Monday Is for Mothers: Frances Johnson (1681 - 1747)

Frances Johnson, one of my paternal seventh great grandmothers,* lived in the same part of North Carolina her whole life.** She survived two husbands*** and so, unusually for the time, was able to make her own will in 1747.

[State Archives of North Carolina MARS, Records of Probate]

In the name of god amen, I Frances Rasorr of Bertie County and Province of North Carolina Widdow Being Sick and
Weak in Body but of Sound and perfect Memory thanks to God almighty for the Same, and Calling to mind the
frailty of human nature and that it is appointed for all men to die I doe therefore make Constitute appoint and ordain
this to Be my Last will and testament in manner and form following first my South, I Recommend my Soul into the hand
of Almighty God that gave it hopeing throughthe Merrits of my Blessed redemer to Receive a Joyfull Resurrection at the
Last Day my Body to be buried in Such Christian like manner, As to my Executors hereafter named Shal Seme meet and
touching Such worldly Estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to Bestow on me in the Transitory world I dispose of thSame in Manner and form following~~
Imprimis  I give and bequeath to ^my Dear & Loving Daughter Elizabeth Hardy the Land & plantation lying on the west Side of the easternmost Swamp of Salmon Creek and on the South Side of the Cross Branch which I give with all the appertenances thereunto belonging to her & to her Disposal forever,
Item  I Likewise give and Bequeath to my Gandaughter frances hardy my great Spining wheel which I give ^to her And to her Disposal
Item  I give to my Son Edward Rasor my Sypress Chest with Lock & key which I give to him & to his Disposal.
Item  I give & Bequeath to my Daughter in Law Elisabeth Rasor one sute of head Cloths hankercheif and Apron which I give to her proper use & Benifit
Item  I ^give to my Son Edward Rasor one Shilling Sterling because he has had his portion already.
Item  I give & Bequeath unto my Daughter Christina Bert[?] my Gold ring If She comes here to fetch it to her own use.
Item  I give & Bequeath the Remaind part of My Estate to my Dear Daughter Elizabeth hardy Which I give her to own proper use
   Lastly I Constitute and Appoint my ^(Son in Law) lamb hardy to be my Executor of this My Last will and testament uterly revoking And Makeing Void all former will or wills by me formerly made Ratifiing and Confirming this & no Other to be my Last will & testament in Witness whereof I have hereunto Sett my hand & fixed my Seal this 20th of April one thousand
Seven hundred & forty Seven  1747

Signed Sealed published
Pronounced and Declared
by the Said Frances Rasor
to be her last will and
testament in the presents 
William W Hardy****
Thomas Todd
Charity Todd

Reading through the bequests, it's clear that my ancestor Elizabeth Hardy was definitely her favorite.

I wonder what was behind the bequest of a "sute of Cloths" to her step daughter-in-law Elisabeth? Perhaps this was a hint that Frances didn't approve of Elisabeth's attire? Also, making the bequest to her daughter Christina (Rasor) Bert[?] of a gold ring conditional on her coming in person to collect it leads me to think there might have been some estrangement.

The exact date of Frances' death is unknown as is her place of burial.


*Here's my descent from her through the Hardys
:

[Ancestry.com]

**Originally Chowan County which Bertie County, North Carolina was divided from in 1722.
***Her first was my ancestor Francis Parrott and secondly Martin Frederick Rasor, whose son Edward isn't hers.
****Because the ink is so badly faded I have had to depend on Ancestry.com's North Carolina Will Abstracts database for the names of the witnesses and the paragraph to the right of the signatures which gives the probate date of December 18, 1748.

© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

From the Probate Files: Susanah* Mrs. Johnson - Chowan County, North Carolina, 1718

We know almost nothing about this paternal eighth great grandmother** but when she made her will on August 13, 1717, she was living in Chowan Precinct in Albermarle County, North Carolina, and had survived her husband William by five years.

