Will, NC, Edgecombe, John Bryan 1734 In the name of God Amen. The fourteenth day of September one thousand seven hundred and thirty four, I JOHN BRYANT of Edgecombe Precinct in North Carolina being very weak in body but perfect of mind and memory thanks be to almighty God for it, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and constitute and appoint this to be my last will and testament revoking and disannulling all other wills and Testaments ever before me made. And as for the worldly inheritance the almighty God has endowed withal I leave and bequeath in Manner and form following. IMPRIMIS I leave and lend to my well beloved wife ELIZABETH BRYANT, during her natural life, a mulatto woman called BESS, and her own bed and Furniture as also another bed and furniture which hath Oznabrig tick to it, one black walnut safe, and half a dozen turned frame rush chairs, and one trunk, and a large iron pot with a still made upon it, and a small iron pot, one brass skillet, fire tongs and shovel, and box iron, and chaffing dish, and also a gray gelding, bridle and saddle, and a mare, and colt called Diamond, and twenty five head of cattle, young and old, and four sheep, as also two basins of pewter, and two dishes, four plates, and half dozen spoons, and an iron spit. ITEM I leave and bequeath to my son WILLIAM BRYANT his heirs and assigns forever a tract of land beginning at the marsh where ye line crosses it so running through ye pasture along ye water course to another tract of land and then continuing the water courses to the one line. I further give and bequeath to him another tract of land in the Cypress swamp known by the name of BALLARD’s and I also leave as aforesaid my other tract of land lying and being in the east side of Deep Creek upon the Indian Path as also another tract of land lying in Beaver Dam swamp that leads out of Fishing Creek known by the name of POLLOCK’s Beaver Dam has also two negro the one named ROBIN the other MINGO, one new feather bed and furniture called his bed, one large iron pot, and a small, and one black round table, and four leather chairs, one new case of bottles, two pewter basins, two pewter dishes, four pewter plates, and half a dozen spoons, one Buccaneer gun, and whatsoever cattle, hogs, horses, and mares that now are called his, and fifteen head out of my own stock here at home and four steers that are at Canahoe and all the rest of my cattle at Canahoe to be divided betwixt he and JOHN FORTE. I further leave and bequeathed to him a bay horse called Spot with a new saddle and bridle and four other horses and mares, and four sheep. I also leave to him seven pounds current money of Virginia. ITEM I leave and bequeath to my son ARTHUR BRYANT his heirs and assigns forever the plantation where an I now live, joining to the land which I gave to my son WILLIAM and another Plantation on Deep Creek, where RICHARD CAMP now liveth, and one hundred acres of land lying in Cahukee swamp. I also leave and bequeath to him a negro boy called TOM and a negro girl named JENNY. I also give him a large feather bed with new furniture, and I also give him a black Walnut Square table and four leather chairs, two iron pots, two pewter basins, two pewter dishes and four plates, and one iron spit and six head of horses and mares, and all the stock of cattle and hogs in the plantation where RICHARD CAMP now liveth, it to be divided between CAMP and he, and twenty five Page 1 of 4 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, NC, Edgecombe, John Bryan 1734 head of cattle, young and old of my home stock, and four head of sheep. I also leave and bequeath to him seven pounds current money of Virginia and one silver sack [wine] cup, and one small trunk and an iron bound case of bottles. ITEM I leave and bequeath to my son DAVIE [DAVIS] HOPPER and 160 acres of land lying in the fork of the Beaver Dam swamp joining the land I gave to my son WILLIAM. I also give and bequeath to him twenty pounds current money of Virginia, due to me by JAMES BARNS by a note under his own hand appeareth to be paid at THEOPHILUS PUGH’s. As also to my son HOPPER two thousand weight of pork to be paid at his own house. I also leave and bequeath to my well beloved friend JOHN FRYE one hundred acres of land in a place on Cahukee line below ye place where ROBERT WRIGHT now liveth. I also leave and bequeath to JAMES TURNER living in Virginia the remainder of that tract of land I left to my son HOPPER. I leave and bequeath all the rest of my movable estate to be divided betwixt my wife and my son WILLIAM and ARTHUR at the discretion of my executor whom I constitute and appoint who are my sons DAVIE HOPPER and WILLIAM BRYANT. Publishing, declaring and pronouncing this and no other to be my last will and testament. JOHN BRYAN {seal} Sealed with my seal and dated the 14th day of September 1734 ROBERT RADFORD ARCHIBALD THOMPSON ANN FRAZIER {her X mark} Page 2 of 4 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, NC, Edgecombe, John Bryan 1734 North Carolina } Edgecombe } ss. At a Court held for the Said Precinct on the third Tuesday of May, Anno Domini 1735. Present His Majesties Justices: These may certify, that, ANNE FRAZIER, one of the Subscribing Evidences to the within Will, Appeared in Open Court and made Oath on the Holy Evangelists that she was present and saw JOHN BRYAN, Sign, Seal & declare the within to be and Contain his Last Will & Testament & that the Said JOHN BRYAN was then and at that time of Sound and disposing Memory; & that he saw ROBERT RADFORD, and ARCHIBALD THOMPSON, the other Subscribing Evidence Sign THEIR names thereto at the Same time. Then also appeared DAVIS HOPPER, and WILLIAM BRYAN, Executors, in Open Court, and took the Executors Oath in due form of Law. Ordered that the Secretary have notice thereof, that Letters Testamentary Issue thereon Test. J. W. Mer___ Cler. Cur. Page 3 of 4 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, NC, Edgecombe, John Bryan 1734 ###### # # ##### ####### # # ##### ####### # # # # ## ## # # # ## # # # # # ## ## # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ###### # # # # #### ##### # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ## ### # # # # # # ###### # # ##### ####### # # ### ##### ####### # # Transcribed from original documents by Brent R. Brian & Martha M. Brian. This document and others can be found on our website: BMGEN We claim COPYLEFT on the documents that we publish that are our original work. COPYLEFT “rules” can be reviewed on the web site: GNU Free Documentation License In short, use what you like. But if you use our stuff, mention us as the source. Brent R. Brian Martha M. Brian BrianMitchellGenealogy@gmail.com Page 4 of 4 ** PAGE BREAK **