Cindy Lewallen - Jul 17, 2011
I am looking for a copy of William Lewelling's Will written in 1798. Dick Lewellyn was kind enough to send me a copy years ago, and I cannot locate it. Does anyone have a reasonably clear copy (not a translation of the text) or have an email address for Dick Lewellyn? I would also like to have a copy of Jane Luallen and Jonathan Luallen's will (b 1769 d 1848) if anyone has one. I have the text but would like to have a photocopy of the original will.
Thanks, Cindy Lewallen
Billie Harris - Jul 17, 2011
Cindy, I obtained a copy of the original by writing to, I believe, the County Recorder's office in Randolph County, North Carolina. After I had typed it verbatim for the book and then published the book, our house was flooded. Some of the papers were destroyed and my own copy of the book was among them. Fortunately my mother had a copy. But for the papers not destroyed, I had to eventually toss them because of the volume of accumulated papers and no place to store them.
You might get it by writing the Recorders Office of Randolph County. Unlike many of the old Wills, it was written so that it was easy to read so whoever wrote it - whether William or someone else - had good handwriting.
You have the text but here it is again the way words were spelled in the Will although the caps are mine so we could easily pick up the names in the Will:
Will of WILLIAM LEWELLING of Randolph County, N.C.:
“North Carolina, Randolph County. Bee it known to all men that I WILLIAM LEWELLING of the aforesaid being in a perfect mind and Memory thanks be to god for it there fore knowing that it is once appointed for all Men once to dy and the time when an sartain as touching such Worly Estate whar with it hath pleased god to Bless me with in this Life I give and Dismiss and Dispos of in the following Manner and form.
“First My Will is that all my just Debts shall be paid and 2ly I give to my Dear Wife MARY LEWELLING my house and plantation and two horse beasts and my plantation hulls and 3 cows and five sheep and as manny hogs as she wants and two feather beds and furnetur and all my house hold property to be for her soport while she lives a widow and if she marrys nothing to remain hirs but one feather bed and furnitur one horse beast and hir saddle and one cow and calf and all the rest to be for the youse of the fore youngest children and the plantation to be rented and kept for them till they come of age and 3ly I leve five shillings to my son JOSEPH LEWELLING, 4ly I leve to my son JONATHAN LEWELLING five shillings and 5ly my son WILLIAM LEWELLING I give one hundred acres of land beginning on Margret Belfours Line and runing south to a corner from thence West to the Long Branch on scarlots line thence down the Long Branch to the mouth of the first Branch thence to Margret Belfours Corner. 6ly I give to my son JOHN LEWELLING Fifty Acres of land lying between Samuel Alexanders line and John scarlots line. 7ly I give to my daughter JEAN TURNER five shillings and 8ly I want the two hundred acres I know liv on equally devided between THOMAS LEWELLING and SHADRICK LEWELLING and MASHACK LEWELLING when they come of age and each of them one horse beast and saddle if to be had out of my estate and 9ly to my daughter MARY LEWELLING I give one feather bed and furniture and one horse beast and saddle if it to be rasid out of my estate and some of my house hold ware and Lastly I nominate and appoint my dear wife MARY LEWELLING and son JONATHAN LEWELLING and son JOHN LEWELLING My Executors to my Last Will and Testament and I do hereby utterly disalow all and every other Will and testament requests Executors by me in any before this time by me Naimed Willed and Rattifiing and confirming this and no other to be or contain my last Will and testament in witness Whoreoff I have hereunto set My hand and Seal this 7th day of May 1798 signed and sealed in the presents of us.
William Lewelling (Seal)
Elisha Hobbs, Barnabas Hobbs, Joseph Newby, Richard Hutton"