FYI,
Approx 10 +/- Carruthers, & others, ided here.
ABSTRACT OF NORTH CAROLINA WILLS website
"An abstract of every will found in the office of the Secretary of State is
published herein"
ORIGINAL & RECORDED WILLS OFFICE SECRETARY OF STATE
BY J. BRYAN GRIMES, SECY OF STATE
RALEIGH: E. M. UZZELL & Co., STATE PRINTERS AND BINDERS. 1910.
http://www.lib.ecu.edu/ncc/historyfiction/document/gra/entire.html
INTRODUCTION.
The increasing interest of the public in the old wills filed in the office
of the Secretary of State has caused the Trustees of the Public Libraries to
authorize the Secretary of State to prepare the within publication. An
abstract of every will found in the office of the Secretary of State is
published herein. These abstracts show the name of the testator, place of
residence, names of wife, children, legatees, witnesses, probate officer,
etc.; also, names of plantations mentioned and remarkable items or
noteworthy passages in wills.
The first record I have been able to find providing for the keeping of wills
in the office of the Secretary of State is the following order:
Order'd that a Commission be Deliver'd to ye Honble Majr Samuel Swann Esqr
Secretary of State for this province Impowering him to keep an office for ye
proving of Wills Granting administrats & probetts and all other Matters for
ye Ordering & Securing of Dead Mens Estates according to ye foll Rules.
1. The Honble Secretary of State for ye time being shall atend ye
Secretaries Office att ye Genrll Court House ye first thursday in every mo
who shall have full power to prove Wills grant probetts & administrations &
take care of Dead Mens Estates.
2. No will shall be proved or administration ordered either in ye Genrll
Court or in ye precinct Court of Chowan Pequimans or Pascotant after ye
first day of August next but only before ye sd Officer appoynted as afs'd
and ye Clarks of each Respective precinct aforesd are hereby required to
Return all papers and wrightings Relateing to wills & administrations and
all other Concerns relating to Dead Mens Estates which shall Ly in their
Respective offices into ye Secretaryes office within two mo.
3. Iff no person with in 2 months after ye Date of any person Dying
Intestate appeare to sue for administration it shall be in ye power of ye sd
officer to assigne an administrator.
4. Iff an Executor shall neglect to make proof of the will within 6 mo ye
time Limitted by Law it shall be in ye power of ye sd Officer to Grant
administration to the nearest of kinn if any sue for ye same if not to such
pesons as he shall think fitt.
5. And ye sd Officer shall not grant administran or probatt of Will till
Certificate be produced of ye Register ye Death of ye pson decd in ye
Respective Registers as ye Law Directs.
6. And every prson suing for Admintrat Shall give in Sufficient Security
before ye sd Officer & before whom all Evidence shall be brought to prove
wills.
[iv]
7. And every prson who shall obtain admintrati or Probett shall within one
year after such adminstrat. or probatt obtaind bring in a true Inventory
with acct of ye Estate in their hands until they shall obtaine further time
which ye sd Officer hath power & liberty to grant.
The original of this paper was found by the late J. R. B. Hathaway in the
courthouse at Edenton.1 This order is without date, but was issued about
1700, as Samuel Swann was Secretary of State in that year and the first of
his records are dated at that time.
The next legislation I find in reference to wills is an act of the General
Assembly of 1715, chapter 48, the caption and first three sections of which
are as follows:
AN ACT CONCERNING PROVEING WILLS AND GRANTING LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION AND
TO PREVENT FRAUDES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF INTESTATES ESTATES.
I. Be It Enacted by his Excellency the Pallatine & and the rest of the True
& Absolute Lords Proprietors of the Province of Carolina by & with the
advice & consent of the rest of the Members of the General Assembly now met
at Little River for the No. East part of the province & by the Authority of
the same.
II. It is Hereby Enacted & declared that all Wills & Administrations
heretofore proved & granted by the Council, General Court, Precinct Court or
by powers or Commission heretofore granted by any Governor, Deputy Governor,
President & Council to any particular person or persons shall be deemed
adjudged & taken to be good & effectual to all Intents & Purposes whatsoever
as if proved before Or granted by any Ordinary or other Ecclesiastical Judge
or person.
III. And Be It Further Enacted by the Authority afors'd that it shall & may
be lawfull for the Governor or Commander in Chief for the time being the
General Court or Precinct Court to have Wills proved before them and Grant
Orders for Administration. Provided the same be not repugnant to the Rules &
Methods prescribed in this Act And Provided that the Granting Letters
Testamentary or Letters of Administration allways Excepted which shall be
allways from & after the Ratification of this Act signed by the Governor or
Commander in Chief for the time being and sealed with the Colony seale &
only Issuing out of the Secretary's Office & Counter signed by the Secretary
or Deputy. * * * * * * * *
This act validates probates up to that time, confirms letters of
administration previously granted and provides for the better regulation of
these matters.
. . . . . . .
1 Published in The North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol.
III, p. 57.
================================================
ABSTRACT OF WILLS.
http://www.lib.ecu.edu/ncc/historyfiction/document/gra/entire.html
. . . .
