LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF
THOMAS OWNBY

DATED 5 FEB, 1796. RECORDED IN WILL BOOK A, PAGE 203,
OFFICE OF CLERK OF COURT, FRANKLIN COUNTY , NORTH
CAROLINA.
QUOTE:

' IN THE NAME OF GOD - AMEN - I, THOMAS OWNBY, OF
FRANKLIN COUNTY IN THE PROVINCE OF NORTH CAROLINA, BEING
IN PERFECT HEALTH AND MEMORY - BLESSED BE GOD FOR THE
SAME - DO THEREFORE MAKE AND ORDAIN THIS TO BE MY LAST
WILL AND TESTAMENT IN MANNER AND FORM FOLLOWING:

FIRST, I GIVE MY SOUL TO ALMIGHTY GOD WHO GAVE IT, AND
MY BODY I COMMIT TO THE EARTH WHENCE IT WAS TAKEN; AND
AS FOR MY WORDLY GOODS AND ESTATE IT HATH PLEASED THE
LORD TO BESTOW ON ME, AFTER MY JUST DEBTS BEING PAID, I
GIVE AND BEQUEATH AS FOLLOWS;

ITEM: I LEND TO MY BELOVED WIFE, ANNA OWNBY, ALL MY
PERSONAL AND REAL ESTATE DURING HER NATURAL LIFE, NOT TO
BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY OF HER EXPENDITURES.

ITEM: I GIVE AND BEQUEATH TO WILLOUGHBY OWNBY, MY RIDING
SADDLE, OR THREE DOLLARS, AT THE DISCRETION OF MY WIFE.

ITEM: I GIVE AND BEQUEATH TO MY BELOVED SON, WALTER
OWNBY, FIVE SHILLINGS STERLING.

ITEM: I GIVE AND BEQUEATH TO BETSY ROBERTSON ONE NEGRO
WOMAN, CALLED 'BETT' AND AFTER THE DEATH OF MY WIFE, IT
IS MY DESIRE THAT ALL THE REST OF THE ESTATE SHOULD BE
EQUALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN BETSY ROBERTSON AND BENNETT
GOODSON, WHICH I GIVE TO THEM AND THE HEIRS OF THEIR
BODIES FOREVER. BUT IF BENNETT GOODSON DIETH WITHOUT
BODILY HEIR, IT IS MY DESIRE THAT SUSANAH OWNBY,
DAUGHTER OF WALTER OWNBY, SHOULD POSSESS THAT PART OF MY
ESTATE.

ITWM: I HEREBY ORDAIN , CONSTITUTE AND APPOINT MY
BELOVED WIFE, ANNA OWNBY,RICHARD JONES, AND JOSIAH
RUCKS, EXECUTORS OF THIS LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT, IN
WITNESS WHERE I HAVE HEREUNTO SET MY HAND AND AFFIXED MY
SEAL THIS FIFTH DAY OF FEBRUARY IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED NINETY SIX.

SIGNED: THOMAS OWNBY (SEAL)

SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED IN PRESENCE OF:
JONAH RUCKS (JURAT)
ELIZABETH RUCKS, HIS WIFE
THOMAS X. LOYD.