COPY OF THE WILL OF JAMES STARK OF GRANVILLE COUNTY, N.C. In the name of God, Amen, I James Stark of the County of Granville and the State of North Carolina do make this my last Will and Testament in Manner and Form following-- To Witt, I leave to my beloved wife Jean Stark during her natural life, my plantation, (Thornton's Track) where I now live including two hundred acres of land, one negro fellow named George and after her decease to my son Rowland Stark..... To Witt, I give my daughter Sally Denton two hundred silver dollars..... To Witt, I give to my son Rowland Stark one negro wench named Edy and her first child that she brings I give my grandson James Denton at eighteen months old and then the wench to my son Rowland Stark forever..... To Witt, I give to Mary (Stark) Harrison two hundred acres of land known by the name of (Hointon's Hack) during her life (sic) one negro man named David, one sorrel maire and after her decease I give it to her son James Harrison forever..... Also I give James Harrison one negro woman named Aggey during her life to him and his eares (sic) forever..... To Witt, I give to Benjamin Harrison two hundred acres of land known by the name of ? (Levil) one negro man named Cate forever..... To Witt, I give to Ellender Harrison one negro boy named Harry forever..... And as for my old wench named Sall my desire is that she may choose her home with any of my family which she likes best to live with..... To Witt, I give ro Susannah Harrison one negro boy named Peter forever..... To Witt, I give to Liddy Harrison one negro girl named Hanna forever..... To Witt, I give to my son John Stark two hundred acres of land where he now lives, also one negro woman named Mary forever..... To Witt, I give to my grandson James Stark one negro boy named Jack forever..... To Witt, I give to my son William Stark sixty silver dollars forever..... To Witt, I give to my beloved wife, Jean Stark one horse by the name of Blaze..... To Witt, I give to Mary (Stark) Harrison twenty pounds of Virginia money forever..... To Witt, I give to my grandaughter, Sally Stark one bead and furniture forever..... And all my estate that I have here not mentioned is to be sold at twelve months credit and money arising from the said property to be equal divided among those that I have here mentioned. My wife Jean Stark and my son Rowland Stark and Mary (Stark) Harrison, Benjamin Harrison, Ellender Harrison, Susannah Harrison and Liddy Harrison forever..... I appoint my beloved wife Jean Stark and Mary Harrison. Merryman Barnes Executors to this my Last Will And Testiment..... I witness thereof, I have here unto set my hand and seal on this the fourteen day of April One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety Eight. Signature James Stark (seal) Signed, Sealed and Delivered in the presets of James Godfrey, Thomas Neale This will was copied by Mabel Hadler ( my aunt ) I assume the misspelled words were on the original will. NOTE: From M.J. Hadler- This is a copy of the will of James Stark, father of Rowland. The Superior Court of Granville County, N.C. sent me the xerox copy and it was written with such heavy ink on both sides of the paper that some of the ink came through. But we managed to read it. James calls his wife Jean but the court record gave it as Jane. Also, it said that owning 5 slaves made a man wealthy, James owned at least 10. |
The background music on this page is "Claire de Lune" by Debussy. |
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(Poem by 12 year old Rowland boy)
A Tribute to Lawrence Stark |