In the name of God Amen, I William Fulford of Carteret County, being of sound and perfect mind and memory, prefsed (praised) be God, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament on manners and form following.

First, I give and bequeath to my oldest son James Fulford one Negro woman named Befs (Bess) and four children by names Pomp (?), Phebe, Demps (?) and Ned--and their increase and also one Negro man named Bob to him and his heirs forever.

Also to my three grand children Enoch, Kesia and Sarah Fulford I give and bequeath one Negro girl named Nancy and her increase forever. And to my daughter-in-law Hannah Fulford, now Hannah Bell I give five shilings.

To my grand children, the children of Jedadiah Fulford deceased I give and bequeath one Negro girl named Phebe and her increase forever. And it is my will and desire that the dwelling house standing on my land in which the said Jedadiah formerly lived, be sold and the money ariving (sic) from such sale to be appropriated to the education of the children of the said Jedadiah. And to my daughter in Law Sarah Fulford I give and bequeath (what appears to be--document blurred) five shillings.

To my son Uriah Fulford I also give and bequeath one Negro boy named Jacob, and his heirs, but in case the said Uriah dies without issue lawfully begotten of his body, the boy Jacob is to return and be equally the property of all my surviving children. And in that case I give to my daughter (daughter in law) Hannah, wife of Uriah five shillings.

Also I give and bequeath to my son Uriah fifty acres of land belonging to my plantation beginning at the mouth of a gut that separates my plantation from John (repeats the name John) Fulford deceased runing (sic) a westerly course (document torn, but word appears to be ‘along’) ...ng the sound side so far as that a line runing (sic) from the front to my back line will include fifty acres, but in case the said Uriah shall have no lawful issue then and in that case he decease the said fifty acres is to be come the property equally of all my surviving children and their heirs forever.

To my son Absolom Fulford I give and bequeath a Negro boy named Jerry, to him and his heirs forever and all my lands not already given away I give and bequeath to be equally divided between my two sons James and Absolom provided ___________that if my son Rodney, whom is now supposed to be lost, should hereafter return within the term of seven years, it is my will and desire that he take the Mannnor (sic) Plantation dwelling house and all the improvements thereon, and if he never returns to my daughter-in-law Betsy I give five shillings.

It is also my will and desire that my daughters, Ruth, Adah, and Anne have the use and benefit of my dwelling house plantation and the improvements onto thereon for the term of five years after my decease.

I also give and bequeath to my daughter Ruth and her heirs forever one Negro girl named Peggy with her increase.

To my daughter Anne I give and bequeath one Negro girl named Kate and her increase forever.

I also give and bequeath to my daughter Adah a Negro woman named Sylvia and one named Rose with their future increase for ever.

To my daughter Magdalen I give and bequeath one Negro woman named Jude, she and her increase forever.

Also I give and bequeath my right on the Banks and my right on Cart Island to the equal benefit of all my children--Also to my three daughters, Ruth (,) Anna (,) and Magdalen I give and bequeath to each one a feather bed (,) bedstead (,) and furniture. And to my daughter Adah the feather bed and furniture wherein (two words that are not clear)

_______ _____ lye and one woollen wheel (.)

I also give and bequeath to my grand son William Fulford a Negro girl named Rose and her increase forever.

It is also my will and desire that all my just debts be paid and my funeral charges, and to that end I appropriate all such property as is not hereon otherwise disposed of and should that not be sufficient, the residue of my debts to be paid (one or two words that are not clear) ______ ______the before (one or two words that are not clear because the original page was folded along this line) Legatees.

And lastly I do ordain and appoint my three sons James, Absalom and Uriah Executors of this my last will and testament. In writing whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the 12th day of February in the year of our Lord 1806.

/s/ Wm. Fulford

Signed, sealed published and
declared by the said William Fulford
the Testater (sic) as his last will and testament in
the presence of us

(X) Stephen Fulford
(X) Jjohn Briggs
(X) Joseph Fulford

(This note was written at the foot of this will:

Carteret County November Court 1806

this written paper was exhibited into court and legally proved by the oaths of Stephen Fulford and John Briggs to contain the last will and testament of William Fulford dec.

/s/ Geo Read CIC)

The face of the will includes the following:
William Fulford
Will
Nov. Term 1806
(Recorded in Book D Page 173)

 ....................................

William Fulford’s last
Will and Testament
Proved
November Term 1806
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This will transcription was provided by Florence FULFORD Moore on Sunday, September 17, 2000, from a copy of the original will on file at the Department of History and Archives, Raleigh, NC.

(Enoch was the son of JOSEPH FULFORD and Hannah Ward. Joseph died ca 1806, having been murdered. Hannah’s father was Enoch Ward, Jr.; her grandfather was Enoch Ward, Sr. Hannah is mentioned in this will as Hannah Bell. The Joseph Fulford who witnessed this will may have been a nephew.)