Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Armstrong, William August 26, 1808
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Source: Loose Will, NC Archives CR 073.801, Will Book Volume D, pages 416-417
Written: August 26, 1808
Recorded: Nov 1814
Testator: William Armstrong
Be it Remember'd that I William Armstrong of the
County of Orange and State of North Carolina being very weak
of body but of Perfect mind and Memory thanks be given unto
God. Calling to mind the Mortality of my body and knowing
that it is appointed for all Men Once to Die do make this my
last Will and Testament and as touching such worldly Estate
wherewith it has pleas'd God to bless me in this life I give
demise and dispose of the Same in the following manner and form
(Viz) First it is my will that my funeral expenses and all
my Just debts be first Paid. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Item. I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Nancy
Armstrong the Plantation whereon I now live during her Widowhood
also with the Assistance of Negroes and Stocks of all kinds which
I am now in Possession of, during her life time or day of Marriage
whichsoever happeneth first, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Item it is my Will that my Executors shall call a Sale at the
death of my beloved Wife or day of her Marriage which ever may
happen first and Sell all my Property both Personal and real
to the highest bidder only what I shall hereafter Mention ~~~
Item. It is Also my Will that if my Executrs. and legatees would
think Proper by consent of each and every Party to make a division
before the decease or day of Marriage of my beloved Wife
Nancy Armstrong I will be fully Satisfied ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Item. It is also my Will that my Exetrs. finds that there is more
Property than Necessary to Support aforesd. Nancy Armstrong and
family that my Exetrs. may Call a Sale and Sell Sd. Property
to the highest bidder and the amount thereof to be equally
divided amongst my five Children ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Turn Over
[page 2]
Item I give and bequeath unto my eldest Son Joseph Armstrong
one third part of the Amount of my Plantation. also One
fifth part of all the Amount of my other Property after the
decease or day of Marriage of his Mother ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Isabella Armstrong
one Sorrel Horse Named Ball One bed bedstead and furniture
one Cow and Calf also One fifth Part of the Amount of my
Movable Property ~~~~~~~~~ Item I give and bequeath unto my
Daughter Marget Armstrong one ball[sic] fac'd Mare nam'd
Tolbert one Bed bedstead and furniture, One Cow and Calf
also One fifth Part of the amount of my Movable Propertye
Item. I give and bequeath unto my Son William Armstrong One
third Part of the Amount of my Plantation. Also one fifth part
of all the Amount of my other Property after the decease or
Marriage of his Mother ~~~~~~~~ Item I give and bequeath unto
my Son James Armstrong One negro Boy named Lawson One
bed and furniture one Cow and Calf Also One third Part of the
Amount of my Plantation Also One fifth of the amt. of all
my other property after the Death or Marriage of his Mother ~~~
Item I give and bequeath unto my Grandson Jesse Armstrong
Twenty Dollars ~~~~~~ Item I give and bequeath unto my
Grandson James Watson Armstrong Twenty Dollars ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I do Constitute make and Ordain My Son[s] Joseph and William
Armstrong Sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament
and I do hereby Utterly disallow Revoke and Disannul all and
every other former Testaments, Wills, legacies bequests and Executors
by me in any Wise before Mention'd. Will'd and bequeath'd,
Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my last Will
and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto
Turn Over set=
[page 3]
Set my hand and Seal in the Year of our Lord One thousand
Eight hundred and Eight (1808)
Wm Armstrong (Seal)
Signed Sealed Publish'd
pronounc'd & declar'd by
the Said William Armstrong [as]
his last Will and Testament
in the presence of us who
in the presence of each other
who hereunto have Subscrib'd our Names
this 26th Day of August 1808
Jos Roundtree }
Charles Roundtree Jnr } Jurat
[Will Book Volume D, page 416]
Be it Remembered, that I William Armstrong of the County of
Orange and State of North Carolina being very weak of body but
of Perfect Mind & Memory thanks be given unto God, Calling to
Mind the Mortality of my body, and knowing that it is appointed
for all Men once to die, do make this my last Will and Testament
And as touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased
God to bless me in this life. I give demise and dispose of the same in
the following manner & form (Viz) First it is [my] Will that my funeral ex
=penses and all my Just debts be first Paid. Item. I give and bequeath
to my beloved Wife Nancy Armstrong the plantation whereon I now
live during her Widowhood also with the assistance of Negroes & Stocks of
all kinds, which I am now in possession of, during her lifetime or day of
marriage, whichsoever happeneth first ~~~ Item, it is my Will that my Execu
=tors shall call a sale at the death of my beloved Wife or day of her marriage
whichsoever may happen first, and sell all my property both personal & real
to the highest bidder, only what I shall hereafter mention ~~~
Item. It is also my Will that if my Executors and Legatees shou'd think proper
by consent of each and every party to make a division before the decease or day
of marriage of my beloved Wife Nancy Armstrong I will be fully satisfied.
