Source: NC Wills & Inventories - Grimes Written: 1751 North Carolina, New Hanover County IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, the Last will and Testament of Roger Moore, of the Parish of Saint Philips. Imprimis, I doe give, Devise and Bequeath unto my Son, George Moore, and his Heirs forever the Following Tracts or Parcells of Lands, Vizt., All that Part of my Plantation Called by the Name of Kendall, Bounding to the Southward by the Creek that runs up to my Mill as far as there is a Post to be fixt about three Hundred yards up the Creek above the House where Gready Lately removed from; and from thence a Due west Line to be Continued as far my Lands runs up the Neck, and Bounded to the Northward by Mr. Allens Creek, with the Little Island of Marsh fronting the said Plantation in the River. And all Other my Lands bounding on the said Creek; and all Other my Lands Lying between the Thorofare and Black river, in the Neck known by the Name of Maultby's Point, with all my Lands on the Island Opposite; And One half of the Tract of Land in the fork of the river known by the Name of Mount Misery; the Same to be Divided in Such Manner as my son, George, shall think Proper to Direct; and them my William to Take his Choyce, & that to be Done in One year After my Decease. And five Hundred Acres on the Northwest river, Lying Between the Lands of Mr. Job Howes and the Land that was Mr. Dallisons, Decd.; and all that Tract of Land I bought of Mr. John Porter, Decd., on the No. West River at or Near the Saxapahaw Old fields, being Three Thousand & Twenty five Acres; And the Lott of Land in the Town of Brunswick where Mr Ross at Present Dwells, being five Poles wide & runing from the river as farr as the Street before Doct. Fergu's House, with the Wharf and all Other Improvements thereon. Item, I doe give unto my Aforesaid Son, George, my Negro man Higate the Carpenter, His wife Rose, with all her Issue & Encrease. Item, I doe give, Devise & Bequeath unto my son, William Moore & his Heirs for ever all that my Plantation called Orton where I now dwell, Joyning on Kendals, as its before Bounded by this my Will, with all my Land Bounded to the Southward on the Creek where My Mill now is, being in all about 2500 Acres; & also, 640 Acres at Rockey Point, bounding on Mr. Allens and the river, and the Remaining, half of Fifty five Thousand Acres in the Neck known by the Name of Mount Misery, and all the Tract of Land bounded by the River & Smiths Creek; and 5000 Acres at or near the Haw or Eno old Fields. Item, I doe Also give, Devise, and Bequeath unto my Said Son, William, One full fifth Part of the Slaves I Shal Dye Possessed of; and its my Will that all my Slaves Shall in One Month After my Decease be Devided into five Equal Parts, as near as mybe, by himself and my Son George, when so done that my son; William, take his Chance by Lott for such his Part. And I doe Also give unto my said Son, William, all the Stock of Horses & Cattle. & Sheep that Shall Properly belong to & be on my Plantation Orton, at my Decease, with all my Plate & Household furniture, Hee, my son William, Paying to my son George, in Two years After my Decease, the Sum of One Hundred Pounds, Proclamation Money or the Value thereof. Item, I doe give unto my Daughter, Sarah Smith, the Sum of five Pounds, being in full for her Fortune; She having Already recd. from me, with the Legacy Left her by Her Grand Mother, by my Computation, at Least £1600 Sterling. Item, I doe give unto my Daughter, Mary Moore, the Sum of Eighteen Hundred Pounds, Proclamation Money, or the Value thereof, to be Paid Her, or sure'd to be paid Her, in Two years after my Decease; but on the Condition Only my Exors. then Taking a Release for the Legacy left her by Her Grand Mother, Mrs. Sarah Trott, and Also, that she Doe not Marry but with the Consent of my Exors. & her Aunt, Mrs. Sarah Allen, or the Majority of them. Item. I doe give unto my Daughter, Anne Moore, the Sum of Eighteen Hundred Pounds, Proclamation Money, or the Value thereof, to be Paid her, or sured to be paid Her, in Two years after my Decease; But on the Same Terms & Conditions as Her Sister Mary before Mentioned. Item, I doe give unto my son in Law, Mr Thomas Smith, & his Heirs for ever, all that Lott of Land in the Town of Brunswick where Mr. William