Orange County NcArchives Wills.....Ray, John Sr August 10, 1827
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Source: Loose Will, NC Archives CR 073.801, Will Book Volume E, pages 175-177
Written: August 10, 1827
Recorded: Feb 1829
Testator: John Ray, Sr
In the name of god Amen I John Ray Sr of the County of Orange & State
North Carolina Being of Sound mind & memory do Constitute make &
Ordain this my Last Will & Testament in manner & form as follows
(To wit) first, I give & Bequeath to my Daughter Margaret Robison
wife of James Robison One Negra woman named Amy and all
her Children that now are in possession of my Daughter or her
Husband James Robinson or any of their Heirs (Second) I Give & Bequeath
to my Daughter Sally Robison one Negra Woman named Fillis &
her Increase that they have in possession (Third) I Give & Bequeath
to Lucy Ray Widow of my Son Josep[h] Ray (Decd) One negra Girl
named Fillis, Jr to be and remain as her own property during her life &
at her death to be Sold by my Executors & the amt. of Such Sale so
arising the money to be Equally Divided between the Heirs of my son
Joseph Ray (Decd) (Fourth) I Give and Bequeath to my Daughter ----
Lydia McKee wife of Rankin McKee one negra woman named
Cealy & all her Increase that they have with them also one Boy
named Jim (Fifth) I Give & Bequeath to my Son John Ray
one negra Girl named Charlotte also one negra Girl named
Jinney one Bed & furniture one horse Beast to be worth Seventy
five Dallors or that amt. in money to be paid out of my Estate
by my Executors as soon as it Can be Settled after the Sale
money Becomes due (Sixth) I Give & Bequeath to my Son
David Ray full and ample possession of and unto the Land
whereon he has settled himself Including all the Improvements
he has made Both out houses Repairs Springs &c - during my
Life & the Life of my wife Sally Ray and at the death of--
Both of us the Rema[in]ing part of the plantation whereon
him & myself now lives to be his in as full and ample a
manner as the part which I have Conveyed to him by deed
(Seventh) I Give & Bequeath unto my wife Sally Ray one negra
Man Named Major one Negra woman named Nan one negra
Girl named Nancy Two Hundred & Fifty dollars in Cash
[page 2]
to be paid out of my Estate Before any Division of money is
made in any way also half of all my Stack of horses Caws
Hogs Sheep & Stock of all kinds Household & Kitchen furniture
Farming utensils Waggon Geers & Every thing of the kind on the
plantation the one half to be for her & to her use also the part
of the plantation whereon I now Live with the before mentioned
Execution to be and Remain, hers as Long as she Lives & then
to descend as before mentioned (Eighth) I Give & Bequeath to my
Daughter Susan Ray Two Hundred & Fifty Dollars in manner
& form as unto my wife also the other Half of all the Stack
Household & Kitchen furniture Waggon geers farming utensils of Every kind
Crop of Every Discription and Every thing appertaining to the
plantation in any way to be Equally Divided Between my
Wife Sally Ray & my Daughter Susy Ray & the amt.s devised
to them in money to be paid out of my Estate before any
Division shall take place Between the other Legatees (Ninth)
all the Rest of my Estate not Disposed of my will or otherwise
to be Exposed to public Sale by my Executors on Credit of
What time they may think proper and out of What money may be
on hand and Raised by Sale of my Estate my Executors will
in the first place Discharge all my Burial Expenses & funeral
Charges in the second place pay all Just Demands against my
Estate in the third place pay over the legacies to Each one as before
Divised and in the next place after all Expenses of Settling
my Estate are finally Discharged the Remainder of the money
that is or may be on hand shall be Equally Divided
by my Executors Between my wife Sally Ray John Ray
my son & Susy Ray my Daughter & all the Rest of my Children
or their Heirs at Law - Each & Every one to Share & Share
[page 3]
alike in the Division of the money that may be on hand after all
Expenses is paid and the Estate Settled by my Executors -- & the Legacies --
Before mentioned are all Settled by them (Lastly) I Constitute and appoint
my Son David Ray and Richd. Nichols my Joint Executors to this my
Last Will and Testament to Settle Distribute and Dispose of my --
Estate in manner and form as I have Before Directed them ---
In Testamony whereunto I have Set my hand and affixed my
Seal this 10 day of August 1827
In presence of
John Ray Senir (seal)
Saml Madden }
} Jurant
Alexander Smith }
Rich, Nicholson qualfd
[Will Book Volume E, page 175]
In the name of god Amen I John Ray Senr. of
the County of Orange and State North Carolina being of Sound
Mind and Memory do constitute make and Ordain this my Last
Will & Testament in manner & form as follows, to wit, First, I
give & bequeath to my daughter Margaret Robinson wife of James
Robinson One Negra Woman named Amy and all her Children
that are now in possession of my daughter or her husband James
Robinson or any of their Heirs -, Second, I give & bequeath to my
daughter Sally Robinson one negra Woman named Phillis &
her increase that they have in possession -, Third, I give & bequeath [to]
[Will Book Volume E, page 176]
Lucy Ray widow of my Son Joseph Ray decd. one negra Girl
named Fillis, Jr to be and remain as her own property during her life
and at her death to be sold by my Executors & the amount of such
Sale so arising the money to be equally divided between the Heirs
of my son Joseph Ray decd., Fourth, I give and Bequeath to my
daughter Lydia McKee wife of Rankin McKee one negra woman
named Celia & all her Increase that they have with them, also one
boy named Jim. Fifth, I give & bequeath to my son John Ray
one negra Girl named Charlotte also one negra Girl named Jinney;
One Bed & furniture one Horse beast to be worth Seventy five dollars
or that amount in money to be paid out of my Estate by my Executors
as soon as it can be settled after the Sale money becomes due.
