James Davis to William Henderson Land Deed

John Henderson, Father-in-law, of John Davis wrote his Last Will and Testament on 4 June 1793 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. His daughter, Mary Henderson, had married John Davis about the year 1762 in Marion County, South Carolina. John Henderson, in his will, left his Grandson James Davis 200 acres of land situate and lying in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. James Davis was born  December 1769, the 4th Child of John Davis, Sr. and Mary Henderson.

John Henderson’s Last Will Bequest. 

Item I give & Bequeath at my wife decease to my grandson James Davis the plantation on which I now live containing two hundred acres including my buildings, a spring & improvements the half of my Meadow (reserving the half of my orchard for the use of my son William, a young negro wench named Fan two horse creatures of her own choosing & as many plantation implements as will be sufficient to carry on his farm a good feather bed & furniture thereto belonging a large chest & cupboard, the half of all utensils of Cookery with one hundred acres of Western land & if the said James Davis should decease before Twenty One all above mentioned to him to descend to my son William son John Otherwise to be The said James Davis & his heirs & assigns forever---   

The exact date of John Henderson death is unknown but we are certain it occurred between the Written WILL (4 June 1793) and 7 May 1800 the date the land was sold by James Davis to his Uncle William Henderson, the son of John Henderson. 

James Davis to William Henderson Land Deed

This Indenture made the 7th of May 1800 between James Davis of the County of Mecklenburg & State of North Carolina of the one part & William Henderson of the same State & County affoSd of the other part WITNEFSETH that for & in consideration of the sum of 200 Dollars federal currency in hand paid by the Sd William Henderson the receipt & payment whereof is hereby acknowledged before the Sealing & delivery of these presents doth grant bargain Sell & confirm unto the Sd William Henderson his heirs and assigns forever a tract of Land lying & being in the State and County afforSd being granted to the Sd James Davis by the Last Will and Testament John Henderson his Grand Father being part of three small tracts of Land that Sd John Henderson died seized of surveyed measured & cornered by on Joel Knitt Alexander BEGINNING at a small B. O. near the fence of an old field then running S 21 E 36 poles to a post oak in Sd old field then S 81 Et 24 polls crofsing a small branch to 3 W., O. Saplins then S 3 E 36 poles to a pafsimon and B. O. Saplin thence crofsing Sd Meadow branch leaving the old house, spring & spring house on hand & to the right hand the now swelling house spring & spring house of William Henderson Junier to the left hand S 19 E 120 poles to a Stake on thee line of the old 200 Acre Deed near 2 blazed W. W. on the  W side & near 2d ???ch thence Nor 82 W 8 poles to a B. O. saplin at the old corner B. O. of old Deed then with sd old line S 68 W 56 poles with the old fence to the old corner B. O. then S 35 W 8 to a large forged W. O. a corner to Archibald Henderson grant of 165 acres  then with a line of the same Xing a small branch S 67 W 12 poles to a B. O. William Henderson Senior old corner then with a line Xing a small branch N 25 W 115 poles to a stake near 3 Cornered Small Saplins & then Crofsing a branch nearby  about N 43 E 222 poles to the Beginning containing 200 Acres be the same more of lefs the Sd Lands granted or intended to be granted with all the premises thereof or thereunto belonging & every part or parcel thereof & all remaining services & profits to them or any part or parcel of them belonging or appertaining & all & every the Estate, rights titles & demand whatsoever of him the Sd James Davis into or out of Sd Lands tenements granted or intended to be granted or any part or parcel of them To Have and To Hold the Sd Lands & tenements to the Sd William Henderson his heirs and afsigns forever and the Sd James Davis for himself his heirs Executors Administrators & afsigns doth hereby promise covenant & agree that him his heirs Executors Administrators or afsigns Shall & will at all time Warrant & defend the Sd Land And Tenements thereto or thereunto belonging from him the Sd James Davis his heirs Executors Administrators and afsigns them or any of them their heirs Executors Administrators or afsigns forever unto the Sd William Henderson his heirs Executors & afsigns forever against all claims of any of them which may incumbers Sd Land or premises contrary to the true intent & meaning of these presents. In Witnefs whereof the Sd James David hath hereunto set his hand & seal the 19th day of [May] 1800.                                 James Davis {Seal}
Joel Alexander}                                         acknowledged
Wm. S. Henderson}     Mecklenburg County Fs Jan’y Term 1801
The execution of the within Deed was acknowledged in Court and recorded.
March 12th 1801}                             Test:Isaac Alexander Com
 
