I think the vernacular speech of this will is kind of awesome.
North Carolina State Archives
Secretary of State Papers
In the Name of God Amen. The Thirty day of March 1740, I Roburt Hogges of the County of Bartie being in good health and perfect sences and memory. Thanks be unto God their fore Calling to Mind the Mortality of My Body and Knowing that it is Appointed for all Men once to dye do Make and Ordain this My Last Will and Testament.
That Is to Say Principally and first of all I Give and Recommend My Soul into the hands of God that Gave it to And My Body I Recommend to the Earth to be buried in decent Cristien burriell at the discretion of My Exeutors not douting but at the General Resurrection I Shall receive the Same again by the Mightly power of God– And as touchen Such Worldly Estate Whearwith it hath pleased God to bless Me in this Life I Give Demise and Dispose of the Same in the following Manner and Form—
Imprimis I Give and bequeath to My Loving Wife one Negro Garl Named Jene to hur and hur one disposen
Item I give and bequeath to My Son Elias Hogges one Negro Man Named Peter—
Item I give and bequeath to My two sons John and Richard Hogges one Negro Man Named Dick between them and to my Son John Hogges the plantation and Land in Virginia that he Now Lives upon to him and his heirs forever and to My Son Richard Hogges a plantation and Land in Bartie County in unarow Meders Whear he now Lives to him and his heirs forever.
Item I give and bequeath to My Three daughters Ann Moor and Ollive Wigens and Marthew Williams Each of them a Fether bed and coverings as belongs to them and I Give and bequeath to my daughter Sary Cain My Plantation that I now live upon in Bartie County and all the Land belonging to it to hur and hur heirs and one feather bed and covering that belong to it and that to be hur shear.
I give and bequeath to My Loven Wife Ann Hogges the use of all My whole Estate hur life time willd and on willd and after hur deceased all My Estate with in dors and with out that is not Given in Legesies To be equally devided among My Three Sons and three daughters that is Ann Ollive and Mathew and they to Chuse among themselves three Men to devid It and Every one to take his Equall part and I Like wise Constitu Make and ordain My Son Elias Hogges and My Son Richard Hogges and My Son In Law Isaac Williams My Executors of this My Last Will and Testament and I doe Hearby utterly disallow Revoake and disannul all and Every other former Testaments Wills Legacies and bequests and Executors by me in any Wayes before Named Willed and bequeathed Ratifing and Confirming this and no other to be My Last Will and Testament.
In Witness Whereof I have heare unto Set My Hand and Seal the day and Year above writen.
Signed Sealed published pronounced and declared by the sd Roburt Hogges as his last will and testament in the presents of us the Subscribers– Needham Bryan, William Bryan.
Robert Hogges (his mark)
Bertie County Ss. August Court 1742. Present His Majesty’s Justices These may Certify that the above Will of Robert Hogges was duly proved in open Court by the Oaths of Needham Bryan, Adam Rabey and William Bryan Evidences thereto, & that Richard Hodges & Elias Hodges took the Oath of Executors & c. Test. Henry Delon Cler. Cor.
Reference: 1740 Bertie Co., NC Will of Robert Hodges adm. August 1742 with wife, Ann, and daughters, Ann Moore, Olive Wiggins, and Mathew with sons John, Richard and Elias named, The Marlboro Hodges Family by Jessie Lotta Hodges Unpublished Genealogy Manuscript from The South Caroliniana Library, Columbia, SC. Lucille Hodges Interview and Papers. Colonial Bertie County North Carolina Deed Books A-H 1720-1757, Abstracted By: Mary Best Bell, 2nd. Edition Published By: Southern Historical Press.
A Long Way to Tennessee 