Return to Tyrrell County Probate Records
State of North Carolina
Tyrrell County
Book 2 Page 155
Dated 3 March 1841
In the name of God Amen: I William Spruill of the County of Tyrrell in the state of No Ca do make and ordain this my last will and testament in writing in manner following.
Imprimis - I give and bequeath to my son Urie Spruill one bead, beadstid & furniture the fourth choice to be selected by my excutors.
Secondly - I give to my grand son Wm. Spruill, son of Uri Spruill negro girl slave Lucy & her increase now in the possession of his father to him the said Wm. forever -
Thirdly - I give and bequeath to my grandson Collin E. Spruill, agreeably to the bond I excuted, the plantation whereon my son Uzziah Spruill lived, which is known by the name of the Ansly land with all the lands thereunto attached on the east side of the road; but the west side of the road he is not to reach or go - and in case Collin E. Spruill shall die without leaving a child or children, living at his death then I give and devise and bequeath the said plantation to my grandson Wm. Spruill, son of Uri Spruill and his heirs and assigns forever. I further give to my grandson Collin E. Spruill a negro man named Squire, now in the possession of his gurdian Urie Spruill to him the said Collin & his heirs forever ---
Fourthly - I give, bequeath and devise to my daughter Susan Wood the use of the land where she now lives on during her natural life, being that part of the land I purchased of Benj. & Samuel Spruill on the North side of the road & running southwardly to the main fork of the ditch that runs up the Perscimon Branch, thence an eastwardly course to Benj. Spruils line on the back of the ditch thence Northwardly to Uriah Spruils line and along his line to his corner in the edge of the Cypress Swamp; and after the death of my said daughter I give and devise the said land to my grandsons James S. Wood and his heirs forever, & I hereby leave to my said daughter Susan Wood during her natural life negro man Cooper Wrid, & negro woman Fany & the increase of Fany already born & that may be born hereafter and after the death of my daughter I give and bequeath the said slaves to my grandson James S. Wood and my grand daughter Sarah Wood, to be equally divided between them share and share alike; and I do give and bequeath to my aforesaid daughter Susan Wood, all the increase of the cattle I purchased at the sale of her decd, husband Frank Wood property.
Fifthly - I give and bequeath to my grand son Collin E. Spruill, one bead and furniture now at the residence of Uzziah Spruill decd. ---
Sixthly - As the Grandmother of my daughter Sally Ann gave her some negros; no to make her sister Wm. Elizabeth equal, I give & bequeath to the said Wm. Elizabeth negro girl Prudent and boy Ben, and should she die without leaving children I give and bequeath said two negoes to my aforesaid daughter Sally Ann.
Seventhly - I give and bequeath to Sherd McCray one bead - bead stead & furniture ---
Eightly - As I intended to sell about two hundred acres of land; now if I fail to do so during my life time, then I hereby will, desire and direct, that my excutors & excutrix sell at public or private sale two hundred acres off the South end of that tract of land I purchased of Lindsay and Wm. Davenport, beginning at a corner of my & Richard Hassls land, running a westwardly direction so as to contain 200 acres & I hereby authorize my said excutors & excutrix or such as my sell to entitle such covenants shall be binding in my estate-
Ninthly - I give devise and bequeath to my beloved wife Arcelia Ann Spruill negro slaves women Nancy & woman Winny and all the children of Winny now born or that may hereafter be born and all the future incease of said slaves from this day, to her and her assigns forevr. I also devise to my said wife during the term of her natural life the plantation on which I now live, with all the furniture not herein before bequeathed with all the farming utensils, my barouch riding horse and mare during her natural life ---
Tenthly - After the death of my wife I give & devise the plantation whereon I now live to my daughter Wm. Elizabeth and to her heirs and assigns forevr.
Eleventhly - I wish a line run from a pine stump at the south end of the ditch that divides Polly Long from Bigby to a white oak tree formerly Benj. Sprils corner a southwardly direction to said oak so as to divide the tract of land containing about 900 acres that I purchased of Jnothan Lindsay & others, that on the east of said line which will include the Lindsy land and part of the Benj. Sprull land after the death of my wife I give and devise to my daughter Sally Ann Sprill and her heirs and assigns forever and that on the west side of said lines after the death of my wife, I give and devise to my daughter Wm. Elizabeth and her heirs and assigns forever.
Twethly - I give devise and bequeath all my slaves not herein before bequeathed and all my other property real, personal or mixed ( not herein before bequeathed ) unto my two youngest daughters Sally Ann & Wm. Elizabeth, to be equally divided between them at the age of twenty one years or marriage, if their mother be then dead; but if their mother be then living said division is to be postponed untill her death; and untill the tome of said division I direct the whole to be cultivated or so much as is or may be cleard and all the slaves and stock of every description herein bequeath to my said two youngest daughters to be kept on said farm, under the superinctend of my excutors who are to employ and efficnt ovsea, and that out of the anual profits made on said farm my wife shall be liberally suppoted and that the residue of said property shall be applied to the support, education and maintaince of my two youngest children Sally Ann & Wm. Elizabeth and should there be an anual surpluss, the same is to be vested in stores for the use of my said two youngest children: and I give my excutors & excutrix free power to manage said farm and conduct as they may deem best; with this express dirction, that it shall not be hired or rented out; but that the farm shall be caried on & all my two youngest daughters slaves kept on it: it being my intent that none of them shall be hired out.
Thirteenthly - When my son Emrie or Urie commecd life for himself I then advanced him as I thought very hadsomly and he therefore has no right in my opinion to complain ---
Forteenthly - Should either of my daughters Sally Ann or Wm. Elizabeth die without leaving a child or children living at the time of such death then I give and bequeath and devise to the survivor, the share of the one so ding without leaving a child or children living and this is to apply to the real estate as well as the personal that they become entitle to under this will.
Fifteenthly - If by any posible construction there be any residue not hereindisposed of, I give and bequeath the same to my two youngest daughters ---
Lastly - I hereby nominate and appoint my wife Amelia Ann Sprll excutrix and Jos. Halsy and Charles L. Pettigrew excutors to this my last will & testament & gerdins to my children Sally Ann & Wm. Elizabeth who I wish well educated: and I herby revoke all will by me made prior to the day of the date hereof. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the 3 day of March 1841 - and to guard against accident I have excuted a duplico thereof.
Wm. Sprll ( Seal)
Malich Hught
J. A. Sprll
J . F. Devepet
State of No Ca
Tyrell Court of Ples & qutr sessn. Jany Term 1841.
Then was this will proved in open court by the oaths of Malachi Haughton J. A. Sprul & J. F. Davnport the subscribing witness, and at the same time Amelia Ann Sprll the excutrx named therein, apperd in open court and qualify by taking the oath prescibed by law: Chas. L. Pettigrew & Jos. Halsy the excutor named in said will apprd in open court and renouncd --- let the will be record ---
Test Jos. Halsy Clk.
Return to Tyrrell County Probate Records