Deed Book 17, page 533, 534, 535 [Image 270]
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L983-ZS25?i=269&cat=168633 [Image#270]

James Davis is my 1st Cousin 5X Removed

John Davis, Sr. is my 4th Great Grand Uncle

Rev. David Davis is my 5th Great Grandfather

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1. Enclosed Land Deed -- Deed Book 17, page 533, 534, 535 [Image 270]
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L983-ZS25?i=269&cat=168633 [Image#270]

2. John Henderson WILL -- WILL BOOK "D" pages 43, 44 and 45; Image 305
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9GW-BLRX?i=304&cat=358218

3. Mary Henderson Marriage-- "U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 3 June 2019), Marriage: John Davis & Mary Henderson; Marriage Year: 1762 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/561149:7836

Amanuensis Monday~The Last Will of John Henderson

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 of John Henderson, 1793. ¹

Transcription:

The Last Will of John Henderson
In the name of God Amen, this 4th day of June in the year 1793 I, John Henderson of the County of Mecklenburg in the State of North Carolina, being sick & weak in body but of a Sound mind & memory thanks be to God, & calling to mind the mortality of my body & that it is appointed for all men to die, Do make and ordain this my last Will & testament, first of recommending my Soul unto God who gave it, my body to the earth to be Buried in a decent Christian manner without pomp hoping thru the merits death & (illegible?) of my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ to  (illegible?) the same at the general resurrection by the mighty power of God to blefs me with in this life, I give & dispose of in the following manner & form, It is my Will & I order that all my Just debts & duties that I owe to be paid & Satisfied

Item I give & bequeath to my loving wife Jane my dwelling House & all the furniture therein belonging to me with the plantation on which it stands with all my negroes & Stock of every kind in clearing all plantation improvements during her natural life.
Item I give & Bequeath at my wife decease to my grandson James Davis the plantation on which I now live containing two hundred acres including my buildings, a spring & improvements the half of my Meadow (reserving the half of my orchard for the use of my son William, a young negro wench named Fan two horse creatures of her own choosing & as many plantation implements as will be sufficient to carry on his farm a good feather bed & furniture thereto belonging a large chest & cupboard, the half of all utensils of Cookery with one hundred acres of Western land & if the said James Davis should decease before Twenty One all above mentioned to him to descend to my son William son John Otherwise to be The said James Davis & his heirs & assigns forever---   
Item I give and bequeath to my beloved Son William the Land on which he now lives Reserving the half of the meadow before mentioned to James Davis with the half of my Orchard including his buildings Spring & improvements with the half of my barley patch & to him and assigns forever be the same more of lefs
Item I give & bequeath to my beloved daughter Mary at my Wife decease my Negro Wench name dine(?) & the other half of my household furniture not before mentioned & to her heirs & assigns forever.
Item, I give and bequeath to my Niece Nancy Henderson at my wife decease one Cow & to her heirs forever
*Item It is my Will & I order that at my wife decease the Remainder of my Estate not before mentioned Except the Waggon which I allow to be the use of my Son William & James Davis Equally to enjoy to be Sold including two negroes Joe & Cats Equally divided between my Sons William, John & my daughter Mary & to their heirs forever---My Sons it is my will & I order that each of you take a Special Care of your helplefs Mother consider what She under went for you in your infant state & her love to you thro' the course of Life (illegible?) he in all your Visitations & also take care of James Davis & may the Sovereign of the Heavens grant each of you their blefsings that is promised to the performers of such duties--- And lastly for the True Execution of this my Last Will & Testament I appoint my loving sons William Henderson and John Henderson my Executors hereby Revoking & or disannulling all former Wills & Legacies by me made either by word or writing confirming this & no other to be my last Will & Testament.
In Witness whereof I have set my hand & seal the day & year first above written---Signed & Sealed & pronounced
By the said as his last Will & testament in presence
of Martha Lucas}
John Henderson}                                           John Henderson {Seal}
William Graham}


Mary Henderson, daughter of John Henderson married John Davis Sr., son of David Davis and Jane Miles about 1762.

