Amanuensis Monday is a genealogy blogging theme. It was started by John Newmark who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog.
His definition of Amanuensis is:
Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.
Today’s subject is the Last Will and Testament of Harriet Sellers Deese.1
Transcription:
WILL OF MRS. HARRIET DEESE
North Carolina, ::
Anson County, ::
I, Harriet Deese, of the aforesaid County and State, being of sound mind, but considering the uncertainty or my earthly existence, do make and declare this my last will and testament.
First, My executor hereinafter named, shall give my body a decent burial suitable to the wishes of my friends and relatives.
Second. I give and devise to my daughter Flora Deese and her heirs in fee simple, the house wherein I am now living, together with that part of my land lying on the North of the Camden road, containing about 14 acres, the same being near the Town of Morven in said County and State; and my said daughter Flora Deese is hereby instructed to pay my funeral expenses.
Third. I give and devise to my son Edward Deese and his heirs in fee simple thirty acres of the land lying on South side of said Camden road and East adjoining the McKinzie Niven land, and my wish and desire is that my said son Edward Deese build him a house, near the house hereinbefore willed to my daughter Flora Deese so that he may look after and see to her welfare, the above thirty acres being a part of my home tract of land, lying near Morven in Morven Township in said County and State.
Fourth. I give and devise to my daughter Hellon Mowery, the remainder of my land, lying on south side of Camden road, containing about 13 acres, for and during the term of her natural life, but in case said Hellon Mowery should marry or leave, the said land to revert to Edward Deese, said land lying and adjoining the aforementioned land in Morven Township in said County and State.
Fifth. I give and bequeath to each of the remainder of my children Five Dollars in cash, Viz: To Dora Eddins Five Dollars Evelyn Boswell Five Dollars, Nezzie Swink Five Dollars, Minnie Eddins Five Dollars, Bradley Deese Five Dollars Lucien Deese Five Dollars, Ann Eliza Price Five Dollars Julian Deese Five Dollars and Cleveland Deese Five Dollars. These sums to be paid to my Executor hereinafter named, by my three children, Edward Deese, Flora Deese and Hellon Mowery, and my said Executor shall pay the said amounts to each of my above mentioned children.
Sixth. I hereby constitute and appoint my trusty friend G. A. Martin my lawful executor to all intents and purposes, to execute this my last will and testament, according to the true intent and meaning of the same, and every part and clause thereof, hereby revoking and declaring utterly void, all other wills and testaments by me heretofore made. In witness whereof, I the said Harriett Deese do hereunto set my hand and seal this 17 day of March 1917.
her
Harriet X Deese (Seal)
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Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Harriet Deese to be her last will and testament in the presence of us who, at her request and in her presence (and in the presence of each other) do subscribe our names as witnesses thereto.
Z. V. Hartsell
Clyde Bowman
Arch McRae.
North Carolina, ::
Anson County. ::
The paper writing purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Harriet Deese, deceased, is exhibited for probate in open Court by G. A. Martin, he Executor therein named; and it is therefore proven by the oath and examination of Z. V. Hartsell, that Arch McRae one of the subscribing witnesses thereto is dead and that Clyde Bowman, one of the subscribing witnesses thereto is a non-resident of the State; it is further proven by the oath and examination of the said Z. V. Hartsell that the said Harriet Deese, deceased, signed in the presence of witness the said paper writing dated the 17th day of March, 1917, acknowledging the same to be and contain her last Will and Testament; and the said affiant together with Clyde Bowman and Arch McRae attested the execution of said Will in the presence of said testatrix and In the presence of each other, and that at the time of the said execution of the said last Will and Testament, the said Harriet Deese was of sound mind and memory; and it is further proven by the oath and examination of Homer G. Huntley, that he is well acquainted with the hand writing of Clyde Bowman and arch McRae, having often seen then write, and that the names of the said Clyde Bowman and Arch McRae subscribed as witnesses to said last Will and Testament is in the genuine handwriting of the said Clyde Bowman and Arch McRae.
It is also proven by the oath and examination of R. L. Bowman, that he is well acquainted with the handwriting of Clyde Bowman, having often seen him write, and that the name of the said Clyde Bowman subscribed as a witness to said Will is in the genuine handwriting of the said Clyde Bowman, and that the said Clyde Bowman is now a non-resident of the state of North Carolina.
It is there considered and adjudged by the Court that said paper writing and every part and clause thereof is the last Will and Testament of the said Harriet Deese, and the same is ordered to be recorded and filed.
This the 14th day of July, 1925.
S/ W. K. Boggan
Clerk of the Superior Court
Of Anson County
Harriet (Sellers) Deese (14 Feb. 1851-6 July 1925) is a daughter of Phillip A. Sellers and his wife Martha Ann Brooks Sellers.
Harriet and John W. Deese were married on 16 January 1873 in Morven, Anson County, North Carolina. To this union were born 12 children between 1875 and January 1894; 7 daughters and 5 sons.
Harriet Sellers Deese is my 2nd Cousin 3 times removed.
___________________
[1] "North Carolina, Probate Records, 1735-1970," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19387-43850-60?cc=1867501 : accessed 15 Aug 2014), Anson > Wills, 1915-1934, Vol. F > image 118 of 337. Will Book "F", pages 183-185.
