James Griffin's Last Will and Testament

Date: 13 Jun 1749
Location: Chowan County, Province of North Carolina, British Colonial America
Surname/tag: Griffin Last Will and Testament of James Griffin transcribed by Lewis W. Griffin, February 21, 2019

In the Name of God Amen the 13th Day of June 1748 I James Griffin on Cathrine Creek being very Sick and weak in body but of Perfect mind and Memory thanks be Given unto God therefore Calling unto Mind ye Mortality of my body & knowing that it is Appointed for alll Men Once to Dye do Make & Ordain this my last Will and Testament that is to say

Principally & first of all I ... Recommend my Soul unto ye hands of God ... & my body I recommend to ye Earth to be buried in a decent Christian buriall at ye Discretion of my Executors Nothing Doubting but at ye Generall Resurrection I shall receive ye same Again by ye Mighty Power of God & as Touching such Wordly Estate wherewith it has Peased God to bless me in the life I Give Demiss and Dispose of ye same in ye following Manner and form

Primus I give to my Eldest Son James Griffin ye Plantation he lives on being two Hundred Acres ye Middle ... of ye Plantation I Dwell on it being (and Joyning?) by line More or less

Item I give to my son Joseph Griffin two Hundred Acres of land of ye Plantation I Dwell on being & Joyning on ye East Side of my son James Plantation More or less and like wise I Give my son Joseph Griffin ye Plantation where he now Dwells upon

Item I give to my son William Griffin ye Plantation I live upon being Marked & lying on ye South East of ye Other two being two Hundred Acres less or more

Item I give to my three Sons James Griffin Joseph Griffin & William Griffin 600 Acres of land Joyning upon Perqumans River to be Equally Divided Amongst them

Item I Give to my well beloved Wife Sarah Griffin whom I Likewise Constitute make & Ordain my Sole Executrix of this my last will and Testament all & Singluar ye Moveballs During my Wife life and then to be Divided Amongst all my Children

turn over

And I do hereby Utterly Disallow Revoke and Disannull all and Every Other Testament wills Legacies by me in any ways before Named Willed and bequeathed Ratifying & Confirming this and No Other to be my last will & Testament In witness Whereof I have Hereunto Seth my hand and Seal ye Day & Year Above Written. Sealed Signed & Delivered in ye Presence of us -- James Griffin - mark William Hill affirmed William Colthread Susannah Overman (her mark)

North Carolina, Chowan County

At a Court held for the said County, and the Court-house in Edenton, the third Thursday in April Anno Dom. 17..

Present his Majesty's Justices

These my certify that William Hill, A Quaker, one of the subscribing Evidences to the within Will, appeared in open Court, and made Affirmation that he was present and saw James Griffin sign, seal publish and declare the Within to be and contain his last Will and Testament, and that the said James Griffin was then and at that Time of sound and disposing Memory and that he also saw William Colthred and Susanna Overman, the other two subscribing Evidence sign their Names thereto and the same Time. Then also appeared Sarah Griffin , Executrix, in open Court, and took the Executor's Oath in due Form of Law. Ordered that the Honble Nathaniel Rice Esq. Secretary of the Province, or his Deputy, have Notice thereof, that Letters Testamentary issue thereon, as the Law directs.

Test. Will Means C. C.

(transcribed by Lewis W. Griffin, February 21, 2019) ^[1][2]

1. ↑ Griffin, Lew, Some Families of East Alabama, Accessed 2 Feb 2020
2. ↑ North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998 for James Griffin