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.

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