[A new & accurate map of the provinces of North & South Carolina, Georgia &c. Drawn from the late surveys and regulated by astronl. observatns. By Eman. Bowen. (London: Printed for William Innys, Richard Ware, Aaron Ward, J. and P. Knapton, John Clarke, T. Longman and T. Shewell, Thomas Osborne, Henry Whitridge ... M.DCC.XLVII). David Rumsey Historical Map Collection]

[Detail of above map showing the location of Chowan]

The first information we found about Susanah's will was through an abstract, but fortunately the North Carolina State Archives has an image of her will which I have transcribed below.

[Abstract of North Carolina Wills [1663-1760] [database on-line]. Ancestry.com]

[Johnson, Susanah, 1718. Office of Secretary of State: Call Number: SS 839 - SS 861

MARS Id: 12.96.13.48 (Folder). North Carolina State Archives]

In the name of God Amen

I Susanah Johnson of the precinct of Chowan In the Collony

of North Carolina Semtress: Being Infirm in body: Butt of

a perfect health of Mind and memory: Prayse be therefore given

to Almighty God - - - -

I do make and ordaine This my last Will and Testament, In

manor and form as followeth - - - -

First I commend my soule Into the hands of Almighty God -

hoping through the merritts and death and passion of my Saviour

Jesus Christ to have full and free pardon and forgiveness of all my

Sins: And to Inherit Everlasting life - - - -

And my body I committ to the Earth to be decently Interred

At the Descretion of my Executrix hereafter named - - - -

And as touching the Dispossall of all Such Temperiall Estates as

itt hath pleased Almightly God to bestow upon me I give and dispose

As followeth - - - -

First I will all my Just debts And funeral Charges be paid and disch-

arged -

Item   I give unto my son William Johnson one Shilling

Item   I give and bequeath unto my grandson Jacob parrott one two year

          heifer - - - -

Item   I give and bequeath unto my granddaughter Susanah parrott*** one two year

          old heifer and one small deale box

Item   I give and bequeath unto my granddaughter Elizabeth Parrott one two year

          old heifer and one popalar box

Item   I give and bequeath unto my beloved friend Mr John Hardy one gold

          ring of Twenty Shillings Value

Item   I give unto my godson Edward Frederick Rasor one two year old heifer

Item   I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Frances Rasor all this my

          my plantation where I now dwell containing Six hundred and forty acers

          unto her the said Frances Rasor And her disposall for Ever

Item   I give and bequeath unto my said daughter frances Rasor all my other

          Potales[?] both personall and reall

Item   I give and bequeath unto my son William Johnson one hundred acers of land

          upon the upper line of my said tract and plantation And two cows & calves

          and two sows and piggs and one deale chest This last Legacy to my son William

          is wholly depending In consideration of the said William coming with his

          wife and children and settling upon the said one hundred acers of land within one

          year after the proving this will, otherwise this Legacy is no ways Intended or given

Lastly  I appoint my beloved daughter Frances Rasor sole Executrix of this my last

             will and testament Utterly Revoking and disanolling all wills heretofore

             by me made. In witness hereof I have hereunto my hand and fixed ring

             seale this 13 of August Anno:Dom 1717

                                         Susanah Johnson

Signed and Sealed

In presence of -

Laurence Sarson

E_____ Z_____ Can?

Patrick Canadas

William Waters

It's clear than daughter Frances is Susanah's favorite; I wonder if William moved his family so he could claim his legacy?

Note: Deal is another name for pine wood; poplar is another kind of wood.

*Although some sources claim that her maiden name is Monteigne, I don't know where that comes from.
**The content of this post is "recycled" from one I wrote on October 15, 2015.

***Granddaughter Elizabeth Parrott, who was about 15 when Susanah died, married Lemuel "Lamb" Hardy, the grandson of "my beloved friend John Hardy" and their great great granddaughter Martha Heath Hardy married my great great grandfather Jesse Thomas Simeon Warren in Macon County, Alabama in 1849.

[Ancestry.com]

© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Monday Is for Mothers: Susanah* Mrs Johnson (About 1655 - About 1718)

We know almost nothing about this paternal eighth great grandmother but when she made her will on August 13, 1717,  she was living in Chowan Precinct in Albermarle County, North Carolina, and had survived her husband William by five years.