BANGS, ABIAH, widow of JONATHAN.
Craven County.
June 3, 1755. Cousin: ELIZABETH HOBBS ("my lot in Newbern Town"). Daughter:
BETTY BANGS. Sisters: ELIZABETH and MARY CARRUTHERS. Brothers: JOHN
CARRUTHERS, WILLIAM CARRUTHERS. Executors: WILLIAM CARRUTHERS (brother),
ROBERT JONES, "oturney at law." Witnesses: WILLIAM CREEKMORE, RUBIN
HAMMONTREE, WILLIAM CARRUTHERS, SR. No probate.
BANGS, JONATHAN.
Craven County.
October 7, 1743. June 15, 1744. Wife: ABIAH. Daughter: BETTY BANGS. Sister:
THANKFULL COVELL. Executors: JOHN CARRUTHERS (uncle), ABIAH BANGS (wife).
Witnesses: FRANCIS BRINLEY, JNO. CARRUTHERS, JO. RD. HICKSON. Clerk of the
Court: W. ROUTLEDGE. Coat of arms on seal.
. . . .
[Page 34]
NATH'L CARRUTHERS
BLANING (wife), MATTHEW ROWAN. Witnesses: ROBERT DOWIE, THOS. HALL and -.
Clerk of the Court: THOS. ROBESON. Coat of arms on seal.
BLICHENDEN, THOMAS.
Perquimans County.
April 12, 1744. July Court, 1745. Sons: JOHN (plantation on Sound Side),
WILLIAM ("plantation whereon I now live"), ABRAHAM. Daughter: SARAH. Wife:
MARY. Executors: MARY BLICHENDEN (wife), ABRAHAM and WILLIAM BLICHENDEN
(sons). Witnesses: MAC. SCARBOROUGH, NATH'L CARRUTHERS, ZACH. CHANCEY. Clerk
of Court: EDMUND HATCH. Courthouse on Phelps Point. Coat of arms on seal.
. . . .
"JOHN CARRUTHERS (brother of wife) - Wife: SARAH. "
BOND, VINYARD.
Beaufort County.
March 25, 1762. November 8, 1762. Wife: SARAH. Son: SWEETING. Daughter:
SARAH. (Plantations on Care Point, Trent River and Town Creek to wife and
children for support of children). Sisters: SUSANNAH KERSHAW, SARAH, MARY
and MARGARET. Executors: SARAH BOND (wife) and JOHN CARRUTHERS (brother of
wife). Witnesses: WILL'M PEYTON, WILL'M TRIPPE, HENRY LOCKEY, THOMAS LEE.
Will proven before ARTHUR DOBBS at Newbern
. . . .
W. CARRUTHERS, JUNR. Clerk of the Court: SOL. REW
BRIGHT, WILLIAM.
Craven County.
January 12, 1754. November 6, 1754. Son: STOCWELL ("all my land down the
Riever * * * * one plantation on Orched Creek and one Do. on Loer Broad
Creek"). Daughters: SUSANAH BRIGHT, ELENAR BRIGHT, MARY BRIGHT, SARAH
BRIGHT, ANN NELSON. Grandson: HARMON GASKINS. Granddaughters: MARY and SARAH
BRIGHT. Wife and Executrix: ANN. Witnesses: JAMES ARTHER, SARAH ARTHER, W.
CARRUTHERS, JUNR. Clerk of the Court: SOL. REW.
. . . .
CARRUTHERS, JOHN.
Perquimans County.
February 2, 1751-1752. April Court, 1752. Wife and Executrix: ELIZABETH
("plantation whereon I now dwell lying on Yopim"). Brothers: JAMES and JACOB
(tract of land on Deadman's Swamp), NATHANIEL and ROBERT (land up Roanoke).
Executor: JOHN WILKINS. Witnesses: J. HALSEY, DEBROH WILKINS, JAMES
BRINKLEY. Clerk of the Court: EDMUND HATCH.
CARRUTHERS, JOHN.
Craven County.
September 20, 1751. February Court, 1752. Daughters: SARAH RICE (gold
buttons), ROCKSOLANAH WITHERINTON (1 lot in Newbern joining Pollock Street
and Eding Street, known as No. 98), FRANCES HODGES (cattle and one slave).
Sons: JOHN ("riding sadal & bridle, one pr. large money seals and silver
shu-buckels and Knee Buckels"), JOSEPH (6 large silver tea spoons, silver
tea tongs and strainer and four large silver spoons), WILLIAM. Sons-in-law:
FRANCES HODGES and JOHN WITHERINTON. Wife: CONTENT. All lands and lots in
Newbern (including the two where "the long house stands"), together with
slaves, ordered to be sold and proceeds divided among three sons. Executors:
JOHN and JOSEPH (sons). Witnesses: SARAH BETSWORTH, ABIAH BANGS, SOL. REW.
Clerk of the Court: PHIL. SMITH.
CARRUTHERS, NATHANIEL.
Executors: JAMES and JOHN CARRUTHERS (sons)
JACOB CARRUTHERS. Clerk of the Court
Perquimans County.
