Will, NC, Craven, LEMUEL HATCH 1776 In the name of God Amen. I LEMUEL HATCH of the county of Craven in the province of North Carolina, being now in perfect health of body and of sound mind and memory, thanks be to almighty God for the same, but calling to mind the mortality of my body, knowing that it is appointed unto all men once to die I do make & ordain this my last will and testament. And first of all, I commit and commend my soul into the hands of God who gave it and my body to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner at the discretion of my executors, nothing doubting but that I should receive the same at the great rising. And as for what worldly a state of lands and tenements, goods and chattels, it has pleased almighty God to bless me with in this life, I lend, leave, give and bequeath in the manner and form following. IMPRIMIS I lend on to MARY [HATCH] my beloved wife the use of the land and Plantation, whereon I now dwell, lying between STEELE’s and REASONOVER’s Runs, before and during her widowhood, or until my son LEMUEL [HATCH] comes of age, or marries, then in it a my desire that my son LEMUEL should have two thirds of the said lands and Plantation, also I lend her a child's part of my movable estate and the use of all my movable estate during her widowhood until my children shall come of age, or marry, to bring up, school and educate my children and to keep all my lands clear of quit rents, and the over plus (if any) to be put out at interest, the party taking the money to give bond and sufficient security to my executors hereafter named for the use and benefit of all my children. ITEM I give unto my son LEMUEL part of a tract of land, patent bearing date April 29th 1768, being the residue of 540 Acres part of which I sold two hundred acres the said lands lying on the Allumn Branch on the south side of Trent River also a piece of land joining the land I now live on. Beginning at an oak, SLAUGHBOCK’s corner tree, tree running S 58 W 82 poles then S 77 W 82 poles then S 11 E 85 poles then E 4 poles to my old patent line then N 45 E until it comes ??? the beginning and then a direct line to the same. The patent bearing date 6th of May 1760. Also the land I now live on except for a small part thereof, given Hereafter to my son JOHN [HATCH] and EDMUND [HATCH], I also give the land I bought of DAVID VENTRESS, deed bearing date 16th March 1764. I give him also 50 acres of my Pocosan land patent being for 200 Acres dated 6th May 1760. I give the said five pieces of land to my son LEMUEL his heirs and assigns forever. ITEM I give to my son JOHN one piece of land called the Beaver dam land containing 300 acres and patent bearing date 10th October 1755. Also a piece being part of the land I now live on. Beginning at the beginning of the same running along the said land across the branch the distance of 80 poles and from thence with a direct line to the fork of the Millpond. Also 50 acres land in the Pocosan patent bearing date May 6th 1760. I give the said three pieces of land to my son JOHN his heirs and assigns forever. Page 1 of 5 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, NC, Craven, LEMUEL HATCH 1776 ITEM I give to my son EDMUND [HATCH] one piece of land I bought of JAMES FRASER, also I give him my Saw mill and grist mill, also 50 acres of my focus and land I give the said two pieces of land and Mills to my son EDMUND his heirs and assigns forever. ITEM I give to my sons JOHN and EDMUND equally to be divided between them all my lands and the Great Neck the patent bearing date 23rd May 1757. EDMUND to have that half that joins the land I bought of JAMES FRASER. Also that part of the land I now live on in the Great Neck joining the aforesaid land given them. To them their heirs and assigns forever. ITEM I give to my son EDMUND the liberty of getting timber, for the mill use, off my said land that he that the patent Bears date 3rd October 1751. ITEM I give to my son DURANT [HATCH] a tract of land containing 640 acres, patent bearing date 3rd October 1751. Also 50 acres of my Pocosan land, also the remainder of the piece land given to my son LEMUEL bearing patent dated 6th May 1760. Also a piece of land I bought of DAVID VENTRESS patent bearing date 29th September 1735. Also 60 Acres land, where JOSHUA COLLINS dwelt, once transferred from PETER STEELE to STEPHEN GLEAR. I give the set 5 pieces of land to my son DURANT, his heirs and assigns forever. ITEM I give to my son ASA [HATCH] one piece of land in Onslow County on the south side of New River which I bought of ELIAS EDEN. Also one lot in New Bern conveyed to me from my father-in-law Mr. JOHN FONVILLE. I give the said land and lot to my son ASA his heirs and assigns forever. ITEM I give to my son IVY [HATCH] one piece of land containing 100 acres