Following are copies of the wills found belonging to William Crisp born ca1700, North Carolina, His son, Samuel Crisp born ca 1755, and Moses P. Crisp, my great great great grandfather, who is suspected to be a grandson of William, 1700, but has not been proven by documents.
The contents of the wills are complete as written originally. I have listed (Item) separately for ease of following, for the visitors to this page.
NOTE: In left hand margin of will, going down the side said: "Will Book 1, Page 107, William Crisp, Will 1783, Page 108"
WILL BEGINS:
North Carolina ( In the name of God amen I William Crisp of the Martin County ( sd. province and County being under the Afflicting of God but of A perfect and Sound mind and Memeory thanks be To god for the same and Calling to mind the Mortallity of my Body and that it is Appointed for all men once to die Do make Ordain Constitute and Appoint this to be my Last Will & Testament in the following Form and Manner.
First I Recommend my Soul into the hands of god who gave it and my Body to the Earth to be Buried in A Christian Manner at the Discretion of my Executors and as touching those Worldly Goods that God has blest one with I give and Dispose of in the following form and Manner =======
First, I Leave unto my beloved Wife Frances Chrisp the use of all my Estate of What kind soever During of her Widowhood and at the end of her Widowhood I give unto my Son Jesse Chrisp the Manner plantation Where I now live that is all the sd. plantation and Land Lying between the Creek and the Little Branch that Runs through the sd. plantation all the sd. Land to Susanna Prescoats Line and Samuell Chrisps line to him and his heirs forever ========
Item, I give my Son Samuell Chrisp the Land and plantation Where he Now lives and is bounded as is expressly Set forth ==== Beginning at the Creek at Francis Chrisps line upper Corner Running up the Creek to the County Line thence Along the County line and the Marked line of the sd. Samuell Chrisp to Widow Prescoats line Down the sd. Prescoats line to the sd. Francis Chrisp Line Along that line to the first Station to him and his heirs forever ========
Item, I Give unto my Benjamin Chrisp one hundred and fifty Acres of Land Lying between the Great Branch and the horsepin Branch Beginning with the Mouth of the Southern Little branch then running Across Northwardly to the horsepin branch thence Down the said branch to A White Oak Corner tree thence No. 55 Wt. 60 poles thence Wt. 120 poles to A pine thence So. to the Creek thence Across the Creek the Mouth of the Great Branch thence up sd. Branch to the first Station to him and to his heirs forever ========
Item I give unto my Son Ezekiel Chrisp all my Land Lying on the the South Side of the Great Branch Running Along the Little Branch that goes through the Great Plantation to the County line and to the head line to him and to his heirs forever =========
I likewise Give unto my Sons Samuell Chrisp & Jesse Chrisp my New Entry Land Lying between the Great branch and the horsepin Branch Joining the Land that I gave unto Benjamin Chrisp to them and their heirs for Ever
Item I Give unto my Daughter Mary Wilkerson Ten pounds Current Money of this State to her and to her heirs forever ========
Item I Give unto my Daughter Ann Ross ten pounds Current Money of the sd. State to her and to her heirs for Ever =======
Item I given unto my Daughter Sarah Edmunson Decd. Ten pounds Current Money of the sd. State to her and to her heirs for Ever =====
Item I give unto my son John Chrisp twenty Shillings Current Money of the sd. State to him and to his heirs for Ever =====
Item I give unto my Son William Chrisp ten pounds Current Money of the sd. State to him and to his heirs forever ====
Item I give unto my Daughter Susannah Prescoat Ten pounds Current Money of the Sd. State to her and to her heirs forever =====
Item I give unto my Daughter Martha Flake Ten pounds Current Money of the sd. State to her and her heirs forever ======
Item I give unto my Son Bray Chrisp Ten pounds Current Money of the Sd. State to him and to his heirs for Ever ======
Item I give unto my Daughter Elizabeth Little Decd. Ten pounds Current Money of the sd. State to her and to her heirs for Ever =======
Item I give unto my Son Francis Chrisp Decd. Ten pounds Current Money of the sd. State to him and to his heirs for Ever ======
Item I give and Bequeath all my Negroes and their Increase Exept old Job and him to be Maintained and his Children and all the Rest of my Estate that have not been Mentioned in Legacer to be Equally Divided Amongst my Last Wifes Children that is to Say Winefred Gibbs Lida Whitfield Isabel Whitley Samuell Chrisp Benjamin Chrisp Sealey Bulluke Jesse Chrisp Ezekiel Chrisp and A Childs part to be Divided Equally Amongst my Daughter Elizabeth Littles Children and A Childs part to be Divided Equally Amongst my Son Francis Chrisps Children to them and their heirs forever ======
