From the Probate Files: Feriby/Pheraby Sowell - Bertie County, North Carolina, 1814

Feriby survived her husband Thomas Ward by 17 years.* Although Thomas left his "beloved wife" several bequests outright thereby empowering her "to dispose of as she shall or may think proper" it doesn't appear that she made her own will because the following administration bond for "five hundred Pounds"** executed on February 14, 1814, named her son James Ward the administrator of her estate.

As administrator James was charged with the task of making an inventory of his mother's estate which he had apparently done the previous month, although no values were assigned to the items on the list.

An inventory of the personal proper

ty of Pheraby Ward decd. January 10, 1814

1 Negro woman Sophia,          20 Gals Honey -----

1 Feather bed & furniture,       3 Hives of bees

1 Chest of Cloathes, ----         A quantity of bees wax

6 Shotes, 2 Sows & pigs,

2 Cows and yearlings,            A quantity of Cloth & Thread

3 Heifers, 1 Ewe & lamb,        1 Pair of fire dogs

1 Lot crocre ware,                  1 Bofait [Buffet?] 2 old chests

1 Ax, 2 Tables                       1 Pot and scillet

1/2 dozen chairs ----              Stove [?] ---------    

Cash $7 --------

                                         Jas Ward

This comprehensive list of the items of Feriby's possessions sold on March 4th gives us a better idea of what she owned. (Note that the prices are still given in British currency.)

An Account of the Sale of the Estate of Feriby Ward Decd

Sold March the 4th 1814                                                             

                                                                                £       S      D

5 chears_________________To | James Ward_____|  " |  12 |    6

1 Pewter dish with Bacon___"  |   do       do______|  "   |  15 |   ~

7 Earthen plates___________"  |   do       do_____|      |  12 |   3 

3 Bowl__________________"  |   do       do_____|      |  11 |   ~

1 Pitcher_________________"  |   do       do_____|      |   4 |   6

1 Tureen & Dish___________ | Benjamin Hardy_____|     |    6 |   ~ ***

1 Sugar Dish______________  |   do       do_____|     |   2 |   6

13 Yds Striped Cloth @ 6/3___ | James Ward______|   3 |    1 |  3

4¾ lbs @ 12/lb_____________ |    do     do_____|  2   | 10 |  4½

1 book____________________ |    do     do_____|      |   10|  0

1 bed & furniture___________ | Benjamin Hardy____| 21  |   ~ |   ~

1 glass tumbler____________  | James Ward_____|     |   2 |  0

2 Stocks bees______________ |    do     do_____|     |  15 |  6

3   do     do________________ |    do     do_____|  1 |   12 |  6

5 Gall. Honey _____________ |    do     do_____|  2  |   10 |  0

5 gall. do _________________ |    do     do_____|  2  |   10 |  

5  do  do _________________ |    do     do_____|  2  |  10 |  

5  do balance______________ |    do     do_____|  2  |  10 | 

1 Black cow & yearling______ |   do     do_____|  5  |   15 | 

1 Heifer___________________ |  do      do_____|  5  |   0 |  0

1 do_______________________ |  do      do_____|  4   |   0 |  0

1 cow & calf________________ |  do      do_____|  4   | 12 |  6

1 Bull_____________________ |  do      do_____ |  1  |  10 |  0

1 Ewe & Lamb______________ |  do      do_____|  1  |  10 |  0

2 Sows & 8 pigs_____________ |  do      do_____|  5  |   0 |  0

6 Hogs_____________________ |  do      do_____| 3  |   0 |  0

18 lb Beeswax_______________ | William Jones_____|  1  |  10 |  0

1 Pr. fire Irons_______________ | James Ward_____|  1  |  5 |  0

1 Chest_____________________ | James Ward_____|  "   |    1 |  3

1  do_______________________ |    do     do_____|    |   10 |  0

1 table______________________ |   do     do_____| ~   |  ~ |  6

1½ bushel Wheat_____________ |   do     do_____|     |  15 |  

1 pine Beaufat_______________ |   do     do_____| 2  |   0 |  6

1 Linnen Wheel______________ |   do     do_____|     |  7 |  0

1 Woolen  do________________ |   do     do_____|     |    |  6

1 pot Trammel & hook________ |    do     do_____|     |    |  6

1 Stove_____________________ |  do     do_____|     |     |  6

1 Chest with clothes__________ | Benj. Hardy_____|  1  |  0 |  0

1 Iron pot__________________ | James Ward_____|    |   7 |  6

3 pewter & 1 Silver tea spoons__ |   do      do_____| ~ |  5 |  1

You may recall from last week's post about Thomas Ward's will that his bequest to his wife included an enslaved woman named Sophia. The next page refers to her and since it states that James Ward is paying £4 to "the lowest undertaker" for her maintenance until January 1, 1815, it's clear that Sophia not considered able to be hired out as a worker.

[All documents are from Wills and Estate Papers (Bertie County), 1663-1978; Author: North Carolina. Division of Archives and History (Raleigh, North Carolina); Probate Place: Bertie, North Carolina. Ancestry.com]

Next week I'll take a look at the final accounting James Ward filed with the probate court.

*And her father John Sowell by 58 years.
**The amount of the bond usually was matched to the estimated value of the deceased estate.
***Benjamin Hardy (who is a 5th great uncle of mine) was the husband of Eleanor (Elendar) Ward, the Feriby's youngest child. By the terms of Thomas Ward's will, Eleanor was to eventually inherit the house he had "loaned" to her mother during her widowhood.

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