State of North Carolina Stanly County I Peter Pless of the County of Stanly and state of North Carolina being of sound mind & memory but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence do make and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say first that my Executor herein after named shall provide for my body a descent burial suitable to the wishes of my relatives and friends and pay all funeral expenses together with my just debts howsoever and to whomsoever owing out of the moneys that may first come into his hands as a part of my estate.
Item. I give and divise to my beloved son Solomon Pless two hundred and thirty acres of land in two different tracts, one tract containing two hundred acres whereon I now live, and the second tract adjoining the first first tract whereon I now live, so as to include my mansion house all out houses and other improveements to have and to hold to him the said Solomon for and during the term of his natural life and then to his heirs in fee simple forever.
Item. I give and devise to my daughter Catherine, all that tract of land in the state of Arkansas, being in Pope County on Arkansas River containing eighty acres to have and to hold to her, and her bodily heirs in fee simple forever.
Item. I give aaand bequeath to my beloved wife Elizabeth one half of the household and Kitchen furniture, and one cow and calf her choice and twenty five dollars in money to be maid and paid out of the unwilled property to her by the Executor herein after named.
Item. I give and bequeath to my youngest daughter Malinda one half of the household and kitchen furniture and one cow and calf the second choice, the devise is that my son Solomon mantains his mother during her widowhood, or as long as she remains on the premises as a widow.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Adam two hundred dollars in money.
Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Malinda two hundred dollars in money.
Item. I give and bequeath to my grand-daughter Sarah the child of Malinda fifty dollars in Money, my will and desire that all the residue of my estate if any after taking out the devises and legacies above mentioned shall be sold and the debts owing to me collected And if there should be andy surplus over and above the payment of deebts expenses and legacies that such surplus shall be equally divided and paid over to my son Adam and daughter Malinda my will and desire is that my daughter Malinda equal part in this last devise to her bodily heirs equally to be to be divided between them and said legacies to be paid over to the above mentioned within two years from my decease to them and each and every of them their Executors Administrators aand asignes absolutely forever this is not to interfer with a deed of gift that I have made hereetofore to my son Charley and daughter Elizabeth.
And lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint my trusty friend son Adam my lawful Executor to all interests and purposes to execute this my last will and testament according to the time intent and meaning of the same, and every part and clause thereof hereby revoking and decclaring utterly void all other wills and testaments by made heretofore made in witness wherof I the said Peter Pless do hereunto set my hand and seal this the 19th day of September A. D. 1854.
Signed sealed published and declared by the said Peter Pless to be my last will and testament in the presence of us, who at his request and in his presence do subscribe our names as witnesses therto.
A. Hunnycutt
Holden Hartsell
North Carolina Stanly County May Sessionn 1858.Then the foregoing last will and testament was produced in open court and offered for probate and the execution thereof duly proved on the oath of A. Hunnycutt and Holden Hartsell the subscribing witnesses whereupon Adam Pless the Executor therin named appeared in open court and duly qualified as Executor and letters testamentary fixed to him and this said will ordered to ber recorded and affixed. _Harris Clk.
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