I Likewise Nominate and Appoint Samuel Chrisp Benjamin Chrisp and Jesse Chrisp Executors to this my Last Will and Testament Revoaking and Disannulling all Other Wills heretofore by me made Ratifying and Confirming this and no Other to be my Last Will & Testament In Witness Whereof I the sd. William Chrisp hath hereunto put my hand & Seal this fourteenth Day of February in the year one thousand Seven hundred and Eighty three Signed Sealed Published Pronounced and Declared this to be my Last Will & Testament in presence of Test Edmun Andrews, Jurat his David Taylor William C Chrisp -Seal- Joseph Taylor mark ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Recorded as found with misspellings, capital letters. I (Ethel Taylor)separated the items out, so as to make it easier to read for the visitors to this page. This will was deciphered and recorded as found, to the best of our abilities by Betty (McCORMICk) ST. DIZIER of Amarillo, TX and Gloria (ODOM) TROMMLER of Terre Hill, PA - Oct. 1996. A copy of this handwritten will was sent to Gloria by Betty ST DIZIER. Some corrections to the will were made from an email sent from Robert M. "Bob" Crisp, Ph.D., P.E. of Fayetteville, AR in March, 1997. (He apparently had a clearer copy of the original will than was passed on to Gloria.) NOTE: Interpreter of this will suggest that the "C" in the "William C Chrisp" was possibly HIS MARK, instead of using an X for his mark, rather than his name using the middle initial of "C". ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Last Will and Testament of Moses P. Crisp (page #119) State of Tennessee ) Hardeman County ) In the name of God amen. Be it remembered that ____________________________________________________________________ I Moses P. Crisp being in a low state of health but of sound mind and disposing memory, do make, ordain, & publish this my last will and Testament.
First; it is my will & wish that all my just debts be paid out of the first moneys collected on act of what is due me a list of the notes hereunto annexed.
Second. To my beloved wife Lydia. I give the use of my mansion house and lot, also my land purchased of F Shoemake Esqr. during her natural life, the same to be used for her support and that of my minor children until of age. I also give to my wife for the use of the family now with us, all my household and kitchen furnitour, and stock of every kind and description, whatsoever, relying upon her descretion to use the same for the benefit of herself & her children; I also lend to my wife during her natural life my negro woman Silver and her child Jenny. After her death the said negro woman and child & all the increase if any to be equally divided amongst our children, Nancy, Lucy Jane, Gilbert Longstreet, & Moses P. Crisp
3rd I give to my daughter Nancy my negro girl Paulina, to my daughter Lucy Jane my negro girl Carolina. To my son Gilbert Longstreet my negro boy Jim and my son Moses P. my negro boy Bob. Should either of my children die in minority or without isue then the survivors by my present wife to inherit third part and (bottom line on this page did not copy, shows tops of letters only, not on next page either) the same shall be made up to them out of the land at the death of my wife. and my land and lot to be sold & divide equally between her 4 children.
4th I will to my wife and children before named to aid in their support, the use and benefit of my negro boys Isom and Ellis for the space of ten years after which to be sold and out of their proceedsto be paid to my sons William, Mansel & Ezekiel each one hundred dollars, also to my son Ezekiel choice of my horses which I may have at the date of my decease, excepting him or her out of the second article hereof.
5th Any residue of money or estate, which I may have I give to my wife and children for their support, and the education of said children to be used under the directin of my Executor & if any surplus be left when the youngest is of age, then to be equally divided amongst the said children Mary, Lucy Jane Gilbert and Moses.
6th I recommend to my Executors to sell all my surplus stock of cattle for the benefit of my said wife and children support, to rent my farm out and hire out Isom & Ellis if thought most advisable goes to my family.
7th Having full confidence that my affairs will be managed to the best advantage of my children, I appoint my wife Lydia Crisp Executrix and my friend John H. Bills executor (each without security) of this my last Will and Testament; revoking all others. Witness my hand and seal this 24th day of September 1839 Moses P Crisp (seal) Acknowledged in presence of George B. Peters Joseph Watson ******************************************* Inventory of the estate of Moses P. Crisp dec'd which came to the hands of John H. Bills his Executor all the balance of said eastate being in the hands of Lydia Crisp Executrix being herself accountable as pr the terms of the last Will and Testament of said Testator Notes 1 Sampson Smith dated 15 June 1839 due 25th December 1840 $565.00 1 DO (?) 25 (?) 1839 due 25th December 1839 185.00 1 Do (?) 6 July 1839 due 25th December 1840 100.00 1 DO (?) 16 July 1839 due 25th December 1839 8.68 1 S.B. Davidson & Aris Brown 9 July 1839 due 1st January 1840 1852.00 1 Coleman Hall & Sampson SMith 16 July 1839 Due 25th December 1839 18.50 1 Miles P. Moore 17 July 1839 due 18 July 1839 8.00 2 Sampson Smith 1 due 15 Oct. next & 1 due 15 Oct 1840 for fifty bushels corn each The above being same as the schedule of the will recorded 20th Dec. 1839 A G Nichron Clerk John H. Bills Executor of said Crisp Dec. 2, 1839 This will was transcribed from the handwritten copy with all capital letters, misspellings included, by Ethel Taylor, from a photocopy received from Lois Lumpkin, Hope AR, April, 1997. I have separated out the items for easier reading for visitors to this page. William Cherry Crisp executed a Power of Attorney naming T. C. Coats of Sturdivant Co TN as his Attorney in Fact, dated August 24 1849. He was living in Clark CO. AR This is for his proceeds from his father's will, the sale of the 2 negros 10 years after Moses's death.
