WILL OF NOBLE LADD

Surry County, North Carolina

Will Book I pg. 173

In the name of God Amen this Twenty second Day of October in the year of our Lord One Thousand and Seven Hundred and Eighty Two, I, Noble Ladd Snr., of Surry County North Carolina state, Planter, being very sick and weak in body, but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given unto God for the same, and calling to mind the mortality of my body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament.

That is to say, principally and first of all, I give and recomend my soul into the hand of God that gave all; and for my body I recomend it to the earth, to be buried in a Christian like and decent manor at the direction of my Executor, nothing doubting but at the general Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the Mighty Power of God; and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, devise and dispose of the same in manner and form following, that is to say in the first place I give and bequeath unto Judith my dearly beloved wife two negros Viz. Jacob & Chloe during the term of her natural life, if she die in widowhood, but in case she should marry again then I will that the aforesaid two negros Viz. Jacob & Chloe go to my two sons Viz. Amos & Constantine; Also I give and bequeath to my said wife during the term of her widowhood four cows and calves, (one feather bed, one) roan horse, and one half of my pewter;

Also I give and bequeath to my beloved son Amos Ladd one negro named Peter;

Also I give and bequeath to my beloved son Constantine Ladd one negro named Will;

Also I give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah five shillings sterling;

Also I give and bequeath unto my daughter Judith five shillings sterling;

Also I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth five shillings sterling;

Also I give and bequeath unto my daughter Huldah one cow and calf;

Also I give and bequeath to my daughter Molly one feather bed, one cow & calf, and one white horse called Webster;

Also I give and bequeath to my daughter Annie five shillings sterling;

Also I give and bequeath unto my daughter Ede one negro wench named Dilse;

Also I give and bequeath unto my well beloved son Noble Ladd, whom I also constitute and appoint sole executor of this my last Will and Testament, one negro fellow named Dick;

Also I give and bequeath to my beloved son Joseph Ladd two negros Viz. Abraham and Doll, by name, also one feather bed; Lastly I give and bequeath to my son William Ladd two negros named Dinah and Jacob, which said Jacob is a boy, together with all my working tools and utensils of husbandry, and four hundred and fifty acres of land whereon I live, together with all within and without doors about the same, Nevertheless I will and require that if my wife Judith shall live with her two youngest (Viz. William and Ede) on my said plantation that she shall have an equal share of the profits arising therefrom (for her) maintenance during the term of her widowhood and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and dis(avow) all and every other former testaments, wills and legal bequests and executors by me in any wise before this time named willed and bequeathed. Ratifing and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written,

/s/ Noble Ladd (seal)

signed sealed and published pronounced and declared

by the said Noble Ladd as his last will and testament

in presence of us the subscribers that is to say

Andrew Robinson

Edward Thompson

Peggy Thompson (her X mark) He died after 22 Oct 1782 in Surry Co., NC.4 He was living in Stokes Co., NC.1 He was living in Albemarle Co., VA.1 The Warren Ladd book lists 7 children of Noble Ladd and Miss Davis: Joseph, Noble, William, Constantine, Amos, Huldah, and Judith. Another researcher believes there were 5 additional children: Anna, Elizabeth, Sarah, Edee, and Molly.