Source: N C Archives
Written: 3 March 1778
141
In the Name of God Amen March 3d Day 1778 I Thomas Sutton
of North Carolina & County of Bertie Planter being sick & weak
in Body though blessed before of sound and perfect Understanding
& Memory do make ordain & constitute this my Last Will
Testament (that is to say) principally & first of all I give & Recom
mend my Soul to God That gave it and my Body to the
Earth to be buried in decent Christian Burial at the
Direction of my Executors after name and as touch
ing such worldly Estate as it hath pleased God to bless
me with I give & Dispose of it in the following manner &
form First I will & positively order that all my
Debts be paid
Imprimis I give and bequeath to my Son Thomas Sutton
all my Land & Plantation whereon I now live to him his
Heirs & Assigns forever provided he should live to the age
of twenty one Years & have Issue of his Body lawfully
begotten but in case he should die before he comes to the
Age twenty one years without lawfull Issue the
above said Land & Plantation to fall to his sister Mary Sutton
to her & her Heirs & Assigns forever provide she should
live to Age of twenty one years or have Heirs of her Body
lawfully begotten but in case she should die before she
comes to the Age of twenty one Years or without Heirs of
her Body lawfully begotten then & in that Case, I give
demise and bequeath the above s.d Land & Plantation to my
Sister Mary Hardy’s Children to be equally divided
among them to them their Heirs & Assigns forever
Item I give and bequeath the remainder Part of my
Estate be sold more than will pay Debts & defray Charges
or as my Executors shall think proper
Item & Lastly I do constitute ordain & appoint my
Brother in law William Jordan and my friend William
Hardy Executors of this my last Will & Testament entrusted
for my Children to Execute my aforesd Will utterly
revoking & dismantling & disallowing all former
Will or Wills, ratifying & confirming this and no
other to be my last Will & Testament In Witness
whereof I do hereunto set my Hand and Seal this
Day and Year above written
Signed Sealed Declared & Pronounced
in the Presence of Us
Charles Hogson Thomas Sutton
Samuel Moore
Mary Sutton
August Court 1779
Bertie County Proved in due form of Law by the Oath
of Samuel Moore one of the Subscribing Witnesses and ordered to be recorded.
Test, Stevens Gray CC
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[strike-outs intentional, as indicated in original document]