Source: Currituck County, North Carolina Record of Wills, 1761 - 1792, Book 1, pp. 89 - 91.

Test. Nathaniel Williams

In the name of God Amen. I JOSHUA WEST of the County of Currituck and Province of North Carolina, lately? being very? sick and weak in body but in perfect sense and memory, thanks be given to God, calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is ordained for all man kind 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 accomand my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it me and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decently at the discretion of my executors, nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall resurrect the same again by the Mighty Power of God and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased almighty God to ????? this life, I give and ????? and dispose of ??? the same in the following manner and form.

Item: I give and bequeath to my eldest son WILLIAM WEST two cows I bought of Sarah? Jones with their increase forever.

Item: I give and bequeath to my grand daughter SARAH WEST one ewe? and lamb with their ????? forever.

After the demise of WILLIAM WEST I give and bequeath to my Grandson MALACHI WEST the Mannor Plantation I purchased of L????? ????? to him and his heirs forever and if he should ????? then the land to return to his cousin WILLOUGHBY WEST.

Item: I give and bequeath to my son JOHN WEST the remainder of the said land I purchased of McLamb Lockker??? lying next to McGedem Marcham??? to him and his heirs forever and if he should die without lawful heirs of his body then the said land to return to my son WILLOUGHBY WEST and likewise I give to my son JOHN WEST all the stock that is in his ?opire? marker???.

Item: I give and bequeath to my son JOSHUA WEST at my loving wife's decease the tracks of land whereon I now live to him and his heirs forever and if he should die without lawful heir of his body, then the said land to return??? my son Willoughby West.

Item: I give and bequeath to my son WILLOUGHBY WEST all my possession of land lying in Black Water to him and his heirs forever lawfully to occupy and possess the same at twenty five years old.

Item: I give and bequeath to my daughter RACHELL WEST one good bed and furniture, one large iron pott, one linen wheal, three pewter basons, four pewter plates, one cow and yearling in her, marke one oe and lamb, one stone pott and a chest called her farthers???.

Item: I give and bequeath to my loving wife SARAH WEST two beds and furniture, one hand mill and grind stone, two weading hoe???, two axes ???? from this one stone pott, two erigsone?? dare???, three barrells of pork??, fifteen barrells of sound corne, two gernsey calfs, one heifer, and one three year old stear, four pewter basons, two pewter dishes, the horse called Jacks, and the saddle, one chest, one loom and gear belonging thereunto, one water pail, and washing ????, and two ???, three ??? and ten pigs, ten year old barrows face??? head of sheep, two linen sheets, and one wooling wheel, and all the sweatning in this house.

Item: my will is to keep??? my two youngest??? what I have given her already and giving??? them??? up without taking or diminishing any??? part I have left them.

Item: I five and bequeath to my grandson WILLIAM SIMMONS??? five pounds Virginia money to receive the same at age of twenty two paid by my executors.

And now to conclude? with the rest? of my estate to be sold for two years credit and publicke sale and divide between my two youngest daughters LURANY and LYDIA, leaving my wife whole executrix of this my last will and testament, in witness whereof I have hereunto??? and seal this ninth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy four.

Signed, sealed, published, pronounced & declared by the said JOSHUA WEST as his last will & testament in the presents of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed and named??

George Plummer
William I???
Hezekiah Doudge E.

M?????

Recorded and examined the 24th day of June 1774

Test Holl??? Williams