Will of Thomas Barker

I, Thomas Barker of Edenton in the State of North Carolina, Gentleman, this sixteenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred and Eighty six, do make my last Will and Testament in manner following— First, I Give and bequeath to my beloved wife Penelope Barker the following Slaves. To wit, Suckey, Cloe, Mela, Joe, Patty, —[crossed out] Nancy, Betty, Little Cloe, and Peter also, Melas children, Nell a child of Patty, Mimmy, Stella, Reuben and Pol, Mimmys children. Delia, Dick and Sammy her Children, Denny and her Child, also Hannibal, Cuff, Venus & Frank.  

• Item: I give and bequeath to my Said Wife over and above the Slaves—named above twelve Male and twelve Female Slaves. such as she shall choose out of the rest of my Slaves— 

• Item: I give and bequeath to my Said Wife all my Plate and Household Goods and Furniture and all my Kitchen Furniture and all my House Provisions, and Liquors. 

• Item: I give and bequeath to my Said Wife my Post Chaise and Harness and two Hundred pounds in Spannish Milled Dollars and one Hundred & fifty Barrels of Indian Corn - 

• Item: I Give and bequeath to my Said wife one-third part of all my Horses, Cattle, Hogs, and Sheep. 

• Item: I Give Devise and bequeath to my Said Wife Six Lotts of Land in Edenton to wit, No 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. and Blank and all that part of a lott adjoining them on the street that leads to the Market House, together with the Houses and out Houses on the premises to her, her Heirs and assigns for ever. 

• Item: I Give Devise and Bequeath unto my Said Wife two Plantations, the one Called Wiggin's, the other Pughs, contiguous to and adjoining Each other Lying, on the Rooneroy Marshes in Bertie County to her, her Heirs and assigns for ever in Lieu and Satisfaction of her Dower in my Lands. 

• Item: I give to my wife all my Books that are in the English Language. 

• Item: I give and Bequeath unto my Sisters Bethia Winslow, Abigail Barker, and Elizabeth Barker, and my Nieces Deborah Barker and Bethia Barker, four hundred pounds in the Money of the Massachusets, that is to say one Hundred pounds to Each of my said Sisters and fifty pounds to each of my said Neices.  

• Item: I give and bequeath to Samuel Johnston of Hayes, Colonel Thomas Pugh and his son William, both of Bertie County—one Hundred pounds Currency each. 

• Item I Give, Devise and bequeath unto my Executors herein after named the Survivor and Survivors of them all the rest and residue of my Estate for the use and purpose here in after mentioned and to and for no other use and purpose whatever, that is to say, after payment of my Debts and the Legacies above mentioned and Making such Improvements and Repairs as they may judge Necessary to pay to the Order of my dear Daughter Elizabeth the wife of William Tunstall the Nett profits arising from the same annually after deducting the Necessary expenses for the Plantation and Negroes and their own trouble to be at her sole Ordering and disposal without the interference of her Husband to be paid in such Sums and in such manner as My said Executors or the person to whom they shall remit the same may judge most for the advantage of my said Daughter and her children for whose Use and suport it is intended untill [crossed out] her youngest child shall arrive at the age of twenty one years or marry and then that my said Estate with the increase of the Slaves be divided into three Equal parts. two thirds whereof to be equally divided Between my Daughters children, and in case any of them shall die before that Period leaving a Child or Children, that such Child or Children be entitled to receive such part of the Estate as his or their Father or Mother would have had a right to if they had been living, and in case any of them should die without leaving a child or Children, that his or her part be divided among the other Children in manner as above directed the said Estate to them their Heirs and Assigns for Ever. That the profits of the other third part be paid to the order of my Daughter for her sole and separate use without the interference of her Husband during the joint lives of her and her said Husband and in—Case she survive her said Husband that then and in such case the said Trust shall cease immediately on the death of her said Husband and that the said one third part of my Estate be to her Heirs and Assigns forever.— But if it should so happen that my dear Daughter should depart this life in the lifetime of her said Husband it is then my will and desire that the said one third part of my Estate so given to her as aforesaid be divided Equally among her Children in the same manner that the two thirds is above directed to be divided to them their heirs and assigns for ever. 

Lastly. I appoint my dear wife, the said Samuel Johnston Thomas Pugh and William Pugh Executors of this—my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all wills by me at any time heretofore made In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, the day and year first above written in the presence of Blake Baker Thomas Iredell and William Blair—who have here unto subscribed Their Names as Witnesses at my request and before the word (of) was interlined between the twenty third, twenty fourth line in the first Page the above and a Duplicate thereof were (Signed, T Barker wax seal Signed, sealed, published and Declared by the Testator to be his last will and testament In Presence of  

Blake Baker 

Thomas Iredell 

Will. Blair 

Copy Test [unclear] 

Thos. Barker's Will 

16 Oct 1786