Sampson County, NC
Bethany Lee's Will
Sampson County -- In the Superior Court Before J S. Bizzell, Clerk Superior Court, In the matter of the will of Bethany Lee.
Jesse Lee being duly sworn doth say: That Bethany Lee, late of said County, is dead, having first made and published his last will and testament: and that Jesse Lee is one of the executors named therein. Further, about the property of the said Bethany Lee consisting of Household & Kitchen furniture, corn, bacon is worth about $70.00 so far as can be ascertained at the date of this application and that Jesse Lee, Joab Lee, Josias Lee, David Lee, Nancy Gilbert, Martha Lee, Polly Jernigan, Appy Grant, Bethany Parker and the children of Joseph Lee are the parties entitled under said will to the said property. Jesse Lee
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 19 day of April 1890.
J S Bizzell, Clerk, Superior Court
In the name of God, I Bethany Lee of the State of North Carolina and Sampson County being of sound mind and memory, Blessed be God, do this First day of June 1886 make and publish this my last will and testament in the [illegible] following that is to say:
1st that my Exe's to pay my Buri[a]l expenses and all of my debts after my deceased.
2nd I give and bequeath to my beloved Daughter Martha Lee Nine Bed quilts, seven sheets, one chest, one small pot, one larger pot, 1/2 Doz. glasses, one spider with lead, seven cups & saucers, one chair, one bread tray, one small round dish, one small long dish, one young black sow, together with thirty six dollars and a year's support or the worth of it in money.
3rd after the above is filled my will and desire is the ballance [sic balance] if any be equally devided [sic divided] among my children and I hereby make and ordain my beloved sons Jesse Lee & David Lee Exes. of this my last will and testament. In witness thereof I Bethany Lee have within my last will and testament set my hand and seal the day and year above written.
Bethany [her mark] Lee (seal)
In presen[t]s of
State of North Carolina - In the Superior Court
A paper purporting to be the last will and testament of Bethany Lee deceased is exhibited before me, the undersigned, Clerk of Court for said County, by Jesse Lee one of the executors therein mentioned and the due execution thereof by the said Bethany Lee by the oath and exercise al_in Marshall Lee one of the subscribing witnesses hereto (the other being dead) who, being duly sworn, doth depose and say and each for himself deposeth and saieth that he is to subscribing witness with paper writing now shown him purporting to be the last will and testament of Bethany Lee that the said Bethany Lee in the presence of this deponent subscribed her at the end of said paper writing which is now shown as aforesaid and which bears date of the 1st day of June 1886.
and the deponent further saith that he said Bethany Lee the testator of__said at the time of subscribing by name as aforesaid declare the said paper writing so subscribed by her and exhibited to be her last will and testament and this deponent did whereupon subscribe his name at the end of said will as an attesting witness hereto and at the request and in the presence of the said testatrix and this deponent further saith that at the said time when the said testatrix subscribed her name to the said last will as aforesaid and at the time of deponents subscribing his name as an attesting witness hereto as aforesaid, the said Bethany Lee was of sound mind and memory, of full age to execute a will and was not under any restraint to the Knowledge information or belief of this deponent and Archul Lee being duly sworn says that D. H. Cox, the other subscribing witness with said paper writing is dead that he is well acquainted with the hand writing of the said D. H. Cox and that the signature of said D. H. Cox subscribed as witness to the said paper writing is his own proper handwriting and further these deponents say not [Severally?] sworn and subscribed this 14th day of April 1890 before me, J. H. Bizzell
Marshall Lee (seal)
The foregoing paperwriting purporting to be the last will and testament of Bethany Lee deceased having been exhibited before me by Jesse Lee, the Executor therein mentioned and the same having been shown to Marshall Lee one of the subscribing witness hereto and it appearing that D. H. Cox the other witness hereto is dead and his handwriting having been proven by oath and examination of Archul Lee, the due execution hereof by said Bethany Lee is duly proven by the oath and examination of the said Marshall Lee & Archul Lee and thereupon the said paperwriting is duly admitted as the last will and testament of Bethany Lee and is adjudged and declared to be in all respects, by the court, the last will and testament of said Bethany Lee and as such is ordered to be recorded & filed this May 10, 1890.
J. S. Bezzill
Scan of original document (page 1)
Wills, 1868-1895, Vol. 03, pp. 442-444
D. H. Cox
Marshall Lee
Sampson County
Archul Lee (seal)
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Scan of original document (page 2)