John Davis and Mary, his wife along with a brother lived for a while in Anson County before finally acquiring land in what is now known as Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

John Henderson the father of Mary, wife of John Davis, wrote his Will on 4 June 1793.  

Between the year 1762 (Marriage of John Davis and Mary Henderson) and 1793 ( Writing of John Henderson Will) the John Davis family grew to 8 siblings; four sons and four daughters.

Between these eight grandchildren, three of his own children and a wife known as Jane in his Will above he left his estate as noted above with much of it going to his grandson James Davis.  

James Davis was the 2nd born son and 4th born child of John and Mary (Henderson) Davis.  I have no idea why he was the chosen one; but, I sure wish I had a grandfather that looked upon me in such a  favorable light.

John Davis, Sr. husband of Mary Henderson is my 4th Great Grand Uncle. Mary Henderson is the daughter of John Henderson. 






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[1] John Henderson (1793), WILL BOOK: "D"; pages 43, 44, and 45; Probate Office, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

Amanuensis Monday~Last Will and Testament of James Davis

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 James Davis.¹

^{Transcription:}

WILL OF JAMES DAVIS

In the Name of God Amen. I James Davis of the District of Marion Planter being in health of body and of Sound mind memory and understanding Praise be to God for the same do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following.
First, I will that I shall be decently buried and I give and bequeath unto my wife Sarah Davis the one half of my Stock and Household furniture to her own proper use forever. It is also my will and desire that my wife Sarah Davis shall have her maintenance during her widowhood out of my estate. Fourthly I Give + bequeath unto my Son Theodore Gourdine Davis the remaining half of my Stock & Household furniture + plantation tools of every description.
Also It is my will + desire that he shall have the use and increase of the following negroes during his natural life and to the lawful Ifsue of his body forever, vis Silvy Philis Jimmy Frank, Nancy, Patrick, John, Gabriel, Billy Abram, Fanny Mary Scotland Bob + Jude But Should my Son Theodore Gourdine Davis die leaving no ifsue of his Body Then it is my will that the above mentioned negroes Bob + Jude shall return to my wife Sarah Davis for her own proper use forever. And the remaining part which is Silvy Phillis Jinny Frank Nancy Patrick John Gabriel Billy Abraham Fanny Mary and Scotland with all the Increases the females may have to go to my Nephew John Davis children to be divided among them Share and Share alike. I do nominate constitute and appoint my friends John Richardson John C Davis Thomas P. Davis and my Nephew John Davis my Executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking and making void all and every other will + wills at any time heretofore by me made. And do declare this to be my last will + Testament. Witnefs whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 22d day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred + seventeen in the forty first year of American Independence. Signed Sealed, declared + published by the above named James Davis and by the request and in his presence we have subscribed our names as Witnefses thereto.
James James                                                      James Davis {Seal}
John G Davis

South Carolina} Personally appeared before me Thos. Harllee Ordy Marion Dist}  for said District John C. Davis one of the subscribing witness to the within Will who being duly Sworn sayeth that he was personally present and did see the within testator Sign pronounce + declare the within instrument of writing to be and contain his last will and testament and that James James was the other subscribing witnefs to the same in the presence of the testator and at his request.
Sworn to before [me] this 14th May 1817}      John C. Davis
Thos. Harllee, Ordinary
 
Page 216
South Carolina}   Memorandum Feb’y 2nd 1818
Marion Dist}     James James personally appeared this day & made oath that the above probate Signed by John C. Davis was Just and True to the best of his knowledge.
Sworn to before me + afsigned              James James
     Thos. Harllee Ord’y of M. Dist.


James Davis is my 1st Cousin 6 times removed.









_____________________
Probate Office
Marion County, SC
Recorded in Will Book 1, Page 215, Image 133

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9PT-29ZW-V?i=132&cat=391278