General Notes

[Will of Henry Baker]
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, I, Henry Baker, of Chowan, North Carolina, being
in good health of Body and of Sound and perfect mind and Memory, praise
be therefore given to almighty God, Do make and ordain this present last
will and testament, in Manner and form following, that is to Say: FIRST
and principally I command my Soul into the hands of almight God, hoping
through the merits, Death and Pasion of my Savior Jesus Christ, to have
full and free pardon and forgiveness of all my Sins and to Inherit
everlasting life; and my Body I commit to the earth to be buried at the
Discretion of my Executors almighty God to bestow upon me, I give as
follows: FIRST, I will that all my Debts and funerall Charges be paid and
Discharged. ITEM, I give to my son, Henry, all the Land whereon I now
live, to him and his heirs. ITEM, I give unto my Son, Henry, these
Negroes, To Wit, Guy, Clouse, Bobb, Ceasar, Ned, Jacob, young Diner, and
Hager and their increase. ITEM, I Give unto my Son Henry, my watch, Seal,
Desk, Six
rusia Chares, ye great Glass, my Sword, one ovel table, besides what I
have already or heretofore given him. ITEM, I give unto my son, John, all
my land at a place called Little Town, and my land joining on Banks, Wynn
and ascue, and the Land bought to William Garrat, all in Bertie precinct,
with ye Stock thereto belonging, to him and his heirs. ITEM, I give to my
Son, John, these negroes, To Wit, Arthur, Juno, Finney, little Bobb, and
Dick and their increase. ITEM, I give to my Son, Blake, my land bought of
John and Thomas Wickings in Chowan, and five hundred acres thereto
adjoining, which I took up; and my land at Ahoskey marsh in Bertie and
the Stock thereto Belonging, to him and his heirs. ITEM, I give to my
son, Blake, these negroes, To Wit, Cipio, Joe, Patt, and Argalus and
their increase. ITEM, I give to my Daughter Mary, these Negroes, To Wit,
Darby, Lucey and Peter and their Increase. ITEM, I give to my Daughter,
Sarah these Negroes, Cato and Priss and their Increase. ITEM, I give to
my Son, David, 130 acres of Land at Meherring Landing and adjoining to
the ferry, to him and his heirs. ITEM, I give to my Daughter Ruth, twenty
shillings. ITEM, I give to my Son Laddock, twenty shillings. ITEM, My
will and desire is that my wife, Ruth, have the use of these negroes, To
Wit, Tom, Bendo, Daniel, Dinah, and Joyce, Brady, during her natural life
and after her Decease I give Tom and Dinah to my Son, Henry, Daniel to my
Son, John, and Bendo to my Son, Blake. ITEM, I give my wife Ruth, all the
rest and residue of my personall Estate whatsoever and my will and desire
is that my wife, Ruth, have and enjoy the Back room and Entry and half ye
Orchard to be Divided from the house Westerly and Land adjoining to the
plantation to work on Dureing her Natural Life or widowhood. ITEM, My
will and desire is that if it so
happens that my Son, John, should die in his Minority, that then the Land
I have given him Shall go to my son Blake, and his heirs. My will is that
my land at ye Knuckles, in Nansemond, be Sold by my Executor towards ye
payment of my Debts. I do hereby nominate, Constitute, ordain and appoint
my Brother William Baker to be my Executor; and in case of his Death, I
do appoint my Brother, James Baker; and in case of his Death, I do
appoint my Brother, Lawrence Baker, of this my last will and Testament,
revoaking and making null and void all former Wills. In witness whereof,
I have hereunto set my hand and Seal, this Ninth Day of January, 1737.
Signed, Sealed, Published, and Declared, by the Said Henry Baker as his
last Will and Testament in Presence of the Subscribers, Edward Vann, John
Brady, Edward Warren
Note: May ye 1st 1739. Came before me Edward Vann, John Brady, and Edward
Warren, and Made Oath
that they saw Henry Baker Sign, Seal, and publish ye within as his last
will and testament; that he w