June 22, 1745. January Court, 1750. Sons: JAMES, JACOB and JOHN. Executors:
JAMES and JOHN CARRUTHERS (sons). Witnesses: JOHN STEPNEY, JOHN RONSHAM,
JACOB CARRUTHERS. Clerk of the Court: EDMUND HATCH. Justice of the Peace:
PETER PAYNE.
. . . .
CARRUTHERS, ROBERT.
Newbern, Craven County.
March 14, 1758. March 27, 1758. Wife and Executrix: UNICE. Daughter: LYDIA
RALIER. (To these two is devised "all my lotts in New Bern [Page 64] and all
my land in this Province.") Witnesses: MICH SMITH, THOS. HASLEN, RD.
COGDELL. Will proven before ARTHUR DOBBS at New Bern.
. . . .
HANNIS, JOSEPH.
Clerk of the Court: JNO. RICE
JOSEPH CARRUTHERS
Craven County.
June 30, 1745. September 7, 1745. "Christ Church Parish & County of Craven."
Son and Executor: JOSEPH. Wife and Executrix: CATHERINE. Witnesses: FRANCIS
STRINGER, WM. THOMPSON, JOSEPH CARRUTHERS, GEORGE WIGGINS. Clerk of the
Court: JNO. RICE.
. . . .
HARMAN, CALEB.
J. CARRUTHERS
Proven before JO. MARTIN
Perquimans County.
October 2, 1773. March 9, 1774. Sons: ROBERT and JAMES ("my plantation to be
equally divided between them"), CALEB and JOSHUA. Daughter: ORPAH HARMAN.
Wife and Executrix: ELIZABETH. Executor: THOMAS HARMAN (brother). Witnesses:
J. CARRUTHERS, ZEBULON CALLOWAY, MARY HARMAN. Proven before JO. MARTIN.
. . .
HILL, ROBERT.
NATH'L CARRUTHERS
Tyrrell County.
January 16, 1735-1736. February 4, 1735-1736. Son: ROBERT ("my plantation").
Wife: ANN. Daughter: SARAH HILL. Executors: CULLEN POLLOCK and ROBERT WEST.
Witnesses: SAMUELL DURRANCE, NATH'L CARRUTHERS, PAUL THORP. Proven before W.
SMITH, C. J.
. . . .
This has taken us only about 20% of the way through the Wills, and only
seeking Carruthers. I'm going to complete the trip, but only extracting such
as I see interesting. bw
. . . .
MURPHY, JEREMIAH.
Craven County.
November 26, 1750. May Court, 1752. Son: THOMAS. Executors: GEORGE LANE,
THOMAS MURPHY and JOHN LANE. Witnesses: JOHN MURPHY, JANE CARRUTHERS, JNO.
CARRUTHERS, JR. Clerk of the Court: PHIL. SMITH.
. . . .
NEALE, ABNER.
Craven County.
January 5, 1770. October 14, 1772. Sons: ABNER (land on Adams Creek),
RICHARD (land bought of WILLIAM CARRUTHERS
....
WILLIAMS, JESSE.
Onslow County.
September 27, 1773. Sons: LOT (one negro and land on N. W. Branch of New
River "above DR. CARRUTHERS' bridge at a place called Gerald's neck"), .
. .
Proven before JO. MARTIN
. . . .
http://www.lib.ecu.edu/ncc/historyfiction/document/gra/entire.html
[Page 429]
INDEX TO ABSTRACT OF WILLS.
(Names of testators are printed in capitals.)
Carruthers, Nath'l 34, 165, 300
Caruthers, Content 63
Caruthers, Dr. 410
Caruthers, Elizabeth 16, 63
Caruthers, J. 152
Caruthers, Jacob 62, 63 (2)
[Page 459]
Caruthers, James 63 (3)
Caruthers, Jane 261
CARUTHERS, JOHN 63
CARUTHERS, JOHN 63
Caruthers, John (son of John) 63 (2)
Caruthers, John 16 (3), 38, 63 (2)
Caruthers, Jno., Jr. 261
Caruthers, Joseph 63 (2)
Caruthers, Joseph 149
Caruthers, Mary 16
CARUTHERS, NATHANIEL 63
Caruthers, Nathaniel 63, 220, 300
CARUTHERS, ROBERT 63
Caruthers, Robert 63
Caruthers, Unice 63
Caruthers, William, Sr. 13
Caruthers, W., Jr. 48
Caruthers, William
Carruthers, John 1755-1758 62
Carruthers, Robert 1753-1768 135
Witherin, Wm. 333
Witherington, Rocksolanah
Witherinton, John 63
Rice, Danll. 1712-1722 251
Relf, Thos. 1712-1722 270
Rice, Lucy 1712-1722 315
http://www.lib.ecu.edu/ncc/historyfiction/document/gra/entire.html
419
Rice, Lucy (inventory) 1722-1735 58
Ratliff, Samuel 1722-1735 318
Ratliff, Richard (inventory) 1722-1735 62 p 656
Smith, Richard 1750-1758 35
Smith, Richard 1750-1758 199
Smith, Thomas 1750-1758 205
Craven, James 1755-1758 12
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