IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, the fifteenth Day of January, in the year of our Lord, one thousand, Seven hundred & thirty three. I, William Cartright, of , In the County allbramall, in the precinct of pasquotank, planter, being Sick and weak, But of perfect sence and memory, thanks be to God therefore, Calling to mind the Mortality of my Body, and knowing that it is apointed for all men Once to Dey, do make and ordaine this my Last will and Testament, that is to say: principally and first of all, I give and ReCommend my soule Into the hand of God that Gave it, and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be buried In Decent and Cristone maner at the discrision of my Executricks, nothing Doubting but at the Generill Resurrection I shall Reseive the Same aGain by the allmighty power of God; and touching Such worldley Estate where with it hath pleased God to Bless me with In this Life, I Give and Demis and dispose of the Same, in the following maner and forme:
Item. I Give and Bequeath unto my Son, Thomas Cartright, the sum of tenn shillings, speasuea.
Item. I Give and Bequeath unto my Son, Robert Cartright, a small of land aJoyninn unto his Land.
Item. I Give and Bequeath unto oen Rese, Teen Shillings.
Item. I Give and Bequeth unto my son, Joseph Cartright, my plantation whare one now I Dwell, after the desess of my wife, Sarath Cartright, begin att my Sons, Robert's line, up as fare as the pigg pens, and my will Is that neither he nor his mother molest one and other Dureing hir natrell Life and after hir Desese then my plantation to fall to him and his heirs Lawfully Begotten of his bodey for Ever.
Item. I Give and Bequeth unto my Daughter, hannah Cartright, all the Remaner part of the Land Belongin to my plantation patern, that Is above the pigpens and to his heirs for ever.
Item. I Give and Bequith unto my Daughter, Tamer Cartright, a tract of land called the Little, for a Bove Oen Rese and to his heirs for Ever.
Item. I give and Bequeth unto my two Sons, Caleb Cartright, and David Cartwright, my tract of Land Cominley Called Sandey run to be Eakqeley Devided betwene them and to their heirs for Ever; But In case Either of my two Sons Should Dey without heirs, then my will is that the longest Liver to porses the hole tract of Land Called Sandy run.
Item. I give and bequeth unto my son, Joseph Cartright, my hunting gun.
Item. I give and bequeth unto my son, Caleb Cartright my new gun.
Item. I give and bequeth unto my son, David Cartwright, my two letle Guns.
Item. I Give and bequeth unto my Daughter, hannah Cartright, one young Black Mare Called rose, and my will Is that the first horse Colt she brings for my Son Joseph, and the first mare colt for my Daughter, tamer.
Item. I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Cartright, to my son John Cartwright Desesed, one two year old heffer.
Item. I give and Bequeth to my Loving and lafull wife, Sarath Cartright, all the rest of my personell Estate, During her widowhood, but in Case the should marry, then att the Day of marig, all the Rest of my Goods and Chatles to be Eakqley Devided amongst my five Children, Joseph Cartright, Caleb Cartright, hanah Cartright, David Cartright, Tamar Cartright.
Item. I Give and Bequeth unto my Daughter, hanah Cartright, one likely Cow and Calfe, to have the sam Cow and Calfe this Insewing Spring after the Date hereof.
Item. I Give and Bequeath unto my two Sons, Caleb Cartright and David Cartright, one negrow man, If your mother Continues a widow she shall have the use of him Dureing the natrell Days of hir life, but If she shall marey, then the said negrow to be between Caleb Cartright and David Cartright, And the said David Cartright to have his Labour three Months, and Caleb Cartright to have his labour one month and so to Continew as Long as he shall Live.
Item. I Give and Bequeath unto oen Rese, a Serten tract of land Containing one hundred and Eighty akers of Land, begining att a Beach one the west Side of a Branch Called anauerell Branch, and from thence Runing verioas Corses to the (to the) horn Beame to the Lithe fork swamp, soever the swamp to a mayple which is over Deviding line, which said tract of Land I now live one, to him and his heirs for Ever.
Item. I give and Bequeath unto Elizabeth Cartright, Daughter to John Cartright, Desesed, fortey akers of Land lying one the South side of the Creeke swamp Known and Calld. by the name of maverts, which Said land I Give for more or Less, to hir and hir heirs for Ever.
Leaving my loving wife, Sarah Cartright, hole and Sole Executricks of this my Last will and testament, and after hir Deses, the Rest of my Estate to be Eaquelly Devided amongst my five Children.
WILLIAM XX This mark denotes that William Cartright was unable to sign his own name, so instead made his "mark" on the will. CARTRIGHT (Seal)
Signed, Sealed, published & Delivered in the presents of us:
EDWARD WHORTEN
JOHN RICHARDSON.
JAMES GREAVES.
NORTH CAROLINA. PASQUOTANK PREC'T. SC.
At a Court held for the sd. precinct, at the court house in Broomfield, the 19th Day of aprill, ano. Domi., 1734, Present His Majesties Justices:
These may Certifie that Edward Wharton & John Richardson, two of the Subscribing Evidences to the within Will, appeared in Open Court and made Oath on the Holy Evengilist, that they were present & saw William Cartwright Sign, Seal & declaire the within to be & Contain his last will and Testament, & that the Sd. Wm. Cartwright, was then and at that time of sound & Disposing memory; and that they also saw James Greaves, the other Subscribing Evidence Sign his name thereto at the Same time.
Then also appeared Sarah Cartwright, Extrix. in Open Court & took the Exctors. Oath in due form of Law.
Ordered that the Secretary have notice thereof that letters test'ry Issue thereon as the Law Directs.
By Order,
JOS: ANDERSON, Cler: Cur:
Copied from the Original Will, filed in the Office of the Secretary of State.
Primary Source Citation:
Grimes, J. Bryan. North Carolina Wills and Inventories Copied From Original and Recorded Wills and Inventories in the Office of the Secretary of State. Raleigh: Edwards & Broughton, 1912. Reprinted Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1994.