Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Laws, Leonard August 2, 1842 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ 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 Written: August 2, 1842 Recorded: May 1847 (Wake County) Testator: Leonard Laws [Wake County Will Book Volume 26, page 193] In the name of God, Amen, I Leonard Laws of the County of Orange & State of North Carolina, being of sound mind & memory do make and publish this my last Will & testament revoking all others --- Item I give & bequeath to my son William Laws the following slaves viz, Nancy, Rachel John, Buckston & Jim with all the increase of said Negroes - Item, I give & bequeath to my son James Laws the following Negro slaves, Viz: West & Letty with all the increase of said Negroes --- Item third, I give and bequeath to my Daughter the following Negro slaves Viz; Harriett & Martha[EP: Martin] with all the increase of said Negroe slaves, Item fourth, I give & bequeath to my son Ezekiel Laws the sum of five hundred Dollars, and request my Estate to pay over this sum to my son Ezekiel so soon as it can be done without injury to my estate It is my will and desire, that so soon after my death as may seem proper to my Executor, that they shall at their own discussion[EP: discretion] dispose of my real & personal property of every discription either now in my possession as in expecting[EP: or in expectancy] not heretofore devised or bequeathed either, at public or private sale as to them may seem best, and after the payment of all my Just Debts and the Legacy to my son Ezekiel, that the balance, remainder & residue be divided equally among all my Children, but should any Child be dissatisfied with the petitions[EP: proportions] which I have allotted to them in then[EP: this] my Will and attempt by any proceeding at law to change the disposition which I have made of my property either[EP: then] it is my will, that the legacy and portion or portions, given and bequeath[ed] to such Children or Child, be revoked and divided between my other Children --- Lastly I constitute & appoint my friend James Leathers & my son William Laws My Executors Witness my hand & Seal this 6th day of Augt. 1842! Signed Sealed and published in the } Leonard Laws (seal) presence of Thos. D. Bennehan (Jurat) } [EP: Fendal Southerland] [Wake County Will Book Volume 26, page 261] The Negroes belonging to the estate of Leonard Laws dec'd. was hired out on the 31st day of May untill the 25th Decr next Girl Rachel to M. A. Tate 12.00 Boy John To Mark A Tate 35.00 Girl Harriett To M. A. Tage 17.00 " Wesley " Ditto 11... $76.00 " Martin " do 1.00 M. A. Tate was allowed $14.75 keeping Nancy & Children 14.75 Wake County Augt. Term 1847 The foregoing Inventory & account of Sale was on oath returned into Court, and ordered to be recorded James T. Marriott CCC [Wake County Will Book Volume 26, page 345] Dr. the hire of the Negroes belonging to the estate of Leonard Laws dec'd. on the 27th of December 1847 { 1 Boy John 34.75 { " Westley 26.00 Negro woman Nancy To { Martin 9.90 and three children Mark A. Tate { Girl Harriett 25.50 take, 28.75 { Girl Rachel 20.00 To be attended to until { " Letty 5.80 the 25th of December next ______ 122.04 28.75 ______ Ballance 93.29 Willis Laws Exr. Wake County Febry Term 1848 The foregoing report was returned into Court, and confirmed and ordered to be recorded Jas. J. Marriott C.C. Additional Comments: Wake County Will Book Volume 26, page 193 Recorded May 1847 (Wake County) This will seems to have been written in Orange County, but it is not found in Orange County records. The copy found among the estate papers seems to make more sense than the copy recorded in the will book. There are many differences between the two. Differences are noted with square brackets [], and "EP:" tag. For instance, the transcription reads: "they shall at their own discussion[EP: discretion] dispose of". The will book version is clearly written as " discussion", but that does not make sense. The estate paper version says "discretion". It could be that the original will was wrong, or that the will book transcriber made a mistake. It could also be that the estate papers transcriber decided to write what was intended rather than what was literally written. Without referring to the original, it cannot be determined precisely. However, the "Martha" listed in the will book is written as "Martin" in the estate papers, and "Martin" in the related will book references (transcribed below), so there is that point to consider. Estate sale was recorded in Wake County Will Book Volume 26, page 260-261 Estate papers for Orange County: the papers for this estate are mis-filed in the folder "Laws, George (1815)" who is the father of this testator, and this testator was one of his father's executors. The original will is not listed in the loose wills of either Orange or Wake County. [Estate Papers Will of Leonard Laws written 6 Aug 1842] State of North Carolina } Wake County } At a court of Pleas and Quarter Session began & held for the County of Wake at the Court House in the City of Raleigh on the 3rd Monday of May it being the 17th day of said month A.D. 1847 when ever present the following Justices of the Peace, Presiding & hold said Court (to Wit), " William Boyland } " A. K. Clements } Esqrs " Alsey Holland } When the following proceedings were had (to Wit) " A paper writing purporting to be the last Will " and testament of Leonard Laws deceased " was produced in open Court and offered for " probate, when Thomas D. Benehan, one of the " subscribing witnesses therefor being duly sworn " deposeth & saith that he subscribed the same as a " witness, as did also the other subscribing witness " Fendal Southerland, in the presence of the " said Leonard Laws & at his request, as did also " the other subscribing witness Fendal Southerland " and that the said Leonard Laws was of sound " mind & disposing memory of said will to be " duly proven & ordered the same to be Recorded " Whereupon William Laws the Executor " therein named, comes into Court, and Qualified " as such according to Law Which said paper writing is in the following and figures (to Wit) " In the name of God, Amen, I Leonard " Laws of the County of Orange & State of North [page 2] " Carolina, being of sound mind & Memory do make " and publish this my last will & testament revoking " all others " Item I give & Bequeath to my son William Laws the " following slaves viz, Nancy, Rachel John Buckston & " Jim with all the increase of said negroes " Item I give & bequeath to my son James Laws " the following negro slaves, viz: West & Letty " with all the increase of said negroes " Item third, I give and bequeath to my daughter " Lousetta[?] the following negro slaves; viz; Harriett & Martin [will book "Martha"] " with all the increase of said Negroes slaves " Item fourth, I give & bequeath to my son Ezekiel " Laws the sum of Five hundred Dollars and " request my Executor [will book: Estate] to pay over this sum to my son " Ezekiel so soon as it can be done without injury to my " Estate " It is my will and desire, that so soon after my " death as may seem proper to my Executor that " they shall at their own discretion dispose of my " real & personal property of every description either " now in my possession or in expectincy[sic] not heretofore " devised or bequeathed either, at public or private " Sale as to them may seem best, and after the " payment of all my Just Debts and the legacy " to my son Ezekiel, that the balance, remainder & " residue be divided equally among all my children, " but should any Child be dissatisfied with the proportions " which I have allotted to them in this my Will " and attempt by any proceeding at Law to " change the disposition which I have made of " my property, then it is my Will that the Legacy " and portion or portions given and bequeathed [page 3] " to such children or child be revoked, and divided " between my other children " Lastly I constitute & appoint my friend " James Leathers & my son William Laws " My Executors " Witness my hand & Seal This 6th day of August " 1842 " Signed Sealed and published } Leonard Laws (seal) " in the presence of } " Thomas D. Bennehan } " Fendal Southerland } recorded in Book BB Page 193 State of North Carolina } Wake County } I Thomas J. Utley Clerk of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessio- -ns for the County of Wake aforesaid Certify that the foregoing contains a true and correct transcript of the Last Will and testament of Leonard Laws dec'd. together with the probate of the same as they appear of Record and on file in my office Given under my hand and seal of Office at office in Raleigh this 8th day of October AD 1856 Thomas J. Utley Clerk