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Col. Hezekiah Spruill-Spruiell
Facts and Events
This individual was found on GenCircles at: http://www.gencircles.com/users/rkeefer/2/data/375
His father left his a parcil of land known by the name of Roundabout...50acres, one young cow and calf and one feather bed.
References
- ↑ Col. Hezekiah Spruill
Jan 22, 1732 - Mar 20, 1804
"My loving friends as you pass by, As you are now, so once was I, As I am now so you must be Prepare my friends to follow me."
This quote is from his tombstone which is located at the very end of Tyrrell County or the "Goat neck" section, or on the Harless or Farris land, or near a pumping station, or as far down the county from what they call "Sound Side as you can go. At this site, in the woods, there are also other Spruill graves. These directions were supplied by Jasper W. Hassell of Edenton, NC, who also has some photos of the tombstones.
Col. Hezekiah Spruill was a planter, member of the Provincial Congress, and Revolutionary leader. His grave is located in the forbidding forest of Tyrrell County's Alligator Township. The weather-beaten tombstone is probably one of the few physical mementoes of the Spruill family that was as much a part of Tyrrell for two centuries as the quiet black Scuppernong itself.
From 1750 to 1860 there was hardly a North Carolina General Assemble without a Spruill representing Tyrrell or neighboring Washington County.
The main branch of the Spruill family, established in Alligator by Col. Hezekiah, remained on the north shore until the latter part of the 1800s when the place was sold and gradually passed away, much of it reclaimed by the dense forests.
(From an article on the 'Our State' magazine by David E. Davis, Aug 1, 1964)
The information is taken from Memories and Records of Eastern North Carolina by Mary Weeks Lambeth, 1957, Curley Printing Company, Nashville, pp 194, 215
source:
http://www.vergie.com/col.html - ↑ COL. HEZEKIAH SPRUILL
May 25, 1802
In the name of God Amen. I Hezekiah SPRUILL of the County of Tyrrell and
State of North Carolina being of sound mind and memory blessed be God, do
this twenty fifth day of May in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and two make and publish this
my last will and testament in the manner following, that is to say
Impremis - I lend to my beloved wife Rhoda SPRUILL the use of the one third
part of my manor Plantation whereon I now live and one half the buildings
thereon, with the privilege of fire wood and
timber off of any part of my land she may choose to repair the buildings
and support the plantation; one third part of my moveable estate except
negroes and articles hereafter mentioned. I lend to my beloved wife the use
of three negroes named LYDIA, LITCH, and BLACK JANE during her life or
widowhood.
Item. I give to my wife Rhoda SPRUILL my riding horse called Bowls, a side
saddle and bridle, one yoak of oxen and one ox cart. I give to my wife and
son Samuel SPRUILL all the groceries
I may be possessed of at the event of my death for the use of the family,
also all my plantation tools of every sort for the use of the plantation.
Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Ann MIDGET all the land contained
in the bounds of a deed I purchased of Thos WILLIAMS also I give to my
daughter Ann MIDGET fifty acres of land to be laid out of my Patent No. 751
beginning at a Poplar, Hopkins corner and running southerly by a line of
marked trees for the compliment to her her heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Lois SPRUILL and my little
grandson Hezekiah Gilbert LEIGH the balance of the land contained in my
patent No. 751, also two hundred & thirty acres of land within the bounds
of my patent No. 427 adjoining the upper neck & Cypress Swamp to be equally
divided between my daughter Lois and my grandson Hezekiah Gilbert LEIGH
according to quality and quantity to them their heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Rosanah LEIGH forty acres of land
lying in the westernmost end of my Savannah Patent beginning at a black gum
at the mouth of the water Oak Branch in the Savannah Swamp near the road
leading on the swamp northerly to a poplar, thence along a line of marked
trees south 75ø East to a pine, thence westerly by a line of marked trees
to a water Oak in the water Oak Branch, thence down the Branch to the first
station to her the said Rosanah and her heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Samuel SPRUILL all the lands within the
bounds of my deed I purchased of Jesse WYATT containing 310 acres to him
his heirs and assigns forever. I also give and bequeath to my son Samuel
SPRUILL 300 acres of land contained within the bounds of my patent No. 430
and known by the name of the Savannah with all and ??? the remainder part
of my
lands and tenements wherever to be found to him the said Samuel SPRUILL his
heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I lend to my daughter Ann MIDGET three negroes namely YELLOW GINNY,
TOM and ANNIS and at her death I give and bequeath the aforesaid negroes to
my daughter Ann's children or heirs lawfully begotten on her body to be
equally divided amongst them, to them their heirs and assigns forever, with
their increase.