Sixth, I give & bequeath to my son David Ray full & ample possession
of and unto the land whereon he has settled himself, including all
the improvements he has made, both out Houses, repairs, Springs &c
during my life & the life of my Wife Sally Ray and at the death of
both of us the remaining part of the plantation whereon him & myself
now lives to be his in as full and ample a manner as the part which
I have conveyed to him by Deed -- Seventh, I give & bequeath to my
Wife Sally Ray one Negro Man Named Major one Negro Woman
named Nan, one negro Girl named Nancy, Two hundred & fifty
Dollars in Cash to be paid out of my Estate before any division of Money
is made in any way, Also half of all my Stock of Horses Cows,
Hogs Sheep & Stock of all kinds, Household & Kitchen furniture farming
Utensils Wagon Geers & every thing of the kind on the plantation, the one
half to be for her & to her use, also the part of the plantation whereon
I now live, with the before mentioned execution to be & remain hers
as long as she Lives & then to descend as before mentioned, Eighth,
I give & bequeath to my daughter Susan Ray Two hundred & fifty
Dollars in manner & form as unto my Wife, also the other half of all
the Stock Household & Kitchen furniture Wagon Geers farming
Utensils of every kind, Crop of Every description, and every thing
[Will Book Volume E, page 177]
appertaining to the plantation in any way to be equally divided between
my Wife Sally Ray & my daughter Susy Ray & the amount devised to them
in Money to be paid out of my Estate before any division shall take
place between the other Legatees -, Ninth, All the rest of my Estate
not disposed of my Will or otherwise to be exposed to public Sale by my
Executors on Credit of What time they may think proper, and out of
what Money may be on hand and raised by Sale of my Estate my Exe
=cutors will in the first place discharge all my Burial expenses & Funeral
Charges in the second place pay all Just demands against my Estate,
in the third place pay over the legacies to each one as before devised,
and in the next place after all expenses of settling my estate are finally
discharged the remainder of the Money that is or may be on hand
Shall be equally divided by my Executors between my Wife Sally
Ray John Ray my son & Susy Ray my daughter & all the rest of my
Children or their Heirs at Law - each & every one to share & share alike
in the division of the Money that may be on hand after all expenses
is paid and the Estate Settled by my Executors, & the Legacies before
mentioned are all Settled by them - Lastly. I constitute and appoint
my Son David Ray and Richd. Nichols my Joint Executors to this
my last Will and Testament to settle distribute and dispose of my
Estate in manner and form as I have before directed them ---
In Testimony whereunto I have set my hand and affixed my
Seal this 10 day of August 1827
In presence of John Ray Senr. (seal)
Saml Madden }
Alexander Smith }
Orange County February Term 1829
The Execution of the foregoing last Will and Testament of John
Ray Senr. decd. was duly proved in open Court by the Oaths of Saml
Madden and Alexander Smith subscribing witnesses thereto, and
ordered to be recorded - At the same time Richd. Nichols one of the
Executor therein named appeared in open Court & qualified accordingly
Additional Comments:
Will Book Volume E, pages 175-177
Recorded Feb 1829
Estate Papers comprise three pages and are found in the folder labeled "Ray, John, Sr. (1829)".
[Estate Papers - Estate Sale 20 Mar 1829]
Richd Nichols (Executors) Dr
------------ in acct. with John Ray Sr Estate
[entries omitted]
1829
March 20 To Sale of Negroes as follows, due 12 Months
after date
" Rachel Bought by Sally Ray Widow 1
" Tom " " " David Ray " 216 "
" Bob " " Susan Ray Jr. " 360 "
" Lucy & Edward " Susan Ray Widow 390.05
" Samuel " " John Y Parker 380.50
" Jerry " " William Lipscomb 436.25
" Ailsey & Anny " Tim. Dunagan " 403 "
" Alfred " " Susan Ray Jr " 291 "
" Mariah " " Sally Ray Widow 200 "
" Richard " " Thomas Barlow 195 "
" Clary " " Michael Ray " 126.50
" Rebcca " " W. Woods Sr. 184.50
Richd. Nichols Executor