Will of David Bradford, 1800
Granville County, NC (C.R.044.801.4)
In the name of god amen I David Bradford snr. of the County of Granville & State of North Carolina being in Perfect mind & memory Thanks be to god for it & knowing that it is appointee for men to die Do make appointed & ordain This my Last Will and Testament that is to say first of all I give & Recommend my Soul in to the hand of the almighty god who first gave Sone[?] & my body to the Earth to be buried at the Descretion of my Executers hereafter named& as for such worldly Estate wherein it hath pleased god to Bless me with in this life my Just Debts & Funeral expenses being first paid I give & Dispose of in maner & form Following to wit
Item ;I lend to my Beloved & Lawfull wife Elizabeth Bradford four Negroes by name Ned Bob Ben Hannah sent [or Senr] wit the house & plantation & Land whereon I now Live so as my Son James Bradford to have the Liberty of Living on the said plantation & woring his hands on the said Land Likewise Three beds & furniture & the Rest of my household furniture & Stock to Continue with my wife for the use of my family & for her to give as much of them to my two children as they Come of age or marry as she shall think Right & after the death of my wife for my house hold furniture & stock to be Equally divided between my two Children James & Anne also Four head of horses Namely Fly Pleasure Harting[?] & Selah during her Natural Life & all my working tools
Item I give to my son James Bradford my Trust of Land whereon I now live also my upper survey on the Ready Branch Containing six hundred & Forty four acres also Five Negroes Named Moses Easter & Hannah & Danl & after the death of his mother Ned & Ben also my Waggon after the Death of his mother also one Colt named prince one bed & furniture & my Desk & all my working tools & one gun to him & his heirs forever
Item ;I give to my Daughter Anne my Lower Survey of Land on the Ready Branch Containing Sex hundred & Eighteen acres also Five Negroes named gloster[?] Lythe[?] & Simon also after the Death of her mother Hannah & Bob also one Colt named Ball [or Bals] also one Bed & Furniture to her & her heirs forever - & my will & Desire that If Either of my Children should Die without Lawful Issue that their part of my Estate to be given to the Surviving one to there heirs forever - & I appoint my Beloved & Lawfull wife Elizabeth Bradford & my son James Bradford & my Friend Philemon Bradford & my Friend Booker Bradford whole & sole Executors of this my Last will & Testament hereby Revoking & Dismaulding all other will or wills heretofore made appointing this only to be my Last will in [word too faded] hereunto I have set my hand & Seal this 25 Day
of August 1797 [Signature]David Bradford in presents of us
John Bradford }Jurat
Elizabeth[faded] Bradford }Jurat
Eliza Bradford & James Bradford [unreadable]
State of N.Carolina
}May Court 1800
Granville County
The foregoing will was [faded] in open Court by the John & Elizabeth Bradford subscribing witnesses thereto & ansered [faded] [faded] Recorded. ;At the same time [illegible] Elizabeth Bradford & James Bradford & Qualified as [faded]& Executor to the same
[signature][illegible word] Stephens Clk