Simon Bright Will, 1775  

Last Will and Testament of Simon BRIGHT, Capt.
dated November 23, 1775, proved on Jan. 18, 1777
 
In the Name of God Amen, November the Twenty third Day One Thousand Seven Hundred 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 the Mortallity of the Body, and Knowing that it is appointed unto all men once to 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 the Earth to Be Buried in a Christian decent manner at the Discretion of my Executors 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 the lands 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 & Sixty Acres, also a Tract of land lying Between said land and Abraham Baker's Land ~ also one Other Tract of Land Lying Between John Linton's Land and the 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 Beqaueath unto my Daughter Mary Bright a Horse Bridle and Saddle, one linnen wheel, one feather Bed and furniture, four cows & calves, one Iron Pott and half Dozen Puter Plates to her her Heirs and 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 Feather Bed & furniture, two Cows and Calves, two Yews & Lambs, two Sows and Piggs to 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 shall be 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
 

* Francis R. Hodges (From a copy of the original in North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC)

(posted to this site with his permission)

* Charles C. Lucas (from AYRES - DAWSON AND ALLIED FAMILIES by Henrietta Dawson Sheppard, vol. III The American Historical Company, Inc. New York 1963, (transcribed from a Photostatic Copy)

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