[A new & accurate map of the provinces of North & South Carolina, Georgia &c. Drawn from the late surveys and regulated by astronl. observatns. By Eman. Bowen. (London: Printed for William Innys, Richard Ware, Aaron Ward, J. and P. Knapton, John Clarke, T. Longman and T. Shewell, Thomas Osborne, Henry Whitridge ... M.DCC.XLVII). David Rumsey Historical Map Collection]

[Detail of above map showing the location of Chowan]

The first information we found about Susanah's will was through an abstract, but fortunately the North Carolina State Archives has an image of her will which I have transcribed below.

[Abstract of North Carolina Wills [1663-1760] [database on-line]. Ancestry.com]

[Johnson, Susanah, 1718. Office of Secretary of State: Call Number: SS 839 - SS 861

MARS Id: 12.96.13.48 (Folder). North Carolina State Archives]

In the name of God Amen
I Susanah Johnson of the precinct of Chowan In the Collony
of North Carolina Semtress: Being Infirm in body: Butt of
a perfect health of Mind and memory: Prayse be therefore given
to Almighty God - - - -
I do make and ordaine This my last Will and Testament, In
manor and form as followeth - - - -
First I commend my soule Into the hands of Almighty God -
hoping through the merritts and death and passion of my Saviour
Jesus Christ to have full and free pardon and forgiveness of all my
Sins: And to Inherit Everlasting life - - - -
And my body I committ to the Earth to be decently Interred
At the Descretion of my Executrix hereafter named - - - -
And as touching the Dispossall of all Such Temperiall Estates as
itt hath pleased Almightly God to bestow upon me I give and dispose
As followeth - - - -
First I will all my Just debts And funeral Charges be paid and disch-
arged -
Item   I give unto my son William Johnson one Shilling
Item   I give and bequeath unto my grandson Jacob parrott one two year
          heifer - - - -
Item   I give and bequeath unto my granddaughter Susanah parrott one two year
          old heifer and one small deale box
Item   I give and bequeath unto my granddaughter Elizabeth Parrott one two year
          old heifer and one popalar box
Item   I give and bequeath unto my beloved friend Mr John Hardy one gold
          ring of Twenty Shillings Value
Item   I give unto my godson Edward Frederick Rasor one two year old heifer
Item   I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Frances Rasor all this my
          my plantation where I now dwell containing Six hundred and forty acers
          unto her the said Frances Rasor And her disposall for Ever
Item   I give and bequeath unto my said daughter frances Rasor all my other
          Potales[?] both personall and reall
Item   I give and bequeath unto my son William Johnson one hundred acers of land
          upon the upper line of my said tract and plantation And two cows & calves
          and two sows and piggs and one deale chest This last Legacy to my son William
          is wholly depending In consideration of the said William coming with his
          wife and children and settling upon the said one hundred acers of land within one
          year after the proving this will, otherwise this Legacy is no ways Intended or given
Lastly  I appoint my beloved daughter Frances Rasor sole Executrix of this my last
             will and testament Utterly Revoking and disanolling all wills heretofore
             by me made. In witness hereof I have hereunto my hand and fixed ring
             seale this 13 of August Anno:Dom 1717
                                         Susanah Johnson
Signed and Sealed
In presence of -
Laurence Sarson
E_____ Z_____ Can?
Patrick Canadas
William Waters"

It's clear than daughter Frances** is Susanah's favorite; I wonder if William moved his family so he could claim his legacy?

Note: Deal is another name for pine wood; poplar is another kind of wood.

*Although some sources claim that her maiden name is Monteigne, I don't know where that comes from.
**Granddaughter Elizabeth Parrott, who was about 15 when Susanah died, married Lemuel "Lamb" Hardy, the grandson of "my beloved friend John Hardy" and their great great granddaughter Martha Heath Hardy married my great great grandfather Jesse Thomas Simeon Warren in Macon County, Alabama in 1849.



© 2015 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.