film 7640073 image 731-3 Original Wills, Rowan County, North Carolina
In the name of God amen, the Twenty first day of October 1762 William Eslevin, weaver, of Rowan County and province of North Carolina, being sick and weak of body but of sound mind and memory thanks be to God for it, calling to mind the mortality of my body and that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this, my last will and testament. That is to say principally and first of all i give and recommend my soul unto the hands of God that gave it and my body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in a Christianlike and decent manner at the discretion of my executor, nothing doubting but to the general resurrection I shall receive the same again united to my soul by the mighty power of God, and as touching such worldly estate where with it has pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, devise, and dispose of thge same in the following manner and form, (viz)
First I appoint and allow all my legal debts and funeral charges to be punctually paid out of the whole of my estate.
Secondly I bequeath unto Isbel my well beloved wife one third part of all my real and personal estate and her saddle.
Thirdly I order and appoint the one-half of this plantation I live in to fall to my son Robert and to have it in the side the
dwelling house is in. Likewise my saddle and bridle and body close (sic).
Fourthly I order and appoint the other half to my second son William. Likewise I appoint and allow the remainder of my
personal estate to be equally divided amongst the whole of my children.
Lastly I do constitute and appoint my trusty and well beloved friends Andrew Allison and William Luckie to be my sole
executors of this will and testament, hoping that God will enable to undertake and fulfill the trust I now commit to
their charge with good conscience, and I do hereby disannoll (sic), revoke, and disallow all and every other former
testaments, wills, legacies, and bequeathments, and execution by me in any ways before named willed or bequeathed,
ratifying and confirming this and only this to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I have set my hand
and seal this day and year above written.
Likewise appoint my executor to make that tract of land I have sold to Thomas Drew
William Eslevin (his mark)
Signed, sealed, published, denounced, and declared by William Eslevin, his last will and testament in presence of us.
Robert Luckie
Alexander Dobbin
Robert Hardin
October the 30th 1762. I do appoint and allow Isbela my well beloved wife for the better keeping of my children together to be in full possession of all the plantation until my oldest son Robert is of full age and then to get her third as before mentioned.
In witness whereof I have set my hand and seal this day and year above written.
Signed, sealed, and acknowledged in the presence of
Robert Luckie
Alexander Dobbin
William Eslevin (his mark)
North Carolina Estate Files 1663-1979 > Rowan County at FamilySearch
A List of the Debts paid by the Executor for the Estate of William Esleven, Deceased.
[Amounts are in pounds - shillings - pence.]
to the Widow | 60 - 6 - 8 |
to Robert Esleven | 6 - 17 - 1 |
to Suannah (sic) Esleven | |
bought at the van dew(?) | 1 - 16 - 0 |
and in cash | 13 - 10 - 0 |
to Sarah Esleven | 1 - 11 - 0 |
to Ann Esleven | 1 - 3 - 0 |
to Letters of Adm[ministration] | 2 - 2 - 8 |
to Docktor's(?) Charge | 0 - 16 - 0 |
to Matthew Long | 0 - 10 - 4 |
to Archibald Cathey | 3 - 3 - 0 |
to Patrick Long | 1 - 5 - 10 |
to Andrew Allison | 3 - 12 - 4 |
to Samuel Yang(?) | ? - 0 - 0 |
(a strip of paper obscures the document here) | |
to Griffey ???? | |
to Archibald Wason(?) | 0 - 4 - 10 |
to William Nasey(?) | 0 - 9 - 0 |
to Robert Hervey | 2 - 0 - 0 |
to Matthew Long | 0 - 8 - 10 |
to Alexander Dobbins(?) | 0 - 17 - 8 |
to Robert Luckey | 3 - 15 - 0 |
to Richard Graham | 0 - 10 - 0 |
to Robert Luckey | 3 - 15 - 0 |
[total] | 110 - 3 - 5(?) |
Cash | 20 - 0 - 0 |
Cash | 1 - 7 - 6 |
in Dollers | 1 - 12 - 0 |
One peace of gold | 2 - 4 - 0 |
film 7640073 image 728 Original wills, Rowan County, North Carolina
also a transcription on film 4772397 image 441-3 Rowan County, North Carolina Will Book B p 140-2
In the name of God amen the fifth day of March in the year of our Lord God 1781 Samuel Aslaven North Carolina
in the County of Roan (sic) gentleman, being very sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks
be given unto God, therefore calling into mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for
all men going to Dy (sic) Do make and ordain this my last will and testament. That is to say principally and
first of all give and Recommend my soul into the hands of God that give it and for my body recommend it to the
earth to be buried in a Christianlike and decent manner at the direction of my executors not doubting at the
General Resurrection shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching such worldly estate where
wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, devise, and dispose of the same in the following manner
and form. First I give to my brother John to my land which contains four hundred acres, and likewise my close
(sic) to my sister Sarah's Daughter Jean left by will three hundred pounds contenantle (sic, continental) money,
and I leave the rest of estate by will to be equally divided between my two brothers eldest sons and Thomas
Pennary son and daughter. Left by will to Thomas Pennary my rifel (sic) gun and my silver neebuckles (sic)
and corn(?) to Andrew Bell six duzen (sic) of otes (sic) and rest to John Slaven, and left by will my hat to my sister Ann
freely to be possessed and enjoyed, and I hereby disallow, revoke, and disannul all and every other former
testaments, wills and legacies, requests and executors by me in any ways before this time named, willed, and
bequeathed, ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I
have unto set my hand and seal the fifth day and year above written.
Signed, sealed, published, pronounced, and declared by the said as his last will and testament, presence of the subscribers.
Izabel Bell
Thomas Penery
James Leach
(from the web: "Knee buckles—also known as breeches buckles—were used to fasten the straps at the leg opening of breeches."
North Carolina Estate Files 1663-1979 > Rowan County at FamilySearch
August the 3d 1781.
A just(?) inventory of the estate of Sam'l Eslaven, deceased. Real & personal.
400 acres of land Dit(?) Hard Money £100 : 15 : 4.
Dito(?) Light Money or Common Currency £2178 : 1 : 4.
One Gun Dito(?) ?? the clothes (sic) of the said estate,
Thomas Penery, Executor.