Last Will and Testament of Andrew Secrest


STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA UNION COUNTY.

     IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, I ANDREW SECREST OF THE COUNTY AND 
STATE AFORESAID, CALLING TO MIND THE FRAILTY OF MY BODY THE CERTAINTY
OF DEATH AND THE UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE AND BEING BLESSED WITH A SOUND 
MIND AND DISPOSING MEMORY DO HEREBY MAKE, PUBLICK AND DECLARE THIS
TO BE MY WILL AND TESTAMENT, HEREBY REVOKING & MAKING NULL & VOID ALL
PROMISE WILLS BY ME HERETOFORE MADE.

AND FIRST OF ALL AFTER MY DEATH I DESIRE MY BODY TO BE BURIED IN A 
DECENT AND CHRISTIAN MANNER, SUITABLE TO THE WISHES OF MY FAMILY 
& FRIENDS, MY IMMORTAL BEING BEING I COMMAND TO GOD WHO GAVE IT, AND 
SUCH ESTATE AND WORDLY GOODS AS IT HAS PLEASED GOD TO BLESS ME WITH
I WILL AND BEQUEATH AS FOLLOWS TO WIT.

1ST.  I WILL AND BEQUEATH TO MY BELOVED WIFE MARY ALL MY LANDS WHICH
I NOW OWN, AND WHEREAS I NOW LIVE IN ALL ABOUT TWO HUNDRED AND 
THIRTEEN OR FOURTEEN ACRES TO BE HERS DURING HER NATURAL LIFE.

ITEM 2.  I WILL AND BEQUEATH TO MY WIFE ALL MY STOCK OF CATTLE, HOGS, 
HORSES, TO BE HER'S AABSOLUTLEY AND TO DO WITH AS SHE PLEASES.

ITEM 3.  I WILL AND BEQUEATH TO MY WIFE ALL MY HOUSEHOLD AND KITCHEN
FURNITURE, AND ALL MY PLANTATION TOOLS AND FARMING UTENSILS, ALSO 
MY WAGON & BUGGY & THE THE HARNESS FOR EACH TO BE HERS FINALLY AND ABSOLUTELY.

ITEM 4.  I WILL AND BEQUEATH TO MY WIFE ALL THE GROWING CROP OF CORN,
COTTON, WHEAT, OATS,POTATOES OR ANY OTHER GROWING CROP THAT MAY 
ON HAND AT MY DEATH, AND I DESIRE MY WIFE TO HAVE ALL THE CORN,
WHEAT, BACON, FLOUR, OR ANY OTHER ARTICLE OF PROVISIONS OF FOOD,
WHICH MAY BE ON HAND AT MY DEATH, FOR EITHER "MAN OR BEAST" OR IT
THERE IS ANY COTTON PICKED OUT AND NOT SOLD, I WANT HER TO HAVE IT.

ITEM 5.  I WILL AND BEQUEATH TO MY WIFE TWO NEGRO SLAVES GREEN & 
MARY TO BE HERS FINALLY AND ABSO;ITELY TO DO WITH AS SHE PLEASES
PROVIDED SHE DOES NOT MARRY AGAIN, AND IN THE EVENT OF SHE DOES
MARRY ANOTHER THEN MY WILL IS THAT THOSE TWO NEGROES AND THE
INCREASE OF THEM (IF ANY) TO FALL BACK OR DESCEND TO MY CHILDREN
AND TO BE EQUALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN THEM OR THEIR LAWFUL 
REPRESENTATIVES, AND FOR THE DIVISION TO BE MADE 'PER STIRPES".

ITEM 6.  AFTER THE DEATH OF MY WIFE THE OLD PLANTATION OF ABOUT ONE
HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE ACRES I GIVE TO MY GRANDSON, FRANKLIN L ROGERS,
TO HIM AND HIS HEIRS FOREVER.