Item. It is also my Will that my Executors finds that there is more prop
=erty than is necessary to support aforesaid Nancy Armstrong and family
that my Executors may call a Sale and Sell said property to the highest bidder
and the amount thereof to be equally divided amongst my five children
Item I give and bequeath unto my eldest Son Joseph Armstrong one third
part of the amount of my plantation also one fifth part of all [the Amount] of my other prop
=erty after the decease or day of marriage of his Mother ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Isabella Armstrong one
sorrel horse named Ball, one bed, bedstead & furniture, one Cow & Calf also one
fifth part of the amount of my moveable Property ~~~~~~
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Marget Armstrong one
[Will Book Volume D, page 417]
Ball[sic] faced mare named Tolbert one bed, bedstead, and furniture, one Cow and
Calf also one fifth part of the amount of my moveable property ~~~~~
Item, I give and bequeath unto my Son William Armstrong one third part
of the amount of my plantation. Also one fifth part of all the amount of my
other property after the decease or marriage of his mother ~~~~~~~~
Item I give and bequeath unto my Son James Armstrong One Negro boy
named Lawson, one bed & furniture, one Cow and Calf Also one third part of
the amount of my plantation, also one fifth of the amount of all
my other property after the death or marriage of his Mother ~~~
Item I give and bequeath unto my Grandson Jesse Armstrong twenty dollars
Item I give & bequeath unto my Grandson James Watson Armstrong twenty dollars
I do constitute make and Ordain my Sons Joseph and William Armstrong
sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby utterly
disavow [orig: disallow] revoke and disannull all and every other former Testaments, Wills,
legacies, bequests and Executors be [orig: by] me in any wise before mentioned
Will'd and bequeath'd, ratifying & Confirming this and no other to be
my last Will and Testament, In Witness whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and Seal in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred
and Eight (1808)
Signed Sealed published pronounced }
and declared by the Said Wm. Armstrong } Wm. Armstrong (Seal)
[as] his last Will and Testament in the presence }
of us who in the presence of each other }
who hereunto have subscribed our names }
this 26th Day of August 1808 }
Jo. Roundtree
Charles Roundtree Junr.
Orange County November Term 1814
The Execution of the foregoing last Will and Testament of Wm. Armstrong decd. was duly
proved in Open Court by the oath of Jo. Roundtree and Charles Rountree Junr. Subscribing Wit
=ness thereto & ordered to be recorded
Test
Additional Comments:
Will Book Volume D, pages 416-417
Recorded Nov 1814
Estate Papers comprise 11 pages and are found in a folder labed "Armstrong, William, Sr. (1823)" Some of these papers pertain to this estate. About half of these papers pertain to a different William Armstrong who died intestate in 1793, brother to Margaret (married John Lankston), Rachael and Elizabeth.
[Estate Papers - Estate Sale 6 Jun 1823]
A list of the property belonging to the estate of Wm. Armstrong
(Senior Deceased) Sold at the Dwelling House of Nancy
Armstrong's on the Sixth day of June A.D. 1823 by Joseph
and Wm. Armstrong (Junior)_ Executors of said Estate &c
Joseph Armstrong to One Negroe Girl Called by the name of Milley 187.00
Joseph Armstrong to One Ditto Called by the name of Eliza 187.00
William Armstrong to One Negro Boy called Abner -- 160.00
Lewis Dannel to one Negro Girl Called Mary -- -- -- 134.00
to one Ditto Called by the Name of Elizabeth -- -- 111.00
Francis Epperson to one Still -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 29.99
James Jackson to one Grind Stone -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --- 6.01
==========
$ 815.00
==========
Joseph Armstrong }
& Wm. Armstrong } Executors
[Estate Papers - Petition to divide land May 1800 ]
Orange County Court of Pleas and
Quarter Sessions May Session 1800
The Petition of Mary Stuart, Widow, Rachael
Armstrong, and Elizabeth Armstrong an Infant by Richd. Christmas her guardian against
John Lankston and Margaret his Wife
Your Petitioners state the William Armstrong
their Brother, being seized and possessed of a certain Tract
or parcel of land situate lying and being in the County
of Orange aforesaid; containing two Hundred Acres,
Bound by Haw River, the lines of Holmes, Crawford
and Christmas, died intestate, in or about the year
one thousand seven hundred ninety three,
an Infant, leaving the said May, Rachael, Elizabeth
and Margaret, his sisters and Heirs at Law, to whom
the said land descended, and of which they have
since been in possession, but no division has taken
place, the said John and Margaret his wife refusing
to do so --
Your Petitioners pray that a Copy of
this Petition and a Subpoena may issue
to the said John & Margaret his Wife
and that the said land may be divided
between your Petitioners and the said
Margaret in manner by Law directed &c
& they will ever pray
J.W. Norwood
[Note: The William Armstrong mentioned in this petition is not the testator, and occurred in May 1800]