Transcribing Wills

I've read over a number of wills in the process of my genealogical research, but, until recently, I have never seen very many of them indexed or transcribed, at least beyond the basics (names, dates, etc.).

For some areas, at least in the United States, abstracts of the wills are available and even indexed for easy searching.  But usually I'm left to finding a particular county's index of the wills, and then slogging through their will books in an effort to find an isolated entry that may or may not be the person I'm looking seeking.

It can be a mind-numbing experience. Can is the keyword.

But finding that will and that information that you needed is incredibly rewarding.

While abstracts are invaluable assets, and sometimes all that you have, you lose something in the process. Reading over a full will grant you insight into the life of your ancestor.

While reading wills, I have been able to gain a sense of my ancestors' spirituality, their feelings towards their spouse or children (sometimes you can pick out 'the favorite'), as well as getting a feel of their estate and they lived their daily life.

This is invaluable stuff, and I firmly believe that we don't take advantage of it.

As a Latter-day Saint, I find the personal call to seek out my ancestors to be a scriptural and spiritual injunction. In the Doctrine and Covenants, the angel Moroni speaks to Joseph Smith and repeats a variation of the promise made in Malachi in the Old Testament. In his lesson to the boy prophet, Moroni uses language that underscores the power of that promise.

1 Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

2 And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. 

3 If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming. (Doctrine and Covenants 2:1-3, emphasis mine) 

I love the word plant as it is used here. I find it more effective than the use of turn in Malachi and other sections. As we undertake the vast labor of researching our family histories, we plant a seed in our hearts. The prophet Alma's sermon to the people of Ammonihah comes to mind here.

It's through the stories and words of our ancestors that we can come to truly love them. As we plant their words - their stories - in our heart, as we recognize the power of the promise made to them, we will come to love them.

I've seen it.

Previously, I've spent time looking over the will of an ancestor, Jacob Riddick.

I'll leave you with my transcription of it. Below are the original images of his 1797 will, with the resulting transcription below that. I've preserved the original spelling, as well as strike-outs, where I can read them.

In the Name of the Holy Trinity Amen. I Jacob Riddick of the County of Perquimans & State of North Carolina being Sick of Body but Perfectly in my Sen Senses do make& ordain this my last will & testament Revoking all former wills in manner & form following ---- I give Divise & Bequeath unto my Son Willis Riddick all the Land whereon he now Lives Butted & Bounded on the North and East by a line of New Mark’d tress Bordering on my Son William’s Land as hereafter mentioned. I also Give unto (^My Son) Willis Riddick fifty acres of Land joining the head of Philip Perry’s Ridge & Fifty Acres up the River Swamp joining Simson Stallings & Jepe Rountree’s  Lands and Seventy five Acres of Land joining Jepe Rountree’s Land – To him & to the Heirs of his Body forever. I also Give him a bed & furniture. 

Item. I Give Divise & Bequeath unto my Son William Riddick the Plantation whereon I now Live Butted & Bounded by a line of new Marked Trees on The South & East bordering on Willis’s line this Day Made & also one Hundred & fifty Acres of land joining the Little River Road & Seventy five acres of land Joining Joel Hollowell’s Land and Reuben Stalling’s Land and a Negroe Boy by Name of Stephen, One Colt Bridle & Saddle, One Bed & Furniture, Two Cows & Calves, one Gun & Half the flock of Bees now on the Plantation to him & the Heirs of his Body lawfully begotten forever. But in Case my Son William Riddick should Die without Issue(?) lawfully begotten of his Body it is my Desire that (^all of the) lands given him should be Inherited by my son Willis Riddick & the Heirs of his Body forever. 

Item. I Give & Bequeath unto my Daughter Absolah White One Bed & Furniture & two Stocks of Bees & Two Hundred Spanish Milled(?) Dollars to be paid her after my Wife Sarah Riddick’s Death & all things already given her to Remain with her & and the Heirs & (?) for Ever. 

Item. I Giver Divise & Bequeath unto my Daughter Christian Hudson One Bed & furniture and one Cow & Calf & a good Law of pigs in Lieu if two Stocks of Bees given Absolah White & also two hundred Spanish Milled Dollars to be paid hereafter my wife Sarah Riddick’s Death or Marriage & the Clause about Death or Marriage of my wife is the same in the Gifts to Each of my Daughters & whatsoever I have Give before to Christian to remain hers forever. 

Item. I leave to my wife Sarah Riddick the use of my Home plantation & all Lands (?)ledges thereunto belonging & the use of these Negroes Viz Lewis, Dick,& Mourning with the Use of all the Remaining Part of my Estate not Mentioned let it be of what nature or kind so ever for & During her Natural life or Widowhood. But after her Death or Marriage all the remaining part of my Estate which I left her the use of is to be Equally Divided between all my Children Viz Willis Riddick, Absolah White, Christian White & William Riddick and lastly do Nominate & appoint to this my last will & testament my Son Willis Riddick and Gabriel White my sole Executors to this my last Will and Testament desiring them to see the same fully Executed and performed to have no Disputes after my Death either about the Division or Legacies before Mentioned. 

In Witnes whereof this Jacob Riddick the Testator have hereunto offered my Hand & Seal this 24^th day of June One thousand and seven Hundred & Ninety Seven. 

Jacob (his X mark) Riddick (Seal) 

Witness

Obadiah Bosworth (?)

John Barrow

Sarah (her X mark) Barrow 

Perquimans County November Term at Hertford 1798. The foregoing Will of Jacob Riddick Decd. Was then there proved in Open Court by the Oath of Obadiah Bosworth one of the Subscribing(?) Witnesses thereto at the same time. (Aforesaid?) Willis Riddick & Gabriel White the Excrs therein Named & Qualified agreeable to Said.

Recorded the 20^th Day of April 1799.