Will, NC, Johnston, William Bryan, 1780 Father: John Smith , Sr b: 23 FEB 1689 in Virginia Mother: Elizabeth Whitfield b: ABT 1692 in Bertie, NC Marriage 1 William Bryan b: 31 OCT 1724 in Snowfield Plantation, Lewiston, Woodville, Bertie, NC Married: 1744 in Lewiston, Woodville, Bertie County, NC Children Lewis Bryan , Sr. b: 4 NOV 1745 in Springfield Plantation, Johnston, NC William M. Bryan , Jr. b: 18 JUL 1747 in Snowfield Plantation, Johnston, NC Arthur Bryan b: 12 MAY 1749 in Snowfield Plantation, Johnston, NC Elizabeth Bryan b: 28 MAY 1751 in Johnstown, Bertie, NC Hardy Bryan b: 4 JUN 1753 in Snowfield Plantation, Johnston, NC Blake Bryan b: 12 JUN 1759 in Johnston, NC Esther Bryan b: 22 JAN 1760 in Johnston, NC Susannah Bryan b: 20 NOV 1762 in Johnston, NC John Bryan b: 14 JAN 1765 in Johnston, NC Johnston County ] North Carolina ] In the name of God Amen. I WILLIAM BRYAN of Johnston county in the state of North Carolina being sick and weak in body perfect and disposing mind and memory blessed be God, do this twelfth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand, seven hundred and eighty make and publish this my last will and testament [----] following: 1st I give and bequeath [----] AN one feather bed and furniture, bedstead and cord & my wearing watch to ha [----] forever. 2nd I give and bequeath [----] BRYAN one negro man named DAVEY to him, his heirs and assigns forever [----] disposition hereafter made. 3rd I give and bequeath [----] ELIZABETH SASSER twenty five pounds current money of the state of North [----] forever. 4th I give and bequeath [----] BRYAN one hundred and twelve acres of land on the south side of Middle Creek [----] to him, his heirs and assigns forever. 5th I give and bequeath [----] ESTHER SMITH one negro boy named SAMSON to her and her heirs forever. 6th I give and bequeath [----] BLAKE BRYAN two hundred Acres of land [----] thereon known by the name [----] also one plantation and tract of land [----] north side of Black Creek, containing two hundred acres, also part of a tract of land for [----] acres laying on both sides [----] creek, to include all that part of said tract lying on the south side of Swifts and [----] five hundred and forty acres of land lying on the south side if Middle Creek [----] of land in the fork of Swifts and Middle Creek joining my own and JOHN G [----] man named ABE, one negro woman named NAN & one negro girl na [----] se Page 1 of 4 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, NC, Johnston, William Bryan, 1780 called Volture, six cows and and calves, one bed and furniture, bedst [----] and hooks, one lot in the town of [----] No. 1[----] 7th I give and bequeath [----] SUSANNAH BURK one negro man called GREAT BOB & one lot in the town of Smithfield [----] and her heirs forever. 8th I give and bequeath [----] RYAN the land and plantation whereon I now live together three hundred a [----] granted me by JOHN SMITH Senr. Also three hundred & three acres of land lying on Swifts Creek granted to me by patent bearing date the 18th of July, 1766, also one hun [----] of land granted to me by patent bearing date of the 25th of March, 1763 [----] Swifts Creek, to include all that tract of [----] lies on the north side of [----] hundred and fifty acres of land joining my own, Col. JOHN SMITH’s and [----] ines, also six hundred and forty acres of land lying on moth sides the gr[----] ew Entry / one lot in the town of Smithfield No. 57 also the following Neg[----] LITTLE BOB, CHESSER, BUCK SQUIRE, CHERRY, AMY & PAPPY also my still, this [----] cooking glass, two black walnut tables, eight cows with calves, one Roan [----] end Peggy Ganus and her Colt, and a black horse colt now called his, [----] bedsteads and cords, my large Church Bibles Sacred Lecture, my couch, two pair [----] tongs and shovel, two iron pots and hooks, one grindstone and six E[----] heirs forever, this legacy to be subject, nevertheless to the dispositions and provisions [----] be mentioned. 9th I give and bequeath unto my [----] ELIZABETH BRYAN the following Negroes, to wit: EBE, TOBY, GEORGE and xxx xxx xther R [----] Bedsteads and cords, two riding horses, Stewart / Jerry and bowfit furniture, on[----] called Blaze and her colt, one black walnut table, one loom and geers, one [----] one pair of smoothing irons, one pair of fine dogs and shovel, six cow[----] breeding ewes, and all my wearing apparel except my silver shoe knee and stoc[----] leave to my son JOHN to her and her heirs forever. 10th I also lend unto my beloved wife the us[----] dwelling house and other out houses, the plantation, tools for cropping, a grind stone [----] and cyder casques and kitchen furniture, three work horses and [----] and DAVEY to work on the plantation with the hands given to my son [----] she marries or until my son JOHN arrives to the age of twenty yea [----] of these circumstances shall first happen, and the profits ar[----] the said hands with the profits of the orchard, and plantation, [----] y expenses that may be xxx and for the use of my wife and son JOHN [----] the carrying on the business of the plantation to be equally divided be[----] JOHN, and of my wife be unmarried at the time my son JOHN come[----] or married, I then lend her the use of two rooms in my dwelling h[----]ging Room and the back room adjoining to it with a sufficient part of [----] egroes to work on, and as sufficient part of the kitchen furniture for [----] same to be covered and allowed of if requisite by my executors her[----] also one third part of my Orchard to be enjoyed by her during her widowhood a[----] 11th And it is my will and desire that immediately [----] death or marriage of my wife [----] as my son JOHN arrives to the age [----] shall belong to my son ARTHUR circumstances shall first happen, that th[----] the negro fellow TIM shall immediately belong to my son HARDY[----] heirs & assigns forever. Page 2 of 4 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, NC, Johnston, William Bryan, 1780 12th It is further my will and desire that[----] rland County as soon as it conveniently can after my decease be sol[----]ton, and the money arising from the sale thereof be paid out[----] children, and that the said money and inter[----] the said children and paid to them as they come of a proper age [----] 13th It is my will that my executor as soo[----] after my decease, sell such of my stock and other part of my E[----] y given away, and out of the money arising from the sale thereof with the [----] all my just debts & funeral expenses and legacies that are to be pai[----]at the overplus of said money be equally divided between my son ARTHUR BYRAN [----] & my daughter ESTHER SMITH [----] SUSANNAH BUSH. [----] it is also my will that if any of my[----] before they come of age or marry that the estate of such child [----] shall be equally divided between my surviving children, except[----] ELIZABETH SASSER who I do not mean or intend shall share in any p[----] ld or children’s estate. 15th And I hereby make and ordain[----] an & HARDY BRYAN executors of this my last Will and Te[----]thereof I the said WILLIAM BRYAN have to this my last W[----] my hand & seal the Day and Year above written. Signed, sealed, published, declared and pronounced by the said WILLIAM BRYAN, the testator, as his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who are present at the signing and sealing there[----] WILLIAM BRYAN {seal} HARDY BRYAN BLAKE BRYAN WILLIAM WARD Page 3 of 4 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, NC, Johnston, William Bryan, 1780 ###### # # ##### ####### # # ##### ####### # # # # ## ## # # # ## # # # # # ## ## # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ###### # # # # #### ##### # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ## ### # # # # # # ###### # # ##### ####### # # ### ##### ####### # # 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 **