Will of James Nelson

James Nelson named siblings, nieces, nephews and other beneficiaries and appointed two executors.

Kind of paper

Will

Testator

James Nelson (printed JAMES NELSON)

Dated

As printed: “Dated --”

Proved

May 1799 court

A second reading

Mark Chilton’s index of the will books gives the date as 18 October 1798. Check the will book to settle it.

In the court minutes

• Administration of an estate, November 1798 term
• Administration of an estate, 28 May 1799
• Will proved, 28 May 1799

Family named

John (brother); Abraham (brother); Archer Nelson (brother); Elizabeth Waldrop (sister); Milly Meredith (sister); Nancy Rencher (sister); John Nelson Rencher (son and daughter of Jno. G. Rencher and Nancy Rencher); Sarah Rencher (son and daughter of Jno. G. Rencher and Nancy Rencher); James (son and daughter of Jno. G. Rencher and Nancy Rencher); Sarah Nelson (daughter of Archer); Nelly Nelson (daughter of Archer)

Also left something

Lydia (daughters of Edy Harold); Elizabeth Harold (daughters of Edy Harold)

Executors

George Johnston; Alexander Bowland

Witnesses

James Strayhorn; Adam (x) Stowers

Also named

Jno. G. Rencher (father of beneficiaries); Archer (father of Sarah and Nelly Nelson); Edy Harold (parent of beneficiaries)

Names and places are given as the abstract writes them, spelling and all. This record has not been checked against the will book.

Where to find it

• Orange County Will Book C, page 140.
• Abstract: Ruth Herndon Shields, Abstracts of Wills Recorded 1752 through 1800 in Orange County, North Carolina, Will Books A, B and C (Davie Poplar Chapter NSDAR, revised edition 1966).
• Also listed in Mark Chilton, “Wills Recorded in Orange County, NC 1756–1893” (Wandering through the NC Piedmont, 2019), an index of the will books with references to the court minutes.
• Microfilm at the Orange County Public Library, Wall Local History Collection: reel 80002, “Record of Wills, 1794–1822, Vols. C, D” (State Archives film).