Item. I lend one third part of two negroes namely LITCH and BLACK JENNE,
with their increase to my daughter Ann MIDGET during her life and at her
death I again give and bequeath the aforesaid one third part with their
increase to her children or heirs lawfully begotten on her body to be
equally divided between them, to them their heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to my two daughters Rosanah LEIGH and Lois
SPRUILL the remaining two thirds of the negroes above mentioned namely
LITCH and BLACK GINNY to be equally divided between them, to them their
heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Rosanah LEIGH three negroes named
MURTIFEN, MERCURY, & PEGGY to her, her heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Lois SPRUILL three named BLACK
ANDREW, CLOE & LITTLE ESTER, to her her heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Samuel SPRUILL four negroes named JOE,
LEWIS, DOLLY and YELLOW ANDREW, to him, his heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I also give to my son Samuel SPRUILL one negro woman named LYDIA at
the death of my wife, to him, his heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to my little grandson Hezekiah Gilbert LEIGH one
negro boy named SAM now in the possession of Richard LEIGH to him his heirs
and assigns forever, but if the aforesaid Hezekiah Gilbert LEIGH should
depart this life without lawful issue, then I give the aforesaid negro boy
SAM to his four sisters, that is to say, Elizabeth, Sarah, Charlotte, and
Lois
LEIGH to be equally divided between them, their heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I ordain and direct that my son Samuel SPRUILL take the negro man
named LON into his possession and hire him out to the best advantage, year
by year or sell him at his own discretion,
even keeping the money upon interest by renewing the bond or bonds every
year until my two little grand daughters Charlotte & Lois LEIGH are of the
age of eighteen or marriage.
Item. I give and bequeath the aforesaid negro man LON with the profits of
him or the money arising from the sale (if sold) with the interest of the
money to my grand daughters above named viz.
Charlotte & Lois LEIGH daughters of Richard LEIGH to them and their heirs
forever, but if should so happen that the said Charlotte or Lois LEIGH
departs this life without issue of their
bodies, then I give the aforesaid negro to be equally divided between the
surviving brothers and sisters to them their heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to my grand daughter Keziah Permelia FOSTER one
negro boy named EDMON, provided her father John FOSTER never takes her away
from her grandmother or her Aunt Ann MIDGET and if the said FOSTER does
ever take Keziah Permelia from the
care of her said grandmother or Aunt then I give the said negro boy to be
divided between my three daughters Ann MIDGET, Rosanah LEIGH, and Lois
SPRUILL, and I do hereby commend the said negro boy to the care of my son
Samuel SPRUILL to wait the event and to be delivered to the said Keziah
Permelia at the day of her marriage or the age of eighteen (if she should
continue to live in the family, otherwise the said negro to go to my three
daughters above mentioned to them their heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to the heirs of my daughter Keziah FOSTER one
shilling sterling they having received what I designed to give her.
Item. I give and bequeath to my four grand daughters Elizabeth, Sarah,
Charlotte, & Lois LEIGH one negro woman named BIG ESTER and one girl named
LITTLE DOLL and their increase, now in the possession of their father
Richard LEIGH, to be delivered to them when Elizabeth LEIGH shall arrive at
the age of eighteen, to them their heirs and assigns forever, and if any of
my grand daughters above named should depart this life without issue I give
and bequeath the two negroes above named BIG ESTER & LITTLE DOLL to their
surviving sisters to them their heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Samuel SPRUILL, Ann MIDGET, Rosanah
LEIGH and Lois SPRUILL all the remaining part of my estate to be equally
divided between them at my death, to them, their heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Samuel SPRUILL and my three daughters
Ann MIDGET, Rosanah LEIGH and Lois SPRUILL all the third part of my estate
except negroes lent my wife during her life in the first clause of my will
to be equally divided at my wife's death between them, my son and my three
daughters above named, to them their heirs and assigns forever.
Item. And I hereby make and ordain my son Samuel SPRUILL and my daughters
Ann MIDGET, Rosanah LEIGH & Lois SPRUILL executors and executrixs of this
my last will and testament, In witness whereof I the said Hezekiah SPRUILL
have to this my last will and
testament set my hand and seal the day and year above written,
Signed, sealed & declared and published by the said Hezekiah SPRUILL the
testator as his last will and testament in presence of us at the time of
signing and sealing thereof
HEZEKIAH SPRUILL {seal}
AMELIA (her mark) PEUSHE
JOHN SWAIN
---------------------------------
Tyrrell Court April Term 1804
Personally appeared Amelia PEUSHE in open court and swore that she saw
Hezekiah SPRUILL sign and pronounce this instrument of writing to be his
last will and testament and that she believes he was at the same time in
perfect and sound mind and memory and that she saw the other subscribing
witness sign his name also
for CHAS SPRUILL, Clk
State of North Carolina
Tyrrell Court
I Jos HALSEY, Clk of this Court of Pleas & Quarter Session for the county
aforesaid do hereby certify the foregoing to be a true copy of the will of
Hezekiah SPRUILL dsd with a probate of the
same as filed in my office given under my hand and seal of office at
Columbia this 28 of August 1828
JOS HALSEY, Clk
source:
http://www.vergie.com/col.html
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