North Carolina Archives and History
Secretary of State Microfilm
Roll S.108.202
1663-1790

North Carolina }
Craven County }

In the name of God Amen I Francis Stringer of the Province and County first mentioned Surgeon being of sound mind and memory do this eighth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty nine make and publish this my last will and testament in manner following Viz:

Imprimis I will and desire that my wife Hannah Stringer and my daughter Elizabeth Stringer, shall out of what I hereafter in this will and testament give and bequeath them equally pay my just debts and funeral charges (that is) that my said wife Hannah Stringer shall out of what by this will is left her pay the full one half of my funeral charges and that my said daughter Elizabeth Stringer out of what is left her by this will pay the other half of my debts and funeral charges which I desire my herein after mention'd executors may duly see executed

Secondly I give and bequeath unto my dear mother Mary Stringer if living and claiming by her self or any other person for her within the term and space of ten years ensuing the date hereof one of my feather beds, one good buggy, one good pair of blankets, one good midslin sheets, one good feather bolster and pillow, one good pillowcase and one bedstead, two middle siz'd iron potts, twelve new pewter plates, two new pewter dishes, one good case of knives & forks, to be bought by my executors out of my personal estate and deliver'd by them to her likewise I give and bequeath unto my said mother Mary Stringer if living and shall come into this said Province or claim as abovesaid my stock of hoggs that are upon a plantation or belonging thereto which I formerly bought of Henry Summerlin, ten cows & calves, I further will and devise that my said mother when in this Province shall live upon said plantation on Cotentnoe which I bought of said Henry Summerlin and have the whole profits of said plantation and the use and labour of two Negres (to wit) of one Negro man call'd Bigg Caesar and of one Negro woman said Caesars wife call'd Rose during my said mothers natural life and after her my said mother decease I devise and bequeath said plantation and land containing three hundred acres unto my half brother Ralph Stringer his heirs and assigns for ever provided he or his representative claims the said land within ten years after my said mothers decease, and the above said two Negroes after my said mothers decease I give my daughter Elizabeth Stringer and in case my said mother should not come into this Province and claim by her self or others any part or parcell of any bequest or legacy left her before in this my will it is then my will and desire that my executors herein after mention'd shall make sale of my land in Adam's Creek and out of the money arising from such sale pay unto my said mother if living and claiming by her self or others one hundred pistoles

Thirdly I give and bequeath to Anne Coffe widow four pounds sterling

Fourthly I give and bequeath to my brother in law John Shine the one half of a tract of land I bought of Durham Handcock lieing on the east side of Stoney Town Creek in Craven County and to his heirs and assigns for ever, I further order and direct after said land shall be divided he shall take his choice of which part he will except, I give and bequeath unto my said brother in law John Shine sums of money he is indebted to me at the date hereof my silver mounted cuttor and all my books except the Family Books

Fifthly I give devise and bequeath unto my brother William Stringer to him his heirs and assigns forever all my lotts in New Bern Town provided he or any person for him claims in ten years and untill such claim is made I give the rents and profits of said lotts in New Bern unto my daughter Elizabeth Stringer

Sixthly I give and bequeath brother in law Daniel Shine my land upon falling creek in Johnston County in this Province to him his heirs and assigns for ever

Seventhly I give and bequeath unto John Stringer a crippled boy son of George Stringer of Core Creek in this town county one hundred and forty three pounds eleven shillings old bill money which his father George Stringer is indebted to me which said sum of one hundred and forty three pounds eleven shillings I desire my executors to buy cows and calves with and take up a piece of land for said John in good place for cattle and put the cattle out on said land for the use of said John Stringer

Eightly I give to my executors hereafter mentioned one mourning ring to each executor each ring to be in vallue one guinea

Ninthly I give to William Bond whatsoever sum or sums of money that at this date he is indebted to me

Tenthly I give and bequeath unto my nephew Thomas Stringer Jun'r son of my said brother Ralph Stringer and unto my illegitimate brother Thomas Stringer equally to them their heirs & assigns for ever provided they or any person for them claim in ten years my land commonly call'd Dover containing more or less two hundred & fifty acres and if any one of them or any person impowered by them should claim before the other then it is my desire that my executor should lay off to him so claiming the full one half of my said land call'd Dover

Eleventhly I give and bequeath unto my loving wife Hannah Stringer eight Negroes (to wit) one Negro man call'd Joe Prince, one Negro man call'd Adam, one Negro man call'd Dublin, one Negro man call'd Old Jimmy, one mullato boy call'd Zekeil, one mulatto woman call'd Patt or Peggy, one Negro woman call'd Phillis, and one Negro girl Cloe, the one half part of my household goods and stocks of cattle horses & hogs except what so ever given also the half of all my outstanding debts, goods wares and merchandize of any denomination whatsoever

Twelvethly I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Stringer eight slaves (to wit) one mulatto man call'd young Jimmy, one Negro man call'd London, one Negro man call'd Briston, one mulatto woman call'd Mary, one Negro boy call'd Little Caesar, one Negro boy call'd Will, one Negro girl call'd Lucy, one Negro girl call'd Salina and in case my said mother Mary Stringer does not come into this Province I likewise give unto my said daughter Elizabeth Stringer two slaves more, to wit, one Negro man call'd Big Caesar and one Negro woman call'd Rose, I likewise give and bequeath unto my said daughter Elizabeth Stringer the full one half of all my household goods stocks of cattle horses and hogs, except what is before givin to my mother Mary Stringer, also the one half of all my outstanding debts, goods wares and merchandise of any denomination whatsoever

