Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Bowls, Nancy April 14, 1856
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ben Franklin ben.franklin.ffru@gmail.com May 2024

Source: Loose Will, NC Archives CR 073.801, Will Book Volume G, pages 143-144
Written: April 14, 1856
Recorded: May 1856
Testator: Nancy Bowls

I Nancy Bowls do Make and ordain this
paper writing as my last will and testament
I Give and devise to my Grand Son Thomas
Rountree my Black man Jo I give to Jinnet
Wilson the wife of John W Wilson My Woman
Edy the remainder of my property I give
to my children & Grand children to be equally
divided with each family as if their Parrents
wer[e] living I also give to my son-in law John
W Wilson Thirty Dolla[r]s in Money be fore a division
of my property I also appoint Nelson P Hall
the Executor of this will in testimony whearof
I have set My hand this 14th day April 1856
Signed and published by the           hir
Testator as her will in the     Nancy (+) Bowls
presence of us who subscribed         mark
the Same as Witnesses in
the presence of her and
each other

    James Holernan Jurat
    Wm. J. Gray Jurat

[Will Book Volume G, page 143]
I Nancy Bowls do Make and ordain this paper
writing as my last will and testament I give
and devise to my Grand Son Thomas Rountree
My Black man Jo I give to Jinnet Wilson
the wife of John W Wilson my Woman Edy
the remainder of my property I give to my
Children & Grand Children to be equally
divided with each family as if their parents
were living I also give to my son in law John
W Wilson thirty dollars in money before
a division of my property I also appoint
Nelson P Hall the Executor of this will

        In testimony whereof I have set my
hand this 14th day April 1856

Signed & published by the testator as her

[Will Book Volume G, page 144]
will in the presence of us   }
who subscribed the same      }    Nancy Bowls (seal)
as Witnesses in the presence }
of her and each other        }
James Holeman
Wm. J. Gray

    Orange County Court May Term 1856
The Execution of the foregoing last will and Testament
of Nancy Bowls deceased was duly proved in
Open Court by the oaths of James Holeman and
William J Gray the subscribing witnesses thereto and
ordered to be recorded and at the same time Nelson
P Hall the Executor therein named appeared in open
Court and qualified as such by taKing the oath
required by Law
                     Test

Additional Comments:
Will Book Volume G, pages 143-144
Recorded May 1856

The name of the witness " James Holernan" on the loose will is clearly written and appears to be the same handwriting as the will itself, indicating that he was the scribe. In the will book version the signature is clearly "James Holeman".  Based on names found in other wills, it appears that the latter is correct.

Testator's signature in loose will is in the standard format for a "mark", whereas the will book version makes is appear that the testator actually signed the original.

Estate papers comprise 17 pages and are found in a folder labeled "Bowls, Nancy (1856)".  Inventory and estate sale.  No family history found.  Slaves appear to have all been bequeathed by the will.