McLelland, William: Rowan Co.,NC; Book A, page 267 (I believe this is book A, this was very hard to read)
Last Will And Testament
In the name of God amen. the twelfth day of June in the year of our Lord 1778____ I William McLelland of ye county of Rowan and state of North Carolina, being tender and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God there fore calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die I do make and ordain this my last will and testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul unto ye hands of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a descent and ordinary manner as my executor shall think proper nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God___ and as touching such moldy estate where with it hath pleased God to Bless me with in this life, I give and dispose of them in ye following manner form_____
First I leave and bequeath unto Mary my well beloved wife one third percent of all my valuable estate and the one third of the benefits arising from the clear land I am now possed of during her life and one bay mare bought from Joseph Sanders
2 ly I leave and bequeath unto my son William the plantation I now live on except the fore mentioned presentation to my wife during her life then all to him, also one ( I could not read the last two line, it was badly faded)
3rdly I leave unto my daughter Ratchel one Negro girl named Shen and five cows with their calves, four head of sheep one bay mare named Ball, and a one year old colt and a spring colt both belonging to said mare, one feather bed with all the cloase she now hath.
4thly I leave for the building of a meeting house _____? ______? congregation, twenty pounds
5thly I leave the remaining part of my estate to b equally divided between my son John and my daughters Mary, Agness, Elizabeth, Jean, Rebeckey and Sarah only fifty pounds I alone to my son John over and above my afore named daughters
6thly and lastly I ordain and appoint William Stevenson and John McLelland my son to be my sole and lawful executors of this my last will and testament and I do here here by utterly disallow revoke all and every other former will and ____? this and not other to by my last will and testament in witness where of I have unto set my and seal the day and year above written
William McLelland , his X mark
signed sealed and delivered in presence of Jos. W. _____? Just.; Richard Griffith
McLelland, Mary; Rowan Co.,NC, Book 1 page 174, probated 17 May 1791
Last Will And Testament
In the name of God amen this 23rd of April in the year of our Lord 1779 , I Mary McLelland of the county or Rowan and state of N. Carolina being sick & weak of body but of perfect mind & memory thanks be to God, calling unto mind the mortality of my body & knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will & testament, that is to say principally and first of all I give & recommend my soul unto the hands of Almighty God & my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a descent and Christian like manner at the discretion of my executor nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God, and as touching such moldy estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life I give demise & dispose of the in the following manner & form:
I give & bequeath to my loving son Wm. McLelland all my estate real & personal to him & his heirs forever, only the legal ones hereafter bequeathed that is to say
I give & bequeath to my son John McLeland one Negro boy named ____? & one hundred pounds lawful money of this state to him & his heirs forever, Likewise I bequeath to my daughter Rachel my best mare together with the half of all my household furniture & also the half of all the cloth, yarns, flax & will to her & her heirs forever, I likewise give & bequeath to my daughter Rebekah McLelland one negro girl named Bell to her and her heirs forever.
I likewise give & bequeath to each of my other daughters (viz) Mary Stevenson, Agnes Stevenson, Elizabeth Nesbit, Sarah McConnel & Jean Stevenson five pounds lawful money of this state together with all my wearing clothes to them & their heirs forever.
And lastly I do constitute & appoint my son John McLelland & John Nisbet executors of this my last will & testament. And I do revoke & disannul all former will & testaments by me made & I do publish pronounce & declare this to be my last will & testament In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the day and year above written.
Signed sealed & declared in the presence of the subscriber _____? McKnight
John Nisbet
Jas. McCulloah
Agnes McCulloah
Mary McLelland, her mark X
A xerox of the original document may be obtained from the: North Carolina Division of Archives and History, 109 East Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27611
