Will of James Clark

James Clark named his wife, children and grandchildren, left his plantation to his son James, and appointed two executors.

Kind of paper

Will

Testator

James Clark (printed JAMES CLARK)

Dated

30 July 1795

Proved

February 1796 court

Family named

Elizabeth (wife); William Clark (son; deceased); James Clark (son); Elinor (daughter, wife of John Clark); Catrenah (daughter); James Clark (son William Clark deceased’s sons); Thomas Clark (son William Clark deceased’s sons); William Clark (son William Clark deceased’s sons); Jesse Clark (son William Clark deceased’s sons); Joseph Clark (son William Clark deceased’s sons); Sarah (granddaughter; that now lives with me); John Clark (husband of Elinor)

Executors

James Clark (my son); John Ray (my friend)

Witnesses

Jesse Clark; Thomas Clark

Land

plantation where I now live

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 71.
• 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).