The Will of John Wray

In the Name of God Amen. I Jno Wray of the Parish of Maherrin in the county of Brunswick being weak of Body but of sound & perfect sense (?) & memory Praise be given to almighty God do make and ordain this to be my Last Well & Testament in the Name and form following first & principally I commend my soul unto the hands of God my Creator and my desire is for my Body to be Decently buried at the discretion of my Executors hereafter named. & as to my Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with I Dispose of as Followith after my Debts & funeral expenses are paid.

Item I Lend to my well beloved wife Frances Wray my best Feather Bed & furniture & my roane on ____ mare During her natural Life and then to be Divided as followeth.

Item I Give & Bequeath unto my son Nathaniel Wray one shilling.

Item I Give & Bequeath to my son Jno Wray one shilling.

Item I Give & Bequeath to my Daughter Rebeccah Culver one shillling and no more.

__ my will & Desire is that my Land wereon I now live shall be sold and all the residue of my Estate be it of what kind soever at publick sale and my daughter Mary Wray to be first paid Fifty shillings out of the money the Land sells for and Fifty shillings to my Grandson Benjamin Wray and the remainder to be Equally Divided between my well Beloved wife Frances Wray and the remainder of my children / to wit, my son James Wray and my Daughter ____ Mize & Edy Mize and at the Death of my said wife my Desire is that the Bed & furniture & mare be sold and equally divided among my three last mentioned children.

Also my will & Desire is if my Roane Mare should prove with Fold that my well beloved wife shall comply with my agreement with Jno Powell my neighbor & Deliver to him the said Powell the Foll of the said mare at one years old in good order for the consideration of Forty shillings to be paid by the said Powell to my Exors to be Equally Divided as before entioned & two Barrells of Corn to my wife towards the support of the said Fold I make my son James Wray my ___ & ___ executor of this my last will & testament whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this being the 11th day of May 1773.

Signed Sealed & Delivered In the Presence of Benj Johnson Jno Powell

his John R Wray Mark

At a Court held for Brunswick County the 23rd day of May 1774 This will was proved according to Law by the oaths of Benj Johnson & Jno Powell the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of James Wray the Exor therein named who made oath and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of James Wray the exor therein named who made oath and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of James Wray the Exor therein named who made oath thereto according to Law & together with Jeremiah Mize his security entered into & acknowledged his Bond in the Penalty of Two hundred pounds _____ as the Law Dirests certificate is granted him of obtaining a probate thereof in due form.

Teste

Peter Pelham

fyi - for more information about this family contact:

Pat Ray Scheele, PO Box 9, Mead, Nebraska 68041