Contributed by: Sue Guptill
I, William C. Bryan of the State of North Carolina and County of Pamlico
being of sound and disposing mind and memory and knowing the uncertainty
of my earthly existence do make publish and declare this to be my last
will and testament, in manner and form following, and I do hereby revoke
all other wills or clauses of wills heretofore made by me.
First: That my executor hereinafter named shall provide for my body a
decent burial suitable to the wishes of my relations and friends and pay
all my just debts to whomever owing out of the money which may first come
into his hands as a part and parcel of my estate.
Second: I give and bequeath unto my beloved son James L. Bryan one
hundred acres of land a part of my tract of land located in Pamlico
County, bounded as follows: beginning at the corner of Jas. L. Lane's
and my land at the Ferebee Road and running with said road South 19 West
178 poles to the Ferebee line, thence with said line North 71 West 118
poles. Thence North 19 East 66 poles to the ditch back of the field;
thence with said ditch South 71 East 48 poles thence North 19 East 112
poles to the canal, thence with said 69 poles to the beginning. To him
the said James L. Bryan and his heirs and assigns forever.
Third: I give and bequeath unto my beloved son Franklin P. Bryan one
hundred acres of the same tract of land bounded as follows: beginning at
the corner of the tract given to James L. Bryan on the canal and running
South 19 West, 112 poles to the ditch back of the field thence down said
ditch North 71 West 112 poles to the ditch back of the field thence down
said ditch North 71 West 48 poles, thence South 19 West 66 poles to the
Ferebee Line; thence with said line North 71 West 118 poles, thence
North, 19 East, about 66 poles, thence (??line obscured by fold) the
field; thence North 19 East 112 poles to the canal thence with the canal
69 poles to the beginning. To him the said Franklin P. Bryan and his
heirs and assigns forever.
Fourth: I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Susan Elizabeth
Miller, wife of Lawrence Miller, one hundred acres of the same tract of
land bounded as follows: beginning at the corner of the tract above
given to Franklin P. Bryan, and running South, 19 West, 112 poles to the
ditch back of the field , thence with said ditch North 71 West 96 poles;
thence South 19 West about 66 poles to the Ferebee line, thence with said
line, North 71 West 65 poles to a canal in the run of (?) Neill's Creek,
thence North 19 East 113 1/2 poles to R. H. Lane's line; thence with said
line South 72 East 14 poles to crook in the canal, thence South 66 East
with the canal 72 poles to an angle in the same R. H. Lane's corner;
thence North 19 East with the canal 72 poles to Jas. S Lane's line,
thence with said line and canal 75 1/2 poles to the beginning. To her
the said Susan Elizabeth Miller and her heirs and assigns forever.
Fifth: I give and bequeath unto my beloved son John W. Bryan my tract of
land situated near the town of Goldsboro in the county of Wayne,
adjoining the lands of Henry B. Hain, Wm. P. Lane and others. To him the
said John W. Bryan and his heirs and assigns forever.
Sixth: All the rest of my lands I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife
Mary E. Bryan during the time of her natural life, the same to after her
death to my children, James L. and Franklin P. Bryan and Susan E. Miller
by equal shares as tenants in common--the lands herein given to my son
John W. Bryan being his full share of all my estate, real and personal.
Seventh: It is my will that my said children, John W., James L., and
Franklin P. Bryan and Susan E. Miller, shall severally contribute equally
to the maintenance and comfortable support of my beloved wife Mary E.
Bryan during her natural life, and if either of them shall neglect or
refuse to contribute his or her share to such support then the lands
herein given to such child so refusing or neglecting shall go to my said
wife during her natural life to her own use,--to return to the child to
whom it was originally given, after her death.
And: Lastly I hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my beloved son
John W. Bryan, sole Executor of this my last will and testament.
Given under my hand and seal this 13th day of Dec. A.D. 1876.
W. C. Bryan
Signed, sealed, published and declared by W. C. Bryan to be and contain
his last will and testament at whose request and in whose presence and in
the presence of each other we do hereto subscribe as witnesses
Joseph M. Caho
Jno.R. Redding
Reference: Pamlico County Wills, 1872-1921, Abbott-Hudnell.
NC Archives: C. R. 074.801.1.
[Note: the son Franklin P. Bryan mentionned in this will died the same
day that William C. Bryan did, 2 May 1879.]
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