In the name of God amen: I Hesekiah Spruill of the County of Tyrrell and State of North Carolina being of sound mind and memory blessed be God, do this twentieth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & two make and publish this my last will and testament in the manner following that is to say

Imprimise - I lend to my beloved wife Rody Spruill the use of the one third part of my manner plantation whereon I now live one half of all the buildings thereon with the privilege of fire wood and timber of any kind repair the buildings and support the plantation one third part of my moveable estate except negroes articles hereafter mentioned. I lend to my beloved wife the use of three negroes named Lydia Litch and Black Jane during her life or widowhood.

Item - I give to my wife Roda Spruill my riding horse called Bales a side saddle and bridle one yoke of oxen one ox cart I give to my wife and son Saml. Spruill all the groceries I may be possessed of at the event of my death for the use of the family also all my plantation tools of every sort for the use of the plantation---

Item - I give and bequeath to my daughter Anne Mydigtt all the land contained within the bounds of a deed I purchased of Thomas Williams also fifty acres of land to be laid out of my Patent No. 750 beginning at a poplar Hopkins corner and running southerly by a line of marked trees for the compliment to her and her heirs forever. I give and bequeath to my daughter Lois Spruill & my little grandson Hesekiah Guiblet Leigh the ballance of the land contained in my patent No. 751 also two hundred and thirty acres of land contained within the bounds of my patent No 427 adjoining the upper necks and cypress swamp to be equally divided between my daughters Lois and my grand son Hesekiah Guilbet Leigh according to quantity and quality to them their heirs and assigns forever. I give and bequeath to my daughter Rosina Leigh forty acres of land lying in the westernmost part of my Savanna swamp near the road beginning on the Wates Oak Branch on the Savannah swamp near the road binding on the swamp northerly near the road to a popler thence along a line of marked trees a water oak Branch then down the branch to the first station to her and her heirs and assigns forever I give and bequeath to my son Samuel Spruill my houses & lands plantation before lent ot my wife during life to be possessed by him at my wifes death to him his heirs forever. I give and bequeath to my son Samuel Spruill all the land within the bounds of my deed I purchased of Joseph Wyatt containing 310 acres I also give and bequeath to my son S. Spruill 300 acres of land contained within the bounds of my patent No. 430 & known by the name of the Savannah with all and singular the remainder part of my lands and tenements whereon to be found to him & his heirs forever---

Item - I lend to my daughter Ann Mydgett three negroes Viz: Yellow Genny Tom and Annis and at her death I give and bequeath the aforesaid negroes to her children or heirs lawfully begotten on her body to be equally divided between them their heirs and assigns forever with their increase I lend one third part of two negroes Viz: Litch and Jinny with their increase to my daughter Anne Midgitt during her life at her death I give and bequeath the aforesaid one third part with their increase to her children or heirs lawfully begotten on her body to be equally divided between them & their heirs forever. I give and bequeath to my two daughters Rosina Leigh & Lois Spruill the remaining two thirds of my negroes abo mentioned Viz: Litch Jinny to be equally divided between them to them and their heirs after their mothers death I give and bequeath to my daughter Lois Spruill three negroes Andrew Chloe and Little Easter to their heirs forever I give and bequeath to my son Samuel Spruill four negroes Viz: Joe Louis Dolly & Yellow Andrew to him his heirs and assigns forever I also give to my son Samuel Spruill one negro woman named Lydia at the death of my wife to him & his heirs forever I give and bequeath to my little grand son Hesekiah Guilbert Leigh one negro boy named Sam now in the possession of Richd. Leigh to him his heirs forever but if the aforesaid Hesekiah G. Leigh should depart this life without lawful Isue then I give the aforsaid boy to his four sisters Elizabeth Charlotte Sara and Lois Leigh to be equally divided between them & heirs forever.

I order and direct that my son Samuel Spruill take the negro man named Lonon in his possession and hire him out to the best advantage year by year or sell him at his own discretion ever keeping the money upon interest by renewing the bond every year until my two little grand daughters Charlotte and Lois Leigh is of the age of eighteen or marriage then I give and bequeath the aforesaid negro man Lon with the profits of his heir or the money arising from his sale if sold with the interest to my grandaug above mentioned Viz. Charlotte & Lois Leigh daughters of Richd. Leigh to them and their heirs forever but if should so happen that Charlotte or Lois Leigh should die without issue of their body then I give the said negroes to be equally divided between the surviving brothers & sisters assigns forever. I give and bequeath to my grand daughter Kenja Permela Foster one negro boy named Edmund provided her father John Foster never takes her away from her grandmother her aunt Anne Mydgitt & if the said Foster do ever take Keziah Permelia from the care of her said grandmother or aunt then I give the said negro boy to be divided between my three daughters Anne Mydgitt Rosina Leigh and Lois Spruill and I do hereby commit the said negro boy to the care of my son Samuel Spruill to wait the event & to be delivered Kezea Permela at the day of her marriage or the age of eighteen if she should continue to live in the family otherwise the said negro to go to my three daughters above mentioned to them their heirs and assigns forever.

I give and bequeath to my four grand daughters Elizabeth Sarah Charlotte & Lois Leigh one negro woman named Big Easter and one negro girl named Little Doll & their increase now in the possession of their father Richard Leigh to be delivered to them when Elizabeth Leigh shall arrive at the age of eighteen to them their heirs and assigns forever and if any of my grand daughters above named should depart this life without isue I give and bequeath the two negroes above named Big Easter and Little Doll to their surviving sisters to them their heirs and assigns forever. I give and bequeath to my son Samuel Spruill Anne Mydgitt Rosina Leigh Lois Spruill all the remaining parts of my estate to be equally divided between them at my death I give and bequeath to my son Samuel Spruill & my three daughters above named all the third part of my estate except negroes lent my wife during her life in the first mans of my will to be equally divided at my wife's death between my son and my three daughters above named, to their heirs and assigns forever.

I hereby make and ordain my son Samuel Spruill & my daughter Anne Mydgitt Rosina Leigh Lois Spruill executor and executrix of this my last Will and Testament In witness whereof I the said Hesekiah Spruill have to this my last will and testament set my hand and seal the day and year above written.

Signed, sealed & declared and published
by the said Hesekiah Spruill the testator
as his last will and testament in presence of
us at the time of signing and sealing thereof

Hesekiah Spruill (seal)

Amelia (her -x- mark) Peushe
John Swain

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Updated May 1, 2001
Gordon L. Basnight