granted me by patent bearing date 26th October 1767 on Fullard’s Creek in Onslow. Also my other lot of land in New Bern joining my son ASA’s. I give the said tract and lot to my son IVY his heirs and assigns forever. ITEM I give to my son ANTHONY [HATCH] one piece of land containing ?? Acres which I bought of THOMAS IVY. I give the same to my son ANTHONY his heirs and assigns forever. ITEM I give to my to Sons ASA and IVY to be equally divided between them three tracks or pieces of land (to wit) the land I bought of WILLIAM REED, LEVIN MESSICK and a piece I patented bearing date 25th of April 1767 containing 200 Acres ASA to have the upper half on the river and IVY’s lower half on the sound. Also a piece of land I bought of DAVID ROSS that THOMAS THORNTON to be equally divided between them I give the said two pieces of land to my son's ASA and IVY to their heirs and assigns forever. ITEM my will and desire is that all the remainder of my estate be equally divided between my seven sons and my two daughters ELIZABETH [HATCH] and MARY [HATCH] at their arrival to age, or marriage, to them their heirs and assigns forever. ITEM my will and desire further is that if any of my sons should die before they arrive to age 21 years or have lawful male heir, then his or their lands to be equally divided between their surviving brothers, except it be one that has land left to be divided between him and another, then I desire his land may fall to his co-heir with him in it, to be his, his heirs and assigns forever. Page 2 of 5 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, NC, Craven, LEMUEL HATCH 1776 ITEM my will and desire further is that if any of my children should die before they come of age or have lawful heirs that then his or their part of Negroes or movable estate be equally divided between the surviving brothers and sisters to be their heirs and assigns forever. As lastly I do hereby nominate, constitute, ordained and appoint my son's LEMUEL and JOHN executors of this my last will and testament. And I do hereby utterly disallow and make void all other wills and Testaments, vouching and declaring this only to be my last will and testament. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and fixed my seal this second day of April 1774. LEMUEL HATCH {seal} Signed, Sealed, published, pronounced and declared by the said LEMUEL HATCH to be his last will and testament in the presence of EDMUND HATCH JAMES WATSON CHARLES MARKLAND NB. I also do a point FRANCIS FONVILLE an Executor with my two sons LEMUEL and JOHN as witness and this 7th Day of November 1776. Witness LEMUEL HATCH {seal} STOKES NORMENT ELIZABETH NORMENT ELIZABETH ANDRESS {her mark} JAMES WATSON Page 3 of 5 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, NC, Craven, LEMUEL HATCH 1776 Last will and testament of LEMUEL HATCH deceased Proved 3rd February 1777 And letters issued same day The annexed last will and testament of LEMUEL HATCH, late of Craven County, Esquire, deceased, was proved before me by the oath of EDMUND HATCH one of the subscribing witness has there to who swore that he saw the said deceased sign, seal, publish and declare the same to be his last will and testament, that he the testator to the best of the knowledge and belief of the witness was at that time of sound and disposing mind and memory and that he also saw JAMES WATSON and CHARLES MARKLAND sign as concurring Witnesses with him. At the same time STOKES NORMAND, a witness to the codicil to the said will, also swore before me that he saw the aforesaid LEMUEL HATCH sign, seal and acknowledge the said codicil, that he was then of sound mind and that he also saw ELIZABETH NORMENT and ELIZABETH ANDRES witness the same with him. FRANCIS FONVILLE, LEMUEL HATCH and JOHN HATCH executors in the said codicil named also appeared before me, and qualified as such, of which the secretary is to take notice and issue letters accordingly. New Bern 3rd February 1777 R. CASWELL Page 4 of 5 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, NC, Craven, LEMUEL HATCH 1776 ###### # # ##### ####### # # ##### ####### # # # # ## ## # # # ## # # # # # ## ## # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ###### # # # # #### ##### # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ## ### # # # # # # ###### # # ##### ####### # # ### ##### ####### # # Transcribed from original documents by Brent R. Brian & Martha M. Brian. This document and others can be found on our website: BMGEN We claim COPYLEFT on the documents that we publish that are our original work. COPYLEFT “rules” can be reviewed on the web site: GNU Free Documentation License In short, use what you like. But if you use our stuff, mention us as the source. Brent R. Brian Martha M. Brian BrianMitchellGenealogy@gmail.com Page 5 of 5 ** PAGE BREAK **