In the Name of God Amen I James Blount of Chowan Precinct
In the County of Albemarle In the Province of Carolina Esq. & well knowing the
uncertainty of this Life doe make Ordain & Appoint this to bee my Last will and
Testament hereby Revoeking & adnulling all former Wills by me Made & this Only
to be taken & reputed as my Last will.
Imp. I Bequeath my Soule to God who gave it & my body to the
Earth to be Decently Enterred & as for that Worldly Estate which it hath pleased
God to bestow upon me in this life my Just debts funeral Expenses & Legatyes
being first paid I give and bequeath as followeth---
Item. I give unto my Sonn James Blount one Shilling in
Country Comodities to be paid him by my Executrix hereafter named within one
year after my Decease.
Item. I give unto my Sonn Thomas Blount & to my two Daughters
Ann Slocumb & Elizabeth Hawkins Each of them twelve pence apiece in Country
Comodities to be paid them within one year after my Decease.
Item. I give & bequeath unto my Grand Children James Sarah
Blount the children of my Sonn Thomas Blount & to Ann Slocomb the child of my
Daughter Ann Slocomb & to John Hawkins ye Son of my Daughter Elizabeth Hawkins
Each of them a Cow & a Calfe to be paid to their severall parents within three
years after my Decease in some sort of Stock to runn for ye use and behoofe of
the Said children till they Severally Come of age, or Marriage Capacitated to
receive the Same.
Item. I give & bequeath all ye remainder part of my Estate
Reall & personall whether it Consist in Lands, houses, Negroes, Servants, Stock,
household goods, or any other kind of specie whatsoever, unto my Loving wife Ann
Blount for her to have hold occupy & Enjoy During her naturall Liffe without Loss
or Controule & at her death to dispose of the Same to ye Value of Sixty pounds in
Country Comodities to Whoever she Shall think fitt, And after her my said Wifes
Decease, I give ye whole remainder of my Estate to my Son John Blount & his heirs
forever; & I do hereby appointe & ordaine yt my said Sonn John Shall be Decently
maintained out of the Estate during his minority. and in Case my said Wife Ann
should Live till after my Said Sonn John Should come of Age then if he should
happen to marry or to goe to Live in some other place from said Wife; then She
to pay him thirty or forty pounds (which She pleaseth) in Country Comoditites.
Turns Over
James Blount
Lastly I appoint my Loving Wife, Ann Blounte my whole & Sole
Executrix of this my last will & testament desiring her to be careful in every
article & Clause thereof & for Confirmation of ye Same I have hereunto set my
hand & Seale this Ninth day of July in the year of our Lord God One Thousand Six
Hundred Eighty and five. March ye 10th 1685[/6].
Before signing sealing or Publication I doe hereby Appoint
that in Case my Son John Shuld Dy without heirs male then I give & bequeath all
my lands & houses to ye heirs Male of my sonn Thomas Blount & so successively
doe Entaile the same on their heirs male of my said Thomas forEver: but in case
the heirs male of my Said son John & Thomas should both faile then I Entaile the
Same on the heirs Generall of my Sonn John first then of my Son Thomas. and if
both should faile then of the heirs of my Daughter Ann Slocumb and Elizabeth
Hawkins.
James Blount (Seal)
Signed, Sealed & Published
as his last will and testament
in presence of
her
Jane X Miller
mark
John Hall
William Dobson
John Wettinhall
This will proved by John Hall and Jane Miller on the
seventh day of July 1686 and by William Dobson on the 11th day of July 1686
who uppon their oaths (before me) duely administered did attest that they see
the testator above named James Blount signe & seale & heard him declare the
above written to be his last will and testament.
Seth Sothell
Recorded J? N. Chevin, Clk --- Chow.