The Will of Ephraim Black
dated 18 September 1843

In the Name of God Amen I Ephraim Black of the County of Lincoln and State of North Carolia Being Sick and Aling yet of good and Sound Understanding knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die thought proper to make this my Last will and Testament

first I give my Soul to God and my Body to the Earth as as Such worldly Estate where with it hath pleased God to Bless me in this life I give in the following Maner and form, viz

I give and bequeath unto my Beloved Wife Tabitha my Dweling house and kitchen and all the furniture Belonging to the same and one Negro Girl named Renan during her widowhood and after her Death the said Renan and her increase are to be divided Equal among my heirs

I unto my son Lorenzo give and Bequeath to him my plantation where I now live on Being the east side of my springs Branch Commencing at Carpenters still house and running with the Branch to my still house then a Direct Course with the Branch to some Beach tree on the Bank of the Creek where the Branch formally run,

and also I give unto my Son Alfred on the west Side of Said Branch and line end all this land belonging to said Tract

and also I give unto my Son Benage fifty four Acre tract of land where he Cultivate at this time

and I give unto my two Sons Alfred and Lorenzo an entry of land joining James Mclure and others containing forty Acres

and of my property that is not willed, Negroe horses cattle and hogs and all whatsoever one to be sold and Divided Equal among those children viz, Stephen Ephraim Lawson Samuel Wiley Abel Elizabeth -

and I nomaned my two Sons Lorenzo and my Son Alfred Executors of this my last will and Testament

In Witness whereof I have here unto Set my hand and Seal this 18th of September 1843

Signed Sealed                                                                         his
and Delivered                                                           Ephraim  Black Seal
in the presents of                                                                   mark
Daniel Eaker Jurat
L??????? Lays??

North Carolina
Lincoln County  December Sessions 1843

    The written will was proved in Open Court by the Oath of Daniel Eaker a subscribing witness & Recorded
                  Witness A. Cansler  Clk

Go to my page on Ephraim Black. Also please see my will page for more wills.

For the sake of clarity I have inserted paragraphs at logical breaks in the text and put names in bold, but in no way have I changed the spelling or grammar of the original. The original loose will from which this was transcribed was found at the Division of Archives and History, Raleigh, North Carolina.