Norfleet Family Genealogy

Will of Thomas Norfleet (d. 1746) of Edgecombe County, North Carolina

Introduction by Phil Norfleet

The will of Thomas Norfleet (d. 1746) of Edgecombe County, North Carolina, dated 23 January 1735, was proved during the August 1746 Term of the Edgecombe County Court. Thomas Norfleet of Edgecombe was a son (probably the eldest) of Thomas Norfleet, Jr. of Nansemond County, Virginia and was the brother of both James Norfleet (d. 1732) of Perquimans Precinct, Albemarle County, North Carolina and Marmaduke Norfleet (1700-1774) of Northampton County, North Carolina.  The original will is on file at the North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh and is in relatively good condition.

Thomas's wife is thought to be a certain Ruth Blunt, daughter of John (d. 1750) and Ann Blunt.  One of the two witnesses to Thomas's will was another John Blunt, probably the brother of Ruth. The second witness was a man named Robert Hilliard.

The will mentions Thomas's wife, Ruth, and seven children, i. e., two sons, Thomas and Marmaduke; and five daughters:  Sarah, "Farbey," "Susana," Mary and Elizabeth Norfleet.  Thomas's brother, Marmaduke Norfleet (1700-1774), is named as one of the executors of the will.

A transcription of the will follows.  For ease of reading, some punctuation has been added and the spelling has been corrected to modern form; otherwise the will is transcribed exactly as written.

Transcript of Will

I Thomas Norfleet of Edgecombe County in the Province of North Carolina knowing that it is appointed for all men to die & calling to mind the mortality of my body, do make this my last Will and Testament:

First I commit my body to the ground to be buried in Christian form and my soul to God that gave it and as for my worldly goods as it hath pleased God to bless me with, I dispose in manner and form [as] follows:

Item:   I give and bequeath to my well beloved son Thomas three hundred acres of land being where I now dwell, the lower part of the tract that I purchased of John Spears [?] beginning at ... [?] ... thence straight across the neck to ... [?] ... the quantity to him and his heirs forever;

Item:  I give and bequeath to my son Marmaduke the other part of the tract where I now dwell to him and his heirs forever;

Item:  I give and bequeath to my son Thomas half of the tract of land that I hold at Conetoe to him and his heirs forever;

Item:  I give to my other son Marmaduke the other half of the tract at Conetoe to him and his heirs forever;

Item:  I give to my son Thomas three Negroes named Jamy, Jon and Conor to him and his heirs forever; and one silver punch bowl, and four cows and calves, one feather bed and furniture, and a case of pistols and holsters and sword, and one large brass kettle, and a large new Bible;

Item:  I give to my son Marmaduke three Negroes named Tony, and Boson and Little Pomroy, to him and his heirs forever; and one silver tankard, and four cows and calves, and one feather bed and furniture, and one still and worm, and one large table, and one large Bible;

Item:  I give to my daughter Sarah my Negro girl called Venus, and one cow and calf, and one silver spoon;

Item:  I give to my daughter Farbey [sic] my Negro girl called Nan, and one cow and calf, and one silver spoon;

Item:  I give to my daughter Susana [sic] my Negro girl called Hanon [sic], and one cow and calf, and one silver spoon;

Item:  I give to my daughter Mary my Negro girl called Isabel, and one cow and calf, and one silver spoon;

Item:  I give to my daughter Elizabeth my Negro girl called Geney [sic], and one cow and calf, and one silver spoon;

Item:  I give my carpenters tools to be equally divided between my two sons Thomas and Marmaduke and six pewter dishes apiece;

And all the rest of my estate, both real and personal I give to my well beloved wife Ruth and my will is that she shall keep the whole estate in her hands until the children come of age or married, and I do appoint my well beloved wife and my brother Marmaduke as my sole executors of this my Last Will, and I do revoke all other wills and ... [?] ... this to be my Last Will and Testament in witness [thereof] I have here unto set my hand and seal this 23 day of January 1745.

/S/  Thomas Norfleet (Seal)

Test:  

Robert Hilliard

John Blunt

Edgecombe County NC - August Court 1746

The above will was, in open court, proved by the oath of Rob't Hilliard and John Blount [sic], witnesses thereto and Ruth Norfleet one of the Executors named therein.  Qualified as the Law directs.

Test:

Thomas [?]

Digitized Facsimile of Will