[Will of Gideon Crews, 16 Oct 1815]
[transcribed by Shirley Ann Murphy, abt.1976]

In the name of God amen, I Gidion Crews of Granville Co & State of
NC being very sick but of perfect mind & memory, thanks being given 
unto God, calling into mind the mortal of my body & knowing that it 
is appointed once for all men to die do make & ordain this my last 
will & testament that is to say principally & the first of all I give 
& recommend my soul into the hand of Almighty God who gave it & my body 
I recommend to the Earth to be buried in decent christian burial at the 
discretion of my executors nothing doubtin but at the general resurrection 
I shall receive the same again by the Almighty power of God & as touching 
such worldly estate where with it has pleased Bod to bless me in this life. 
I give & devise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form.
Item I lend to my well beloved wife Jemina Crews during her natural life 
the tract of land whereon I now live with the mansion house & kitchen & 
all the out houses with all the appertnainces in any wise thereto belonging.
Item I likewise lend to my well beloved wife Jamina Crews during her natural 
life my two negroes Betty & Burrell my felix sorrel horse & sorrel mare & 
colt & her choice of seven head of my stock of cattle with three sows & 
pigs & twelve head of sheep & all the fowls on the plantation.
Item I likewise lend to her during her life such of my plantation tools & 
Utensils as she thinks proper to take with her two fetherbeds & one half of 
her choice of my household & kitchen furniture with my Cart of & yoke of steers.
Item is that my executors hereafter named shall sell at Public sale & twelve 
months credit all my negroes with all the property found on the plantation 
not hereto fore divided by my loving wife Jamina Crews & the money arising 
from such sale after all my just debts are paid off be equally divided amongst 
my eight children (To Wit) Milly Hester Elizabeth Currin Joseph Crews Gideon 
Crews Abby Daniel James Crews Littlebury Crews & Jamina Crews to them & their 
heirs & assigns forever.
Item my will & desire is that my executors after the decease of my loving 
wife Jamina Crews should sell all my property devised to her during her 
natural life at public sale & the money arising by such sale to be equally 
divided amongst my eight children before named to them & their heirs & 
assigns forever.
Item I nominate & appoint my two sons Gideon & James Crews my sole executors 
of this my last will & testament...in witness whereof I have hereunto set my 
hand & seal this 16th Oct one thousand eight hundred fifteen."
Witness: John Lamay Richard D Lamay
Signed: Gideon X Crews