Last Will and Testament of Samuel Crisp WILL DATE 10 June 1829, Edgecombe Co., NC State of North Carolina Edgecombe County. I Samuel Crisp being in a low State of health but in my natural sense do think proper to fix my affairs while in my natural sense.
Item first all my Just debts I want Speedily paid out of my Crop now on the land, and after my debts is paid I give the ballance of my Crops to my two sons, Jesse Crisp and Samuel Crisp to be equally divided between them.
Item I leave my two old negro women Frann[?sp] and Tabither to my wife during her lifetime to wait on her so that she shall not suffer and after the death of my wife I Give the sd negros to my son Jesse Crisp but on these Conditions that the sd Jesse Crisp Shall not abuse sd negros but shall take Care of them in sickness and in heath and that he shall not sell those two negros to satisfy any debts he Contracts.
Item I give my son Samuel Crisp one negro woman nam'd lettice, and for the sd negro to well taken Care of by the sd Samuel Crisp during her liftime and the sd negro shall not be sold to pay any debts that the sd Samuel Crisp shall Contract. Item I give my wife one Feather bed and furniture. It is my will that two sons Jesse Crisp and Samuel Crisp to take Care of my wife and not let her suffer in any Instant whatsover
Item I give my land to be equally divided between my two sons Jesse Crisp and Samuel Crisp the line is to run from west to east so that the valuation shall be equal
Item I have given my son Wm. Crisp and his part of my estate
Item I have given my son Francis Crisp his part of my estate I have given my son Thomas Crisp his part of my estate
Item I give to my son Whitly Crisps' Children one negro boy named Peter to help him maintain his family. It is my desire that the sd negro shall not be sold from the sd Whitly Crisp but stay Stay there and work for the support of his Children
Item I have given my son Redden Crisp his part of my estate
Item I have given my daughter Mary Odom of Tennessee her part of my estate by deed
Item I have given my Daughter Sarah Whitly of Tennessee her part of my estate by deed
Item I have given my daughter E Elizabeth Whitehust her part of my estate by deed
Item I have given my Daughter Fanny Nelson her part of my estate.
Item I have given my daughter Lydia Weathersby her part of my estate
Item I have given my daughter Patsy Nelson her part of my estate and for those deeds of gift though given in eighteen hundred twenty two to be proved at the next Court after my death or any time thereafter
Item I give my horses Cattle and hogs Farming utensils household and Kitchen Furniture of every description to be equally divided between my two sons Jesse Crisp and Samuel Crisp and that my son Jesse Crisp shall not molest [?word] my son Samuel Crisp in no instance in the house where he now lives untill he builds him a house on his part of the land the apple mill I give one half to my son Jesse Crisp and the other half to my son Samuel Crisp as long as sd apple mill lasts all the property that I have willd to my Children to them and their heirs forever, and the sd negro boy Peter that I have willd to my Son Whitly Crisps Children to them and their heirs forever Item I give my part of the grist mill to my sons Jesse Crisp and Samuel Crisp to them and their their heirs for ever I constitute and ordain this to be my last will and testament Revoking all others here tofore made by me. I nominate and appoint my two Sons in law Jonas Nelson and Kinchen Nelson Executors to this my last will and testament in witness where of I have here unto set my hand and seal this tenth day of June eighteen hundred and twenty nine Samulle ss Sam - Seal - [not clear here?] Witnesses Spiers CRISP x John W. CRISP x Edgecombe County November Court 1829 The within last Will and Testament of Samuel Crisp decd was exhibited in open Court for Probate and was proved by the oaths of Spiers Crisp and John W. Crisp the subscribing witnesses thereto - And Jonas Nelson one of the Executors named in the said Will at the same time qualify thereto - Ordered that the same be certified and the Will recorded. Test. Michl Heam [or Hearn?] CC Recorded Jonas Nelson qualifyd [?sp]