and Staple, and two Ploughs; also the use of all the she Cattle in my Stock that runs on the Plantation whereon I now live; also the use of one Feather Bed & furniture, she having her choice; also the use of one large black-Walnut Table, & the use of one 15 Bottle-Case; also one 3 Gallon jugg, & one Gallon Ditto; also the use of all my Pewter; also the use of one Black horse, also the use of Six Ewes & Lambs; also the use of 3 Iron Wedges; also the use of one falling ax, also the use of one hilling hoe & two weeding hoes and two Pr- Pot trammels & 2 Pr. Pot-hooks & Gridiron, & ho-cake-hoe; also the use of one Box iron & heaters, & one Tea Kittle, & one Sive and one Search; also two Buckets & two tubs; also one Pr. small Still-iards also one hand-mill being Cullen Stones; also Six Breeding Sows.
Item. I Give to my Daughter Eliza: Sanderson one Negro Girl called Rachel, also one Negroe Boy Called jemmy, also one Negro Boy called Toney, (being already Delivered to her) to her & her Heirs for ever; also I give to my Daughter Eliza. Sanderson one feather Bed and furniture and one Mare, and Six head of Sheep, also one iron pot & one iron Kittle, with Sundry other things of small Value in her own Possession already deliver'd to her Since her Marriage.
Item. I Give to my Daughter Eliza: Sandersons Son John Sanderson, the first Child that my Negro Woman joan shall bring after the date of this writing to him and his Heirs for erve.
Item. I Give to my son Asa Barclift one hundred & Twenty five Acres of Land out of the Tract whereon I now live, Beginning at the head of the Lane & running towards the River along Joshua Maudlins line as far as the Bridge & then up the Branch as far as is Required to make out the Hundred & Twenty five Acres holding its breadth out to the head of the Land, to him & his Heirs lawfully begotten for ever; and in Case he should Die without Heir my "Will is that my Son Demson Barclift & his Heirs Lawfully begotten shall Possess & Enjoy the sd Land. I also give to my son Asa Barclift one Negro Boy Called Mosey, also one negro boy Called Luke, also one Negro Girl Called Dina, to him and his heirs for ever; Also I give my son Asa one Flax hacke.
Item. I Give to my Son Demson Barclift the remaining Part of the Plantation & Land whereon I now live to him and his heirs Lawfully begotten for ever; and in Case he should Die without Heir my "Will is that my son Asa Barclift and his heirs shall Possess and enjoy the sd. Land. I also give to my Son Demson Barclift one Negro Boy Called Sampson, also one negro Girl Called Grace, also one Negro Boy Called Robin, to him and his Heirs for ever; I also give to my son Demson Barclift on? Large Bible, also one young Mare, also one yoke of Stears, also one feather Bed and furniture, also one case with 15 Bottles, also one Plough Chan, also one iron Pot, also one small Gun, also my Shoemakers Tools, also one large looking-Glass and one Dozon of Chairs after my Wife's Decease.
Item. I Give to my Son Benjamin Barclift the upper part of my Land at the mark-Poplar on the North Side of the Road, beginning just above the high rooted Beach Branch at a Beach, then running a Straight Course to the Corner Trees of Frances Layden & Peter Cartwright, being an Elm & a White Oak standing about 5 or 6 Steps apart then running along Peter Cartwrights line to the Road then Down the Road to the first Station, to him & his heirs Lawfully Begotten for ever: and in Case he should Die without Heir my Will is that my Son Noah Barclift and his Heirs shall Possess and Enjoy the sd. Land; I also give to my son Benja. Barclift one Negro Boy Called Dick, also one Negro Girl called Nan, also one Negro Boy called Isaac, to him & his heirs for ever: I also give to my son Benja. Barclift one Still, one 12 Bottle Case, also one feather Bed & furniture, also one young Mare, also a Set of Shoe-makers Tools, also one Pr. of Pot-trammels, also one Pr. of Shell-mill-Stones & one Plough Chain, also one small Gun
Item. I Give to my son John Barclift part of my Land at the mark Poplar lying on the South Side of the Road begining at a Red Oak, Standing in the bottom of the high-rooted-Beach-Branch, then running Down the Branch to tine Creek, then down Praze Creek to a point Called Aarons point then up Batemans Creek to Batemans line, then along Batemans line to the Road, then down the Road to the first Station; to him & his Heirs Lawfully begotten for ever; & in case he Should Die without Heir, ray will is that the sd. Land be Equally divided between my two Sons Benjamin and Noah; I also give to my son John Barclift one Negro Girl called Tamar, also I give my son Jno. Barclift one Negro Boy Called jo, also one Negro Girl Called Doll, to him and his Heirs for ever; also one feather Bed and furniture; also one Gold-ring, one Young mare and one Pr. of Pot Trammels.
