Friend of Friends Friday - Will of Richard Cook - 1800

This week I have continued to transcribe probate records of the Cook family of Iredell County, North Carolina. This week I am posting the will of Richard Cook, written in 1800.

In the Name of God Amen.
I Richard Cook of the County of Iredill
and State of North Carolina mindful of that
mortality common to all men and being of
sound mind and memory do on this the
fifth day of April in the year eighteen hundred
make, ordain and publish this my last will
and Testament in manner and Form following
In the first place, To my beloved wife Lucey
I give for her use during her natural life
or widowhood the sole use and benefit of my
plantation on Rockey Creek on which I now
live, and all my Negroes, Mill, Farming utensils
waggon Orchards &c, and to my said wife I
give and bequeath absolutely and to be at her
disposal at her death the Negroes following
Delilah and her children Nancy & Mary
Sal and her children Tab, Hannah, little Jack
Ned, Wyat, Violet and the children they or any
of them may hereafter have.
My Stock of Horses, Cattle, Sheep, & Hogs I allow
to the use of my said wife Lucey so far as she
may choose to keep on the plantation giving
to her and my other Executors the power to sell
or dispose of any animal she may not choose
to keep and the money arising therefrom to be
reserved til the death of my wife and then
by her divided as hereafter directed.
My money, debts and every thing of the kind
I allow to be kept by my Executors untill
the death of my wife then to be by her disposed
of as hereafter directed.
The Increase of my stock after my death and
whatever may be the profits of my wifes Industry
with my hands on my plantation after my
Decease, I allow to her absolutely and entirely.
My household of Kitchen Furniture of every kind
and discription I give to my said wife for her
sole use and disposal.
At the death or marriage of my said wife I
allow my plantation on which I now live
of six hundred and forty Acres, with the Tract
adjoining I purchased of William Hughes
to Richard Jones Cook the son of my nephew
John Cook and I do hereby give and bequeath
the said Tracts of Land on Rockey Creek being
all the Land I own to the said Richard Jones
Cook, to him his Heirs or Assigns forever, at the
death of my said Wife.
My money before mentioned with the following
Negroes, Dick, Jack, Bob, Primor[?] Simon and
Ben, not willed absolutely to my wife, I allow
to be disposed by my wife Lucey among our relations
of both sides as she may judge proper and
right, by will or otherwise, hereby declaring
firm and effectual all such disposals of my
said wife Lucey.
My Sister Lucy Clanton now living on the
small Tract I purchased of William Hughes
I allow the privilege of living on the said Tract
and cultivating the same during her life if
she chooses to continue there.
Farther, I do hereby constitute and appoint my
beloved wife Lucy Cook, my brother Thomas
Cook my Nephew John Cook and Richard
King Executors of this my will, hereby revoking
all former wills and declaring this to be my
last will & Testament.
Signed, sealed, published and declared this day
and date first above written
                                        his name
                            Richard RC Cook   {seal}
                                or mark by himself
In presence of
Ja^s. King
Howell Barker Jurat
Elihu King

[Source: Iredell County, North Carolina, Will Book 1, page 89, will 59, Margaret Cooke 1800, FHL microfilm 1571950, Original wills Beaver, Moses - Kilpatrick, Andrew; Family History Library, Salt Lake City.]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock