Will of Aaron Morris
Source: p. 36, Along the way with Benjamin Morris, (1757-1808) and his wife, Sarah, of North Carolina by Lewis Ecroyd Morris (1996) (Also available at Internet Archive)
Will-1770 Aaron Morris d. 10 Sept, 1770, b. 14 July, 1704 North Carolina, Pasquotank County
Know all men by these presents that I Aaron Morris Senior of the County and province aforsaid town do make and ordain by these presents for the disposal of such worldly estate which I hath pleased God to bless me with in this life to be and contain my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following I will that all my just debts be paid out of my estate in convenient time after my decease.
I give to my son Joshua Morris a parcel of land in Pasquotank County ajoining to Soloman Pools land, it being land which I bought of Thomas Nickolson being now divided from the said Nickolson's lands by a line of marked trees by agreement, which begins on the lower side of the mouth of Morgans branch and straight across the said branch nearly North and so by a line of marked trees other side of said land so as to contain one third part of the said Thomas Nickolson's land laying and I do hereby quit all claims to the said Nickolson land below the said line of the marked trees by any claim in his deed of sale to me be.
My son Joshua is last hereby given lying in the other side of said division line and containing one hundred and sixteen acres, by estimation be it, and was more or less, to him and his heirs and assigns forever.
I give my son Joseph Morris one hundred acres of land, which I had of by John Morris, joining to John Pool land, to him during his natural life, and to his son Benjamin and his heirs and assigns forever.
I give and bequeath to my well beloved wife Mary Morris the use of the one half of the Plantation and woodland where I live and the dwelling house and half of all my barns, stable and other buildings, excepting the house which my son John did live, during the rest of her natural life and after her decease to return to my heirs as in hereafter listed and directed
I give the land, Plantation, and improvements where I now live, joining with the land of John Long Esquire, containing by estimation one hundred acres, to my son John Morris during the term of his natural life and to his now wife Mary during the term of her natural life, or pleases to live there with following restrictions and limitations, viz first:To the male hairs of the body of the said John Morris and Mary and their lawful begotten forever; there failing, then to the female portion of the aforsaid John and Mary and their heirs forever; there failing, then to the heirs of my body their heirs and assigns forever
I give to my son Aaron Morris the land and Plantation which I bought of Abraham Hana, joining to the land of Wm Boyd, containing by estimation one hundred thirteen acres, to him and his heirs and assigns forever
I leave the case of the labor of my negros Charity and George to my wife Mary Morris during her natural life and after decease to come into my Estate under the last legacy in these presents
I give to my wife Mary Morris one third part of all the remaining part of my Estate (exceptably the negros) to her and her disposal
I give all the bulk of my Estate to be divided into eight and a half shares and then so divided: my will is that each of my children now living; Joshua Morris, Joseph Morris, Mirrian Smithson, John Morris, Mary Trueblood, Aaron Morris, and Elizabeth Morris shall have each of them one part apiece and that my three grandsons, Aaron Morris's sons Benjamin and Thomas and Joseph Nickolson, son of Susannah, shall each of them one half of a part apiece to them and their disposal
I do nominate constitute and appoint my sons Joshua, John and Aaron Morris executors of this my last Will and Testament and my friend ThomasNickolson trusted to see my Will performed by disanulling and disallowing all and any other former Will or Will Legacies and bequeaths or Executors before this time by new named, willed, and bequeathed. Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament.
In witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal the fifth day of the sixth month, commonly called June, one thousand and seven hundred and sixty four.
Know all men by these presents that I Aaron Morris Senior of the County and province aforsaid town do make and ordain by these presents for the disposal of such worldly estate which I hath pleased God to bless me with in this life to be and contain my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following I will that all my just debts be paid out of my estate in convenient time after my decease.
I give to my son Joshua Morris a parcel of land in Pasquotank County ajoining to Soloman Pools land, it being land which I bought of Thomas Nickolson being now divided from the said Nickolson's lands by a line of marked trees by agreement, which begins on the lower side of the mouth of Morgans branch and straight across the said branch nearly North and so by a line of marked trees other side of said land so as to contain one third part of the said Thomas Nickolson's land laying and I do hereby quit all claims to the said Nickolson land below the said line of the marked trees by any claim in his deed of sale to me be.
My son Joshua is last hereby given lying in the other side of said division line and containing one hundred and sixteen acres, by estimation be it, and was more or less, to him and his heirs and assigns forever.
I give my son Joseph Morris one hundred acres of land, which I had of by John Morris, joining to John Pool land, to him during his natural life, and to his son Benjamin and his heirs and assigns forever.
I give and bequeath to my well beloved wife Mary Morris the use of the one half of the Plantation and woodland where I live and the dwelling house and half of all my barns, stable and other buildings, excepting the house which my son John did live, during the rest of her natural life and after her decease to return to my heirs as in hereafter listed and directed
I give the land, Plantation, and improvements where I now live, joining with the land of John Long Esquire, containing by estimation one hundred acres, to my son John Morris during the term of his natural life and to his now wife Mary during the term of her natural life, or pleases to live there with following restrictions and limitations, viz first:To the male hairs of the body of the said John Morris and Mary and their lawful begotten forever; there failing, then to the female portion of the aforsaid John and Mary and their heirs forever; there failing, then to the heirs of my body their heirs and assigns forever
I give to my son Aaron Morris the land and Plantation which I bought of Abraham Hana, joining to the land of Wm Boyd, containing by estimation one hundred thirteen acres, to him and his heirs and assigns forever
I leave the case of the labor of my negros Charity and George to my wife Mary Morris during her natural life and after decease to come into my Estate under the last legacy in these presents
I give to my wife Mary Morris one third part of all the remaining part of my Estate (exceptably the negros) to her and her disposal
I give all the bulk of my Estate to be divided into eight and a half shares and then so divided: my will is that each of my children now living; Joshua Morris, Joseph Morris, Mirrian Smithson, John Morris, Mary Trueblood, Aaron Morris, and Elizabeth Morris shall have each of them one part apiece and that my three grandsons, Aaron Morris's sons Benjamin and Thomas and Joseph Nickolson, son of Susannah, shall each of them one half of a part apiece to them and their disposal
I do nominate constitute and appoint my sons Joshua, John and Aaron Morris executors of this my last Will and Testament and my friend ThomasNickolson trusted to see my Will performed by disanulling and disallowing all and any other former Will or Will Legacies and bequeaths or Executors before this time by new named, willed, and bequeathed. Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament.
In witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal the fifth day of the sixth month, commonly called June, one thousand and seven hundred and sixty four.
Aaron Morris seal Signed sealed published pronounced and declared by said Aaron Morris to be his last Will and Testament in the Presence of Zack Nixon Nick Nickolson James Mc Adams