Craven County, NC - Eli Nelson Will, 1785 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Craven County Wills from books by Laura Willis Vols I & II dunham@wk.net Craven Co. NC Wills Vol One (1709-1789) With permission of Laura Willis Will Book A, Page 98 Will of ELI NELSON In the name of God, Amen. I, Eli Nelson of Craven county, being sick and weak in body, but of sound mind and memory, yet calling to mind that all men re mortal and that it is appointed for all men once to die, I do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say. First of all, I recommend my soul to God that give it, hoping that at the resurrection to receive the same again through the merits of Christ Jesus; and my body to be buried decently at the discretion of my Executors hereafter named; and as for all my worldly goods that God hath blessed me with, I give as followeth. I tem, I give and bequeath to my son Thomas Tigs Nelson, all my land and plantation whereon I now live, after the death of his mother, to him and his heirs forever. I also give him my small gun, and one three year old heifer that I bought of James Moore. My will and desire is that my loving wife Mary Nelson, keep all my stock of cattle, hogs and sheep, and all my household goods of every kind to enable her to raise my children, she taking prudent care of it until my son Thomas F. Nelson comes to the age of twenty-one years, and then my will is that all my estate not heretofore given, be equally divided between my loving wife and all my children that shall be then living. And I appoint my loving wife and my trusty friend Benjamin Cummings, my sold Executrix and Executor of this my last Will and testament. In witness whereof, I hve hereunto set my hand and fixed my seal this 6th day of November 1784. Test: Joseph Masters Phillip (x) Presly Eli (X) Nelson Will was proven in open court at the June term of 1785 by the oath of Joseph Masters, with Mary Nelson and Benjamin Cummings qualifying as Executors. William Bryan, Clerk __________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Gail Swain ___________________________________________________________________