Lenoir Co. NC, WILL OF SIMON BRIGHT Jr. ========================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non- commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be repro- duced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. Copyright 1999 by Francis R. Hodges. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. by Francis R. Hodges fhodges@flsouthern.edu ========================================================= WILL OF SIMON BRIGHT (1775) (From a copy of the original in North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC) In the Name of God Amen, November the Twenty third Day One Thousand SevenHundred and seventy Five I, Simon Bright, of the County of Dobbs and the Province of North Carolina, being of sound mind and Disposing Memory, and Calling to mind theMortallity of the Body, and Knowing that it is appointed unto all men onceto Die, do make this my last will and Testament Imprimis First, I Recommend my Soul unto the Hands of God that gave it me, and my Body to theEarth to Be Buried in a Christian decent manner at the Discretion of myExecutors Herein after Named ~ and as to the Worldly Goods wherewith it hath pleased almighty God to Bless me, I give and Bequeath in Manner and form Following, Imprimis Item I lend unto my Beloved Wife Mary Bright the use of the plantation wheron I now live Containing Two Hundred and forty Acres of land, together with all my Household & Kitchen Furniture, excepting Two Beds amd Furniture, also two Work Horses and all my plantation Tools During the term of her natural Life and no Longer Item I give and Bequeath to my loving wife Mary Bright my Roan Mare Saddle and Bridle, Four Cows and Calves, two Sows and Piggs, to her her Heirs and assigns forever Item I Give and Bequeath to my Loveing Son Simon Bright the Plantation whereon I now Live (after the death of my said Wife) together a Survey of two Hundred Acres Lying on the Briery Branch Begining at a White Oak the Begining tree of the Plantation Land and Including the Negroe House Branch, which Said Lands I Give and bequeath the said Simon Bright his Heirs and assigns forever Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Loveing Son Graves Bright all thelands contained in a Pattent, Known by the name of Haskins's Land, to him his Heirs and assigns forever Item I Give and Beaqueath unto my Loving Son James Bright the Plantation whereon John Grant now lives Containing One Hundred & SixtyAcres, also a Tract of land lying Between said land and Abraham Baker'sLand ~ also one Other Tract of Land Lying Between John Linton's Land andthe Plantation wheron I now live containing Five Hundred Acres which said Several tracts of land I give the said James Bright his Heirs and assigns forever Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Bright a Horse Bridle and Saddle, one linnen wheel, one feather Bed and furniture, fourcows & calves, one Iron Pott and half Dozen Puter Plates to her her Heirsand assigns forever. Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Nancy Bright a Horse Bridle and Saddle, One Linnen Wheel, one feather Bed and Furniture, three Cows and Calves One Iron Pott, half Dozen Puter Plates to her and her heirs and assigns forever Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Loving Daughter Sally Bright, One Feather Bed and furniture, two Cows and Calves, two Pewter Basons, half Dozen Puter Plates, one Iron Pott, two Ews and Lanbs to her and her Heirs and Assigns forever Item I Give and Bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth Bright One FeatherBed & furniture, two Cows and Calves, two Yews & Lambs, two Sows and Piggsto her and her Heirs and assigns forever Item My Will and Desire is that after the Death of my said Wife Mary Bright all my Estate Real and Personal not herein Before Given shallbe equally Divided Between my four Daughters (to wit) Mary, Nancy, Sally, & Elizabeth share and share alike. And I hereby appoint my Loving Friends Richard Caswell & John Cooke and my Brother James Bright Executors to this My Last Will and Testament utterly Disallowing and Making Void all and every Other Will or wills by me heretofore made. Signed, Sealed, Published, and Declared by the Testator hereof to be and Contain his Last Will and Testament in presence of E. Cooke R. Caswell J. Glasgow Simon Bright (seale) New Bern January 10th 1777 Then was the foregoing will proved according to law by Oaths of Elizabeth Cooke and James Glasgow two of the subscribing Witnesses thereto, at the same time John Cooke one of the Executors therein named was duly qualified by R. Caswell