ITEM 7.  THE SAM BLACK PLACE OF ABOUT FIFTY-FIVE ACRES, AFTER THE
DEATH OF MY WIFE, I GIVE AND BEQUEATH TO MY WIFE'S GRANDCHILD, 
A SON OF ELIZABETH OSBORN, A BOY BY THE NAME OF "JOHN C. CALHOUN"
OSBORN.

ITEM 8.  I WILL AND BEQUEATH TO MY SON JACOB SECREST, A NEGRO BOY
BY THE NAME OF SILAS AND FOR THAT TO BE THE SHARE AND NO MORE OF MY
PROPERTY.

ITEM 9.  AFTER MY DEATH I DESIRE MY EXECUTOR HENCEINAFTER APPOINTED 
TO SELL A NEGRO GIRL BY THE NAME OF MISSOURIA, AND OUT OF THE
PROCEEDS OF THE SALE OF THE GIRL TO PAY OVER TO MY SON SAMUEL T. SECREST
ONE HUNDRED DOLLAS AS A BEQUEST TO HIM FROM ME, AND FOR THAT AMOUNT OF
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS AND THE INTEREST THEREON FROM THE MATURITY OF THE
SALE OF THE SAID NEGRO GIRL I DESIRE MY EXECUTOR TO PAY OVER TO MY SON 
EPHRAIM SECREST DEDUCTING THEREFROM COMMISSION FOR SELLING AND
COLLECTING.I MEAN THE EXPENSES ON THIS ONE NEGRO, FOR THAT TO BE THE 
FULL SHARE OF MY ESTATE.

ITEM 10.  O WOSH MY EXECUTOE TO SELL MY NEGRO WOMAN CINDA, AND HER
YOUNGEST CHILD NOT YET NAMED BUT IS ABOUT A WEEK OLD AT THIS TIME,
AND AFTER PAYING ALL MY DEBTS, AND THE EXPENSES OF ADMININSTERING
THIS WILL AND SETTLING UP THE BUSINESS OF MY ESTATE, THE BALANCE OF
THE PROCEEDS ARRIVING FROM THE SALE OF CINDA AND HER CHILD, TO BE 
EQUALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN MY DAUGHTERS,NANCY RICH, LEAH LANEY, TILLITHA 
TOMBERLIN, AND TIBITHA HOWELL AND THE CHILDREN OF MY DAUGHTER
REBECCA LEMMOND - THE DIVISION TO BE MADE 'PER STOPIES'.

ITEM 11.  I WILL AND BEQUEATH TO MY SON ABRAM J SECREST FIVE DOLLARS
AND NO MORE.

ITEM 12.  MY EXECUTOR HEREINAFTER APPOINTED I WISH TO USE HIS OWN 
DISCRETION AS TO THE LENGTH OF CREDIT HE WILL SELL THOSE NEGROES ON,
THE TIME AND PLACE OF THE SALE, AND WITH OR WITHOUT INTEREST AS HE
MAY THINK BEST.

TEM 13.  SHOULD ANY ARTICLE OF PROPERTY BE OMITTED AND NOT HEREIN 
DISPOSED OF, IT IS HEREBY GIVEN TO MY WIFE TO BE HERS ABSOLUTELY.

       LASTLY, I HEREBY APPOINT MY FRIEND D.A. COUSINTON EXECUTOR TO 
THIS MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMONY, AS PARTICULARLY REQUEST HIM TO ACT
AS SUCH.

SIGNED SEALED, PUBLISHED AND NAMED TO BE THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT 
OF THE WHO HAS SIGNED IT IN OUR PRESENCE AND HAVE REQUESTED US TO 
WITNESS THIS SAME, WHO IN THE PRESENCE OF TESTATOR AND IN THE 
PRESENCE OF EACH OTHER HAVE HEREUNTO SUBSCRIBED OUR NAMES AS
WITNESSES THIS THE 6TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER A.D. 1858


ANDREW SECREST

JOHN W. HELMS
J. C. WILLIAMS

THIS WILL IS IN THE UNION COUNTY COURTHOUSE, BOOK 1 PAGE 157 

to Will Index.