Will of Young Dorch - 1 Oct 1846 Original Will, on file in Raleigh, NC Archives CR 073.801 I Young Dorch of the County of Orange and State of North Carolina being of sound mind & memory but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence do make and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following that is to say First that my executors (herein after named) shall pro vide for my body a decent burial suitable to the wishes of my family and pay all funeral expenses together with my Just debts howsoever and to whomsoever owing out of the moneys that may first come into their hands as a part or parcel of my estate. Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Nancy Dorch the plantation on which I now live together with Jinny, Merinda and Edy with their increase also all the stock of hogs cattle and horses household and kitchen furniture with the crop of corn wheat & oats on hand at my decd to be hers & at her disposal during the term of her natural life. at her decease I desire that said plan tation with Jinny & Edy with their increase belong to my daughter Lucy Walker & her heirs to be hers and at her disposal forever. the above mentioned girl Merinda I give to my wife in fee simple & with all her increase to be at her own disposal forever Item I give and devise to my son John Dorch a Negro boy willis to be his at a fair valuation by two good men and not otherwise also an equal share of the household Kitchen furniture at the decease of my wife Item I give and devise unto my daughter Mary Nichols a negro girl Dilcy & her increase to be hers at a fair valuation by two good men and not otherwise also an equal part of my household and Kitchen furniture at the decease of my wife [page 2] Item I give and devise unto my daughter Emeline wife of David Lockhart a negro boy Dennis to be hers at a fair valuation by two good men and not otherwise also an equal part of my household and Kitchen furniture at the death of my wife I disire further that if the three last married legatees refuse to take the said slaves and pay a fair valuation as above required that they be sold by my executors and the proceeds applied to my debts. Item I give and devise to my daughter Lucy Walker the Plantation on which I now live also two slaves Jinny and Edy with all their increase to be hers and her heirs in fee simple forever after the decease of my wife. also an equal part of my household and Kitchen furniture Item I give and devise unto my son David Dorch the sum of two hundred dollars to be paid him by my other children proportionally as they have received of my estate. to be his in fee simple forever. ["and lastly" crossed out] And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my trusty friends John Y. Dorch and David Lockhart my lawful Executors to all intents and purposes to execute this my last will and testament according to the true intent and meaning of the same and every part and clause thereof - hereby revoking and declaring utterly void all other wills and testaments by me heretofore made. In witness whereof I the said Young Dorch do hereunto set my hand and seal this 1st day of October A.D. 1846 Signed sealed and delivered his in presence of Young (X) Dorch(seal) Jno C. Douglas Jurat mark Martin Murphey Transcription note: Left edge of original bound with conservator's tape, so the left quarter inch of the will is harder to read. The ink is somewhat faded. Handwriting is good. Orange County, North Carolina Will Book F, pages 315-316, FHL Film #0019485 I Young Dorch of the County of Orange and State of North Carolina being of sound mind & mem ory but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence do make & declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following that is to say, First that my executors (herein after named) shall provide for my body a decent burial suitable to the wishes of my family & pay all funeral expenses together with my just debts howsoever & to whomsoever owing out of the moneys that may first come into their hands as a part or parcel of my estate. Item I give & bequeath unto my beloved wife Nancy Dorch the plantation on which I now live together with Jenny, Merinda and Edy with their increase also all the stock of hogs cattle & horses house hold & kitchen furniture with the crop of corn, wheat, & oats on hand at my decease to be hers & at her disposal during the term of her natural life at her decease I desire that said plantation with Jinny & Edy with their increase belong to my daughter Lucy Walker & her heirs to be hers and at her disposal forever the above mentioned girl Merinda I give to my wife in fee simple with all her increase to be at her own disposal forever Item I give and devise to my son John Dorch a negro boy Willis to be his at a fair valuation by two good men and not otherwise also an equal share of the household & kitchen furn- iture at the decease of my wife Item I give & devise to my daughter Mary Nichols a negro girl Dilcy & her increase to be hers at a fair valuation by two good men & not other- wise also an equal part of my household & kitchen furniture at the decease of my wife Item I give & devise unto my daughter Eme- line wife of David Lockhart a negro boy Dennis to be hers at a fair valuation by two good men & not otherwise also an equal part of my household & kitchen furniture at the death of my wife [page 316] I devise further that if the three last married legatees refuse to take the said slaves and pay a fair valuation as above required that they be sold by my executors and the proceeds applied to my debts. Item I give and devise to my daughter Lucy Walker the plantation on which I now live also two slaves Jenny & Edy with all their increase to be hers & her heirs in fee simple forever after the decease of my wife - also an equal part of my household & kitchen furniture Item I give and devise unto my son David Dorch the sum of two hundred dollars to be paid him by my other children proportionally as they have received of my estate to be his in fee simple forever. And lastly I do hereby constitute & appoint my trusty friends John Y Dorch & David Lockhart my lawful Executors to all intents & purposes to execute this my last will & Testament according to the true intent & meaning of the same & every part & clause thereof - hereby revoking & declaring utterly void all other Wills & Testaments by me heretofore made. In witness whereof I the said Young Dorch do hereunto set my hand and seal this 1st day of October A.D. 1846 Signed Sealed & delivered his in presence of Young (X) Dorch(seal) Jno C. Douglas mark Martin Murphey Orange County November Term 1846 The Execution of the foregoing Will was duly proved in open Court by the oath of Jno C Douglas a subscribing witness thereto and ordered to be recorded Whereupon John Y Dorch one of the executors therein named appeared and qualified as such Test Transcription by Ben Franklin of Durham, NC 2 Dec 2009. Please credit me if you use this. This information is in the public domain. Note: Some transcribers who have only seen the Will Book copy, assert that the year was 1826, rather than 1846. Examining the surrounding will book, and the titles at the top of the pages therein, along with the original makes this unmistakably 1846 instead.