LENOIR COUNTY, NC - Will - William Croom, 1828.

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From original at the NC Archives, Raleigh, NC.

Will of William Croom - June 2, 1828
Lenior County, North Carolina

In the name of God, Amen, I, William Croom of Newington, Lenoir County, 
North Carolina, at the home of George Whitfield on my way to Florida, do 
on this 2nd day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight 
hundred and twenty eight, make and declare this instrument of writing, 
written on one sheet of paper, to be my last Will and Testament, in 
manner and form following, viz.

1st.  I give to my beloved wife Elizabeth Croom for and during the term 
of her natural life my Newington plantation and lands adjoining called 
the Red Hill plantation, containing in the whole about twelve hundred 
acres, with all the stock of horses, hogs, sheep and cattle on the 
plantation, also all the household and kitchen furniture, plantation 
tools &c. with a request that she will give to each of the children, 
that is Richard, Nancy, Eliza and Alexander, on their coming of age or 
being married, two beds and furniture, and one bed and furniture to 
Bryan. I also give her all the negroes I received from her fathers 
estate and from him in consequence of my marriage with her.  I also give 
her Cinda and Daphne in lieu of John that I sent to Florida, to her, her 
heirs & assigns forever.

2nd.  I give to my son Hardy B. Croom my Falling Creek plantation and 
all my lands adjoining, called Friendship Hall. Also all the negroes, 
and stock of every description, which I put in his possession, also 
negro man Sambo, to him, his heirs and assigns forever.

3rd.  I give to my son Bryan Croom in Florida, all the negroes I have 
then in his possession, also Jacob and John, in the possession of Joshua 
St. Byrd, and all my right of lands in Florida. Also two thousand 
dollars to be paid him out of the sales of my estate to aid him in 
purchasing more lands in Florida, to him, his heirs and assigns forever.

4th.  I give to my son Richard Croom all my lands below the Atkin 
branch, beginning at the mouth of the said branch where it enters the 
river, thence up the run of said branch to the main road leading from 
Kinston to Coxes Ferry, to John Washingtons line, thence up the branch 
with his line to his corner, thence with his line to Coles branch, 
thence with another of said Washingtons to his corner in Shade Loftins 
line, then with Loftins line east to the Flat branch back of the 
Pleasant Potts place, then up that branch to the main road at the turn 
where negro Fife lived, and from thence a direct line to the first 
corner of a fifty acre patent granted to John Hartsfield, now John 
William's, and with the line of said patent to the river at the upper  
end of Jess Jacksons sein beach, thence up the river to the beginning at 
the mouth of the Atkin, which boundary is intended to include the 
William White land, the Frank Shine, Shine Caswell, Joe Williams and 
Pleasant Potts lands, to him, his heirs and assigns forever.

5th.  I give to my son William Croom my Tower Hill plantation, beginning 
at Neuse River, at a gum at Jackson's sein beach where his brother 
Richards line ends, and running out with said line to the main road at 
the tower, thence with Richards line again down the Flat branch to Shade 
Loftins corner, then down the said branch to Dunns line, then with Dunns 
line to his corner a lightwood knot near Griffins corner, a red oak, and 
from thence to the main road at a place where the pasture fence now 
stands, then with the fence easterly so as to strike the river at 
Smith's point, then up the river to the beginning, to him, his heirs 
and assigns forever.

6th.  I give to my two daughters Anne and Eliza Croom all my lands below 
Tower Hill lands, given to William, including the Collier, McIlwean 
place where Wingate now lives and the Stonington lands where David Evans 
lives to be equally divided by three competent commissioners chosen by 
my Executors for that purpose, to them, their heirs and assigns forever.

7th.  I give to my son George Alexander Croom all the lands loaned to 
his mother called the Newington lands, and Red Hill, with a request to 
his mother that she will give him her right in that part of the said 
land given her by her father in order to make his share equal with the 
other children. I also give him two negroes Spencer and his wife Amy as 
a consideration to him for his mothers dower on his lands, they being a 
gift independent of the division of negroes among my children mentioned 
below, to him, his heirs and assigns forever.

8th.  All my negroes not given away in this will I leave to be equally 
divided among my five younger children, viz. Richard, Anne, William, 
Eliza and George Alexander, by families as near as can be, Sam Atkins 
and his wife and children to be included in Richard's lot, Jack Smith, 
wife and children in Williams, Quayle, wife and children in Alexanders, 
to them, their heirs and assigns forever.

9th.  I leave all my lands between Atkins branch, the River, Kinston, 
and the main road to be sold on a credit of one, two, or three years, at 
public or private sale at the discretion of my Executors. I leave also 
the residue of my estate to be sold on a credit of twelve months, lands 
rented and negroes hired, except, Richards lot of land and negroes, the 
possession of which, together with the Atkin mill, I wish him to have at 
my death, and the money arising from the sale of the lands, stock, 
produce, rent, and hire of negroes to be applied to the settlement of my 
estate, paying my son Bryan Croom two thousand or twenty five hundred or 
three thousand dollars if there be sufficient surplus.

10th.  and lastly, I hereby nominate and appoint my friend Charles 
Westbrook, my wifes brother Nathan B. Whitfield and my son Hardy B. 
Croom Executors to this my last Will and Testament, and I hereby 
nominate and appoint Charles Westbrook as guardian to my son William or 
at least to take care of his property until he comes of age.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal the 
date as above, being the second day of June in the year of our Lord one 
thousand eight hundred and twenty eight. Signed, sealed, and declared by 
the Testator to be and contain his last Will and Testament in presence 
of us witnesses...
                                            Wm. Croom (Seal)
Abraham E. Hardee
George Whitfield


STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, LENOIR COUNTY
COURT OF PLEAS AND QUARTER SESSIONS
JULY TERM 1829

Then was the foregoing last Will and Testament of General William Croom 
deceased duly exhibited in to court, and proved by the oath of Abram E. 
Hardy and George Whitfield the two subscribing witnesses thereunto and 
ordered to be registered. At the same time Hardy B. Croom and Charles 
Westbrook, two of the Executors therein named appeared in open Court and 
was duly qualified as such. Therefore ordered that letters testamentary 
issue accordingly.

D. C. Caswell C. C. C.

Registered in the Clerks Office of Lenoir Cou8nty the 10th day of August 
1829.

D. C. Caswell C. C. C.


STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

I, Lewis C. Desmond, Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions 
for the County of Lenoir, do certify the foregoing to be a true copy of 
the last Will and Testament of Gen. William Croom decd. as the same is 
of record.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand &c at Kinston is said 
county the 20th day of March 1833.

Lewis C. Desmond, Clk.

Last Will & Testament of Genl. Wm. Croom decd.
Copy for Richd. Croom Esqr.