Will of Alexander Mebane, Jr

Date: 3 Jul 1795 [unknown]
Location: Orange County, North Carolina
Surname/tag: Mebane

Transcript of the Will of Alexander Mebane, Jr

The following is a transcript of the will of Alexander Mebane Jr. (1744-1795) of Orange County, North Carolina made from an image on Ancestry.com (Thompson-40998 15:50, 17 September 2023 (UTC)). Spelling and punctuation is as seen on the image.^[1]

In the name of God Amen, I Alexander Mebane of the County of Orange and State of North Carolina do on this third day of July one Thousand Seven hundered & Ninety five do make ordain and publish this my last Will and Testament in the following manner (to wit) first I give and bequeath unto my Beloved Wife Ann all the Estate she the said Ann had and Injoyed at any time before I was married to her the said Estate and property Lying in Philadelphia and Else where both real and personal and Two hundred pounds over and above the before mentioned Estate, to be paid at four annual payments (to wit) the first fifty pounds to be paid within Twelve months after my Decease and fifty pounds anuly untill the whole is paid {line crossed out} and further all necessary Expenses in her return to Philadelphia. Item I give and bequeath to my Beloved Daughter Jennet Stanford ten pounds and one bed and sorral mare and all the household furniture she has already received and I give and bequeath to her Two children Marrianna [crossed out: and Mary] one negroe girl named Cloey and to Mary one Negro girl named Pattey - Item I give to my beloved Daughter Mary Hodge three negroes named Else Sandy and John one horse saddle and bridle and all the household furniture in her posession. Item I give and bequeath to my beloved son James four Negroes named Rodger Joan Ceasar and Mark and his horse known by the name of Robbin saddle bridle and fifty pounds in cash. Item I give to my Beloved Daughter Sarrah Two negroes named Beck and Amey one bed and furniture one horse and saddle valued at fifty pounds, four milk Cows & Calves Item I give and bequeath to my Beloved daughter Fanney Two negores named Isaac and Hannah one bed and furniture one horse and saddle to be valued at forty pounds four cows and calves. Item I give and bequeath to my beloved son William three negroes named Smith Tyree and York one horse saddle & Bridle to be valued at forty pounds and fifty pounds in cash Item I give to my beloved daughter Susanna Two negroes named Love and Dinah one horse saddle and bridle valued at forty pounds, four cows & calves one bed and furniture. Item I give and bequeath to my beloved Daughter - Elisabeth Three negroes named Peter Ann and her last child one horse and saddle to be valued at forty Pounds four cows and calves one bed and furniture. Item I give and bequeath to my beloved son Robert Three negroes named Tom Lucey and Solomon one horse and saddle valued to fifty pounds and fifty pounds in cash. Item I give and bequeath to my beloved Daughter Nancey Two Negroes named Joe and Rachel one horse saddle and bridle valued at forty pounds four Cows and Calves one bed and furniture. Item I Give and Bequeath to my beloved son John Alexander four Negroes named Hanfield Joe Cate Jenney and Jame one horse and saddle to be valued at fifty pounds and fifty pounds in cash - also I give to my Daughter Mary four Cows and calves that is now in her possession now be it remmembered that it is my will that my landed Estate (to wit) Two Thousand Two hundred & Thirty Eight acres lying in Orange County Twenty Thousand Three Hundred and Ten acres lying in Ceded Teritory to be Equaly Divided share and share alike agreeable to Quaintity and Quality amongst my four sons (to wit) James William Robert and John Alexander. The divisions to be made by three men indiferantly chosen for the above purpose and also all the remains of my Estate that may by or for want of Knowledge thereof be left out of this will to be to my four sons as above Except fifty pounds to be paid to my Daughter Susannah ... it is also my Will that if any of the within Legatees should Die before the come to the age of maturity, in such a case if the Death should be in the females the property is to be Equally divided amongst the femal Heirs if a male heir should die the property to be divided amongst the male heirs it is further my will that my son James take to possesion all my notes and bonds which is to the amount of upwards of six hundred pounds as also my book accounts and have the same recovered as soon as possible by son and to pay all my Just debts the overpluss to be part to Intrist for the purpose of schooling the younger (to wit) William Robert Elisabeth Nancey and John Alexander after deducting Twelve per cent for his care and trouble in Collecting and accounting for the same it is further my Will that if my son James thinks proper I do hereby give him full power to possess and Injoy all the profits arising from my lands Mills and negroes Except the young negroes that may be born whilst in his possession are to go with there mothers he the said James Keeping the younger children in good decent clothing schooling and boarding untill the marry or come to the age of maturity at which time they are to receive their part alloted for them it is further my will that if any of the negroes should die before those whom they are left to come of lawfull age that in that case each Legatee is to make an Equal Division to whomever the negroe may belong to the jointly making up such lots first deducting an Equal part for the Looser and whereas I have not mentioned Sam to any of my children I direct that he may be sold at Twelve months credit and the money arising from such sale to be Divided Equally Between my Two daughters Sarrah and Fanney. In Witness whereof I the said Alexander Mebane have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this day and date above written I appoint my Loving son James Mebane and my Brother James and Robert Hodge to be my whoe and sole Executors of this my last will and Testament Revoking and dis anulling all other wills by me made heretofore

Signed Sealed published

and declared by the said

Alexander Mebane for his

last will and Testament

Alex Mebane (his mark)

in presence of ...

Wm Hodge

Jon Mathews

Estate and Probate Papers

There are 41 pages of estate papers - including the inventory of his father's estate completed in 1793.^[2]

In 1796 the trustees of the University of North Carolina petitioned for the sum of $100 which they said Alexander Mebane pledged them should they fix the location of the University in Orange County (which they did, at Chapel Hill).

There are also petitions and counter petitions for settlement of debts with John Taylor

Sources

1. ↑ Probate: "North Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998"
   Wills, 1752-1946; Cross Index to Wills, 1752-1946; Author: North Carolina. County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions (Orange County); Probate Place: Orange, North Carolina
   Ancestry ca Record 9061 #1985361 (accessed 17 September 2023)
   Alexander Mebane probate on 3 Jul 1795 in Orange, North Carolina, USA. Residence Orange County, North Carolina.
2. ↑ "North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ8L-1TL7 : 8 March 2021), Alexander Mebane, 1797; citing Orange County, North Carolina, United States, State Archives, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 2,057,956.