Amanuensis Monday – The Will of Thomas Brooks

Transylvanian Dutch blog author John Newmark started the Monday blog theme called Amanuensis Monday. According to John, “amanuensis” means:
“A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.”

This week I am posting a transcript of the will of Thomas Brooks of Caswell County, North Carolina written on the 31st of March, 1855.

The following will was obtained from the North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh, North Carolina.  For more information on locating wills and ordering copies from the North Carolina State Archives, please reference my Looking for Wills at the North Carolina State Archives – Updated post.

The following will was found in the Caswell County Series of Original Wills, 1771-1927, box no. 1
Call no. 020.801.1

Summary of Will:

Written: March 31, 1855

Wife: Martha

Children:
William Brooks (<21 years of age)
Nicy Brooks
Mary Ann Brooks

Executrix:
wife Martha Brooks

Original Scanned Images:

Thomas Brooks Will 1855 p1

Thomas Brooks Will 1855 p2

Transcript of Will:

In the name of God amen I Thos Brooks of the county of Caswell and State of North Carolina being in mind the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death and being weak of body but of sound mind and disposing memory Blessed be God do this 31st day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty five publish and ordain this my last will and Testament in the manner and form following that is to say first of all I recommend my precious and immortal soul unto the hands of God who give it and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent and Christian like manner,

Item 1st I give and bequeath to Martha my wife my tract of land on which I live containing 237 acres more of less and my stock of all description plantation tools household and kitchen furniture wagon and harness and carriage also the provisions of all description on hand during her natural life or widowhood.

Item 2nd I will and bequeath to my son William Brooks when twenty one years of age a seventy five dollar horse and a good Saddle and bridle. Item 3rd I will and bequeath at the death or marriage of my beloved wife Martha, that in the event my daughters Nicy and Mary Ann are both or either of them single, they are to have one hundred dollars of my estate each and then come in for an equal division with the rest of my lawful heirs.

I hereby nominate and appoint my beloved wife Martha my executor to carry into effect this my last will and Testament herby ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament this day and date signed sealed and acknowledged to be the last will and Testament of Thos Brooks in presents of Charles G Russell and Byrd D Paylors.

Witnesses:
Charles G Russell
Byrd D Paylor

Thomas (His Mark X) Brooks (Seal)

Unfortunately, at this time, I do not know much about this family. Thomas Brooks’ estate was probated in 1855 because there is a file at the North Carolina State Archives in the Caswell County Loose Papers of the Estate Files for Thomas Brooks, dated 1855. My goal is to copy, scan, and transcribe the contents of that file the next time I got to the Archives. If you know anything about the family of Thomas and Martha Brooks, please feel free to leave a comment below or email me directly at ginger.reney at gmail dot com.

Related Posts:

The Wills of Richard Brooks (1789) and his wife Ann Brooks (1808)