Item I give and bequeath unto my said daughter Elizabeth Stringer all my real estate that I am now possessed with except such part as this will or otherwise given and bequeathed to her and her heirs lawful begotten of her body for ever and in case my said daughter should die before she comes of age or has lawful issue of her body, I then give devise and bequeath the above ten Negroes that are given as above to my said daughter and all my real estate that is likewise as above devis'd unto my said daughter Elizabeth unto the before mention'd William Stringer my brother and to his heirs lawfully begotten of his body forever and for want of such heirs I then devise and bequeath the whole that I have given to my said daughter to be equally divided between my before mentioned nephew Thomas Stringer and half brother Ralph Stringer and my illegitimate brother Thomas Stringer and their heirs lawfully begotten for ever and for want of such heirs I then desire my executors may deliver up my said daughters estate unto Church Wardens of Christ Church Parish in this county aforesaid for the time being and do hereby give my said daughters estate unto the poor of said Christ Church Parish and do order it to be employ'd in manner following (to wit)

I do hereby impower said Church wardens to sell said estate left to my daughter both real and personal and to put the money arising from such sale out to intrest and the intrest to be apply'd yearly in putting our poor peoples children to school in said Parish in perpetuum the principle being untouch'd

Thirteenthly It is my desire that my wife Hannah Stringer shall have the all and profits of my plantation on Stoney Town Creek whereon I now live during the course of her natural life provided she claims nor takes any dower out of my lands, but if she claims or takes any dower of my said lands then my will is she shall have no part of my personal estate except forty pounds sterling which I desire my executors may pay her, and in case my said wife Hannah remains unmarried after my decease I desire she may keep my said daughter with her and educate and maintain her handsomly untill my said daughter shall arive to the age of twenty one years or day of marriage which shall first happen and that my said wife for and towards such educating and maintaining my said daughter shall have and keep to her her own use the profits of the lands and negroes by this will given to my said daughter but in case my said wife marries before my said daughter arrives to age or is married as aforesaid then and in such case I hereby order and direct that my executors hereafter named shall take into their hands all the estate hereby given to my said daughter and apply in the best manner for the use of my said daughter so that they nor any of them make sale thereof and in case my wife marries before my daughter arrives to age or is married then I appoint my executors guardian to my said daughter

Item In case my mother should choose in full for all legacies left her in this will to be paid said hundred pistoles then and in such case, I impower hereby any executor to sell and convey my land that I bought of Humphrey Smith and John Smith which lies in Adams Creek down Nuse River and out of the proceeds of sale should be left after my said mother is paid of said one hundred pistoles I desire my executors may divide it equally between my said wife and my said daughter but in case my mother or her other persons shall not choose to take the said hundred pistoles I then desire my executors in no manner or way whatsoever to sell or convey any part of my real estate

Lastly I nominate and appoint my friends Daniel Shine, James Greene and Thomas Graves executors of this my last will and testament revoking disallowing and making hereby of none effect any former will or wills by me made in any manner of ways whatever hereafter made and I desire my above mention'd executors in the name of God to see this my last will and testament executed to the best of their power and in testimony that this is my last will and testament I have hereunto set my hand and affix'd my seal this eighth day of January 1749

Fr's Stringer {Seal}

Sign'd Sealed Acknowledged and declared
By the said Francis Stringer to be
his last will and testament forever
Abner Nealy
Jno Kennedy
John (his x mark) Jones
Jos Atherly

A Codicil to my last will and testament now lodged in the hands of Daniel Shine Esqr

North Carolina }
Craven County }

Whereas by my last will and testament I have given unto my well beloved wife Hannah Stringer one Negro fellow call’d Dublin and since the date of said will and testament I have sold the abovesaid Negro fellow unto John Marshall it is my will and desire that my said wife Hannah Stringer shall have one Negro fellow called Big Caesar in room of sd fellow call’d Dublin, which sd fellow called Big Caesar I hereby give and bequeath unto my sd wife Hannah Stringer and to her heirs and assigns for ever, not with standing the bequest made of sd Caesar to my daughter Elizabeth Stringer, but this bequest not to take place until my mother Mary Stringer is dead or not come into this Province, for if my sd mother comes into this province she is to have, if she chooses, the work of sd fellow Caesar her life time I confirm this bequest to my sd wife in this my codicil by signing my name this 20th day of January Anno Domini 1749

Fr’s Stringer

I publish and declare this to be the Codicil of my last will and testament as within mention’d which by setting my hand and seal I confirm this 20th day of January 1749

Fr’s Stringer

John Oliver
Jno Kennedy

Febry the 3 1753
I give to my brother Ralph fifty pound sterling
I give unto John Shine two hundred acres land now the upper side of the tract that I now live on to him and his heirs for ever

Fr’s Stringer

Witnesses present
John Shine
Lem’l Harvey

The within codicil was proved in due form of law by the oath of John Oliver one of the subscribing evidences thereto this thirtyth day of March 1753 before me

Matt: Rowan

Letters issued 20 March 1753

Fran’c Stringer Will North Carolina

The within will was proved in due form of law by the oath of Joseph Atherly one of the subscribing evidences thereto and ye acknowledged codicil witnesseth the same was also proved in due form of law by the oath of Lemuel Harvey one of the subscribing evidences to the same before me this thirtyth day of March one thousand seven hundred and fifty three and at the same time Daniel Shine, James Greene, Thomas Graves the executors therein named took the oath of an executor

Matt: Rowan

Francis Stringers will recorded in Book RS Page 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305 & 306