Shirley, I have been looking back over your post (below) on the abstract of Thomas Williams' will in which you mention the problem with the date translation. >Jan, > >I looked for a few things at NGS today. The will of Thomas Williams has >been abstracted in - Dr. Stephen E Bradley, Jr., "Early Records of NC, >vol. VII, Wills 1750-1755 (From the Secretary of State Papers)" >(Keysville, VA: Stephen E Bradley, Jr., 1994). > >I suspect that the document had an error in the date, or perhaps it was >just hard to read. Bradley translated the will date as 7 Feb 1757 and the >March court date as 1750. Obviously that can't be right. Since these >wills were only supposed to include 1750-1755, a date of 1757, 8 or 9 >would not fit. The name you have as Wyriott Ormaond is Wyriot Ormond in >the published abstract. They show the second witness as Moses (X) Nevil, >not Thos William Junr. Shirley, I have a copy of J. Brian Grimes' abstract of the will in Abstract of NC Wills (Gen. Pub. 1975). He shows the will date as Feb. 17, 1757 and a March court date of 1758 when the will was exhibited. While those dates don't fit the supposed range of dates for wills in Bradley's book (1750-1755), the 1757 date Grimes has for when the will was written does match Bradley's; the only difference is Feb. 7 in Bradley's abstract and Feb. 17 in Grimes' version. The court dates on when the will was exhibited in court do differ with Grimes showing the March 1758 date and Bradley's of 1750. Grimes' abstract (p. 413): Williams, Thomas Beaufort County February 17, 1757. March court, 1858. Sons: THOMAS (land on the East side of the mouth of Bath Town Creek, bought of Wm. Baker, and lot in Bath Town No. 39), CHARLES and JOHN (land in the fork of Cuckolds Creek), ROBERT. Daughters: TEMPERANCE, ANN, MARY, SARAH, and HANAH WILLIAMS, ELIZABETH PRITCHARD. Land in the fork of Nevils Creek devised to son, CHARLES. Estate in England and Wales ordered divided among wife and children. Wife and Executrix: ANN. Executors: WYRIOTT ORMAOND, JAMES ELLISON, COLEMAN ROE and THOMAS WILLIAMS. Witnesses: WILLIAM DOWD, JACOB NEVIL, JR., MOSES NEVIL. Clerk of the Court: William Chauncy. After looking back at the copy of the microfilm I had on Thomas Williams' power of attorney filed 1757 (transcription below) and the date when his will was filed in court (which did come after the p. of a. in the court record book), I can see the date I was having trouble transcribing from the microfilm (copy below) could very well be 1758 for the date when Thos. Williams' will was filed. What do you think? Does 1758 seem like the most likely date for when the will was filed? I am trying to keep track of dates associated with the Nevilles in Beaufort Co. as Paddy and I look at Moses Nevil in that county and her Moses Nevill(e) group in Harford Co., MD. There was a Williams connection with Paddy's Harford Co. group, too. Jan ___________________________________________________________________ The LDS microfilm records I used at the FHC are as follows: Roll 0234276: NC County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions (Beaufort Co., NC 1736-1878); Roll 1672364: Wills and Estate Papers - Beaufort Co., NC 1633-1978 (roll beginning with McDaniel, Andrew and ending with Randolph, Justus F.); Roll 1906923: Beaufort Co., NC Estate Records (roll beginning with Jones, John and ending with Shacklefor, James); Roll 0234281: Will Records & Index 1720-1960 (Index F-P for 1720-1868) ------------------- In the following 1757 document Thomas Williams gives power of attorney to wife Ann and Wyriott Ormaond: Beaufort Co., NC (prob. from NC County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions for Beaufort Co., NC) June Court 1757 Know all Men by those Presents that I Thomas Williams of Beaufort County Mariner For Divers good Causes & Considerations me hereunto moving, do Make Ordain Authorize & Appoint & Appoint [sic] my wife Ann Williams & Wyriott(?) Ormaond Esqr. my true & Lawfull Attorneys for me and in my Name & to my Use to Ask Demand Sue for. . . .by these presents allowing all and whatsoever my said Attorneys in my Name or otherways shall Lawfully do or Cause to be done in or about all or any of the aforsd. matters & things by Virtue of those presents and Witness whereof I have hereunto Sett my Hand & Seal the Seventeenth Day of February Anno Domini 1757. Sealed and Delivered [signed] Thomas Williams seal in the Presence of William Doud Jacob Nevil Juener Thos William Junr. My note-Jan: All names written in clerk's hand. ----------------------- My note-Jan: The date for the court record below looks like 1755 but that would not fit with the will written in 1757; perhaps it should be 1758 or 1759. March court 175(5)? (Probably form NC Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions for Beaufort Co.) The last Will & Testament of Thomas William decd. was exhibited into court and proved by the oath of Jacob Nevil Jun. who swore he was of sound and disposing mind & memory at the time he executed it and that he saw Wilm. Doud & Moses Nevil jun. the other subscribing witnesses set their hands thereto And at the same time Ann Williams and Thomas Williams qualified as Extrs. thereto by taking the oath by Law appointed. Ordered that the Secretary have notice that Letters testamentary may issue.