Lord at Present resides, Besides with the Building thereon. Item, I doe give, Devise & Bequeath unto my sons, George & William Moore, and their Heirs forever, all the rest & Residue of my real & Personal Estate, to be Equally Divided Between them, After the Payment of all my just Debts & Legacys, but on these Conditions, that they, at the expence of my Estate, Maintain their Said Sisters, Mary & Anne aforesaid, untill their Legacy become Due, unless they shall Marry before, but Nevertheless, if my Two Sons Shall Choose to pay their Legacy Out of my Principal Estate, they shall be at their Liberty so to doe soe as not more then One third of the same be Paid to Each in Land; & the Lands & slaves to be Vallued to them by Indifferent Persons, to be Choose by each Party, & they on Oaths, there being Twenty Odd Thousand Acres of Land & Near Two Hundred & fifty Slaves, with the Stock of Horses, Cattle, &c., & besides the Debts Due To me not before Bequeathed in this my Will. Item, I doe Devise & Bequeath unto my Dear beloved Wife, Mary Moore, all the Estate that was her own at the Time of Her Marriage, be it of any Nature and Kind Whatsoever, with the Profits arising Since Such her Marriage; as also the Saw Mill I entend to Build on Brices Creek, with the Slaves & all Utensils that shall Properly Belong to them. And if it shal soe Happen that I shal Dye Before the said Mill shall be Compleatly finished, that She, my said Wife, is to have the work of my four Carpinters now at Nuce, until they be Compleatly Finished; and the aforesaid Land & Mill I doe give unto my said Wife, Hurs forever, & in full Consideration of her Dower & any Claim She may have by Law to any Part of my real & Personal Estate. Item, it is my Will that each of my Daughters, Mary & Anne, Doe at their Marriage, take Each their Choyce of any One of the House Slaves, Except the Negro wench Bess, who I leave to Her Liberty to make Choyce of any One of my Children for her Master or Mistress. Lastly, I doe Nominate and appoint my Two Sons, George & William Moore, Exors. to this my Last will & Testament, Revoaking all Other Wills herefore made by me. In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal, this 7th. Day of March 1747/8. ROG. MOORE (seal) Signed, Sealed, Published & Declared to be my Last Will & Testament in the Presence of: WM FORBES RICHD QUINCE GEO LOGAN A Codicil to this my Last will & Testament: Whereas, it is Apparent from the Late Storm, that the Legacy I have Bequeathed unto my Loving Wife, Mary, The giving her my saw Mill and the Appurtenancys thereunto Belonging, may, Instead of being a Yearly Profit to her, Prove rather an Expence, therefore I doe Absolute Declare that Part of my will soe much as relates to the Saw Mills and appurtenancys thereunto Belonging to be Void and of none Effect; &, in Lieu of the Same, do give unto my said Loving Wife, Mary, One Hundred Pounds, Sterling Money, or the full Vallue thereof, to be Paid her Yearly by my Exors. During the Time she Does remain my Widdoe, and noe Longer, and the same to be in full for her right of Dower, & in full for any Claim or Demand of any kind Whatsoever She may have Legully to any Part of my Estate. In Testimony Whereof I have here unto Set my Hand & Seal, the 30th. Day of June, 1750. R. MOORE. (seal) Signed, Sealed & Published inthe Presence off us: WM ROSS REBECCA COKE GEO LOGAN Att a Court held at Wilmington, On the Last Tuesday in May, in the Year of Our Lord, One Thousand, Seven Hundred and fifty One. On Motion the Last Will & Testarnt. of Roger Moore, late of the Province of North Carolina, Esqr., Deceased, was Proved in Due form of Law By the Oath of George Logan, One of the Subscribing Witnesses to the said Will and Codicil, by which Will George Moore and William Moore are Appointed Exors. of the Last Will and Testament of the said Roger Moore, Decd., which said William Moore and George, Appeared in Court and Took the Oath of an Executor According to Law. Therefore it is Ordered that Letters Testamentary do issue to the said George Moore and William Moore, to Impower them to Take upon themselves the Execution of the said, of the said Roger Moore, Decd. By the Court. ISAAC FARIES, C. C. Mr Rice's Ex'or, Dr for this, 16 Cash. Copied from the Original Will, Filed in the Office of the Secretary of State.