In the Name of God amen I Matthew Rowan of New Hanover County, Esqr., in ye Province of North Carolina being of Sound and disposing mind Memory & Understanding do make and Ordain this to be my last will and Testament in manner following:
Imprimis: I bequeath my Soul to God who gave it & My body to be decently Interred & all my just debts and funeral Expence to be first paid.
Item: I give to my Niece Rose Rowan daughter of my Brother Andrew Rowan ye Sum of One Hundred and thirty three pounds six shillings & Eight pence proclamation to be paid one year after my decease.
Also I give to Mathew Rowan son of my Brother Atcheyson Rowan the sum of One hundred & thirty three Pounds six Shillings & eight Pence Proclamation Money to be paid two Years after my decease. Also I give to my Niece Ann Rowan daughter of my
Brother William Rowan ye sum of four hundred pounds Proclamation Money to be paid three years after my decease.Also I give to Richard Lyon, Esqr., of Spring hill in the County of Bladen ye sum of three hundred and thirty Pounds proclamation money being ye Remainder of ye Sum I intended to give him with my Niece Margaret Rowan.
Also I give ye Negroe Boys named Dickey, Sam, Johney, Hector and Africa together with ye Negroe Wenches named Black Milley, Lucinda, Bella, Maria, Bess with their Increase to Mildred Lyon Daughter of John Lyon & Mildred Lyon but in Case ye said Mildred Lyon should dye before shee is married or of Age then I Give said Slaves to her Sister Marcy Lyon.
Also I Give & Devise all that tract of Land Situate on ye North East Side of Ye No. East River Opposite to Stag Park in New Hanover County Containing five hundred acres unto Frederick Gregg of Wilmington, Esqr., to him & his Heirs.
I also give unto ye said Frederick Gregg my Negroe Fellow Ogee & little Peg & my Gold Watch.
Also I Give & Bequeath all those two Tracts of Land ye one containing five hundred acres ye other four hundred Acres situate on ye White Marsh in Bladen County being land in ye possession of Robert Rowan upon part of which ye said Robert Rowan now lives & ye following Negroes, Jack, Sanca, Africa, Boatswain, John Lindsey, & Joan a Negroe Wench unto ye sd. Frederick Gregg & Richard Lyon in trust for Esther Rowan wife of said Robert Rowan and ye Heirs of her Body Lawfully begotten to ye sole use and benefit of ye said Esther Rowan free from ye Power & Controul of her husband Robert Rowan nor in any wise subject to his Debts my meaning in this Devise being no more than to vest ye said two tracts of land & Negroes last mentioned in ye sd. Frederick Gregg & Richard Lyon as Trustees for ye use of ye sd. Esther Rowan so as to bar any right to ye sd lands & Negroes last mentioned which ye said Robert Rowan might Claim as Husband to ye sd. Esther Rowan.
Also I give ye Sum of twenty-six Pounds thirteen shillings and four pence proclamation money a year to be paid Annually out of my Estate not heretofore disposed of unto ye said Frederick Gregg & Richard Lyon in Trust for my Daughter in Law Elizabeth Maclaine Wife of Archibald Maclaine of Wilmington Merchant to be paid annually to ye said Elizabeth Maclaine to her sole use free from ye
power of her husband Archbald Maclaine nor in any wise Subject to his debts.Also I Give and devise all my three Parcils of land ye. one being on ye South West Side of ye N. West River Situate on ye. lower side of land belonging to Henry Simmonds deceased Containing 320 acres ye other on ye No. East side of sd. River situate as aforesaid containing 640 acres ye third on ye No. East Side of sd. River Joyning y above 297 acres all in Bladen County and all that tract on ye No. East Side of ye No. West River lying betwixt Judge Lenards Land & Nelltown in Bladen County aforesaid being 640 Acres & all that Parcill of land part of ye Marsh on ye River trent Opposite to New Bern in Craven County containing 197 Acres unto my Executors hereafter mentioned to sell and dispose of in ye best maner they can & to apply ye Money arising by such Seale in discharge of ye Legacies hertofore given.
And lastly I Give & Devise all my Estate of what kind soever both Real & Personal not heretofore disposed of after my Death to John ye Son of Jane Stubbs of Bath town in ye Province aforesaid & Commonly Called & known by ye Name of John Rowan now of ye Island of Barbadoes Mariner & ye Heirs of his body lawfully begotten and in default of such Issue then to ye said mentioned Mathew Rowan son of my Brother Atcheyson Rowan & his Heirs and Assigns. And I do make John Rowan Frederick Gregg & Richard Lyon Executors of this my last will hereby reyocking all former Wills by me heretofore made. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seale this 18th Day of April in ye year of our Lord, 1760.
Signed Sealed Published and declared in ye Presence of us whose Names is hereunto affixed.
Personally came before me Thomas Clark one of the Subscribing Witnesses to the above Will who being duly sworn—deposed that he saw the above Testator Mathew Rowan, Esqr., Subscribe Seal & Publish the above Will as his, as also that he saw this in Presence of
the other Witnesses Saml Watters & George Gibbs & farther says to the best of his knowledge the said Testator was perfectly in his Senses. Wilmington 15 July, 1760. Given under my hand. Ordered therefore that Letters Testamentary may Issue.
No. Carolina—New Hanover County.
These are to Certify that Frederick Gregg and Richard Lyon, Esqrs. Qualified as Executors to the Last Will & Testament of The Honble Matthew Rowan Esqr., Deceased, according to Law before me.
Given under my hand this 19 day of July, 1760.
(Endorsement).
1267 sheets the last will of the Honble
Mathew Rowan, Esqr., of N. Hanover
County.