Born about 1730: died the winter of 1799 or 1800
>From the Ludwick-Ritchie Papers in the Southern Historical Collection at the University of
North Carolina Library, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
In the name of God Amen! I Jacob Ritchy, in the County of Cabarrus State North Carolina being very sick and weak in Body, but of complete mind and memory, blessed be the Almighty for the same, call into mind the mortality of my Body, well knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, in considering that do make and ordain this my last will and testament, that is to say: First I recommend my soul into the hands of Allmighty, God who gave it to me and my body be buried in a Christian like manner according to the Direction of my hereunto named Executors in a like manner of Christianity not doubting to receive the same again at the general resurrection by the mighty power of God, and what concerns such worldly Estate, wherewith it has pleased God to Bless me in this world I give devise and dispose of the same in the manner and form as next Following.
First of all I order my funeral cost and other expenses as also my law full debts to be paid and discharged out of my Estate and then after I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Catherine Ritchy, yearly and every year during her lifetime for her support and lifely maintenance, one hundred weight of pork and the fat to also, thirty weight of Beef. Item ten Bushels of wheat and five Bushels of Shelled Corn. Item five gallons Spirit. Item one Bushel of Allum Salt Item a quarter acre of Land to be sown with flax seed. I give and bequeath unto her my said wife all my Linen Cloth and what kind it may be. Item all my dressed flax all the yarn. Item my Bed and bedstead. Item my great Chest and all what is in it. Item fifty Dollars of hard money. Item two pewter dishes, plates and two spoons. Item the knives and forks, all the milch pots. Item two Iron Cooking Pots, a kettle, a Cake pan. Item a Scimer and other ladle. Item my table. Item her song or Hymn Book. Item the and interrupted possession of my present with the Iron Stove in it. Item my Cows and pasturage in summer and good hay stables and straw in winter on my present dwelling place. Item of fruits as apples, peaches growing yearly on my said place as much as she pleases and also Liberty to keep and raise yearly for use one hog and fowls as many she wants and the free increase and recrease upon the whole of my land and plantation, fire wood summer and winter cut and hauled to the Door fit for her use. Item I give to her two large Pails and a small one, also the cupboard in the kitchen, her spinning wheel, two Bags, and all other her clothing. Item I give and bequeath to her the use of my present kitchen-garden, or so much of it as she has need for. Item a good well ordered piece of ground, on my said land plantation for cotton and potatoes. Item the hide or skin and tallow of a steer which shall be slaughtered next year, but the flesh or meat of it belong to my Son John George Ritchy, and of other wooden gears as tubs and suchlike as much as she has use for.
Item I give and bequeath unto the my said Son John George Ritchy and to his heirs and assigns forever my present land and plantation containing one hundred fifty acres of land more or less whereon I myself said Son John George Ritchy with his family now live and dwell with good and exception, that he or his heirs Ext. Adm. complete process and discharge all the legatees above made and bequeathed to my said wife his mother .......concerning her lifely maintenance as before specified and maintain his mother my said wife in health and sickness, as she desires, according to her age Item I give and bequeath unto my Son Michel Ritchy the sum of twenty shillings, lawful money of North Carolina. Item I give and bequeath unto my oldest Son Henry Ritchy the sum of twenty shillings.....aforesaid in regard as my first born son...I give to him, my Son Henry Ritchy the further sum of ten pounds.. money aforesaid. I give and bequeath to my Son Peter Ritchy the like sum of ten pounds money aforesaid. I give and bequeath to Margareth the widow of George Stigleather the sum of ten pounds money aforesaid.
Item I give and bequeath unto Anna Barbara the wife of Frederic Fesperman the sum of ten pounds money aforesaid. I give and bequeath to Molly the wife of Christian Gregory the sum of ten pounds money aforesaid. Item I give to Catherina the wife of Philip Kress the sum of ten pounds money aforesaid. Item I give and bequeath to y grand daughter Rosina Kress the sum of three pounds lawful money aforesaid. And now what remains after the foregoing above mentioned being satisfied and discharged then all the same then be shared in even and equal shares under all my sons and daughters as before named except my sons John George Ritchy and Michel Ritchy which both shall have no share in it in reason they both have their full portion of land. And as to the household good a young mare and other articles which in nature not easy can be divided in even and equal share amongst my children above named, then the said shall be sold at public auction or vendue one Month after my decease by my hereunto named Executors to the highest bidder, and the money then to be divided even and equal amongst my said above named children except my said John George Ritchy and Michel Ritchy, not their Heirs, which have no share in it as before mentioned. And hereby I constitute set and appoint as Executor to this my last will and testament my two Sons, Henry Ritchy and John George Ritchy and duly empower my said Son Henry Ritchy to sign, seal and deliver all such lawful Deed and Deeds unto said Son John George Ritchy his Heirs, Exts. Admtrs not to be untilled or invested to sell the said Land nor any part of it nor exchange the same or rent it out without consent of my said wife during her natural life time. And also hereby revoke annul and make void all former wills and testaments heretofore by me made and declare this only my last will and testament.
In witness and confirmation whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal on this twenty third Day of November Seventeen hundred Ninety Nine.
N.B. on the third line below from the bottom the words the sum of ten pounds aforesaid/ done before signing in the original Seal
Henry Walker W.
Fried. Limbach W.
State of North Carolina
Cabarrus County
This sheet contains a true and perfect copy of the last will and testament of Jacob Ritchy from the original and examined certified under my hand this 1th day of May 1800.
John Simianer