Item. I give to my son Noah Barclift all the remaining part of my Land at the Mark-Poplar (not heretofore given,) to him and his Heirs for Ever and in Case he should Die without Heir my Will is that my Son Benjamin & his Heirs shall Possess and enjoy the sd. Land; I also give to my Son Noah Barclift one Negro boy Called George, also one Negro Girl Called Pleasant, also one Negro Girl Called Rose. I also give to my son Noah Barclift one Silver Cup after my Wife's Decease.
Item. I Give to my Daughter Mary Barclift one Negro Girl Called Esther, one Negro Boy Called Anthony, and one Negro Girl Called Judah, to her and her Heirs for ever; also one warming pan, also one feather Bed and furniture after my Wife's Decease—being the Bed that I gave the use of to my wife.
Item, my Will & Desire is that my iron-tooth drag be for the use of all my sons, and the longest liver to keep it.
Item. My will and Desire is that my three Negro Women (that is to say) Hagar, Ruth, and Moll, and their increase, also the Increase of my Negro Woman Joan that is not already given, be Equally Divided amongst my five Sons & Daughter Mary, when the youngest of them comes to age.
Item. I Give to my son Asa Barclift one Negro woman Called Joan after my wife's Decease, she having the Labour of her during her Life.
Item. I Give to my son Noah Barclift one Negro man Called Tom after my wife's Decease, she having the Labour of him during her Life.
Item. My Will and desire is that my negro man Peter be sold at the discretion of my Executors and the Money arising be applyM towards paying Debts and Charges, & also I desire that such a part of my Estate as my Excrs shall think Perishable may likewise be sold & the money apply’d as aforesaid.
Item- My Will is that after my Wife's Decease all that I have given her the use of (Except what I have already Disposed of) may be Equally Divided Amongst my five Sons & Daughter Mary.
Item. My Will and Desire is that all the remaining part of my Estate not already given, together with the overplush of the money arising by the Sale of any of my Estate (if any there be) be Equally divided between my wife and Six Children, that is to say, Demson, Benjamin, John, Asa, Noah, and Mary as they come to Age.
And I do hereby nominate, Constitute & Appoint Samll Sutton & Thomas Stevenson, to be my whole & Sole Executors of this my last will and Testament and I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke and Disannul all and every former Testaments, Wills, Legacies, Bequests and Excrs. by me in any way before named, Willed, and Bequeathed: Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament.
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & Seal the day and year above Written.
............................................................................................................................................Joseph Barclift (Seal).
Signed, Sealed, Published, Pro-
nounced and Declared by the sd.
Jno. Barclift as his last Will and
Testament In Presence of
James Gibson, Jurat,
Samll. Barclift, Jurat,
Mathias Johnson-, Jurat.
No. Carolina, Perqms. Countv. July Court, Anno Dom. 1759.
Present his Majestys Justices. & This Certifies that James Gibson & Samll. Barclift, two "of the Subscribing Evidences to the within will, appeard In Court and made Oath that they were Present and Saw John Barclift Sign, Scale, Publish & Declare the within to Be and Containe his Last will and Testament and that they also saw Mathias Jonston Sign his Name thereto at the same time. Then allso appd. Samuel Sutton & Thomas Stevenson Executors In Court, take & took the Excrs oath In Due form of Law.
Ordered that the Hon. Richd. Spaight, Esqr., Secrtry of this Province have notice thereof that Lcttrs. Testamentary Issue thereon as the Law Directs, &c.
............................................................................................................................(Test) Miles Harvey, Clk ex.
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)
