The Wills of Patrick Stewart, 5th of Ledcreich, and his Youngest Brother, William Stewart, in Bladen County, North Carolina, USA

CONTENT WARNING: Slavery. These original document transcriptions contain descriptions of enslaved persons that may be upsetting to some readers whose lives have been impacted by the legacy of the institution of slavery.

What follows are the Last Wills and Testaments of Patrick Stewart, formerly 5th of Ledcreich, and his youngest brother William Stewart. Patrick Stewart sold the hereditary family estate of Ledcreich in Balquhidder Perthshire, Scotland, to the family of the Stewarts of Benmore. Patrick and his youngest brother, William, together with their families, immigrated in 1739 from Perthshire, Scotland to Bladen County, North Carolina, USA.

These wills can be disturbing for modern readers to read as they list the actual names of slaves who were owned by Patrick and William and were bequeathed to their respective heirs. These names are included among lists of properties and household possessions like furniture, books, and horses. These were real, live human beings who were catalogued as possessions. It is a sad testament to the reality of humanity that these Gaelic-speaking Highlanders, once so familiar with having been oppressed and treated like lesser human beings themselves by the Anglo British government, upon coming to America, participated in an even worse system of oppression against black persons who had been abducted from their homes in Africa.

Preserving historic evidence in its stark original form like this will hopefully help us to learn to never repeat such atrocities and to continue to work towards healing the systemic racism and inequities that continue today as legacies of slavery.

For more information on the families of Patrick and William Stewart, go to our Stewarts of Ledcreich page:

The Last Will and Testament of Patrick Stewart was recorded in 1772 in Charlston County, South Carolina, as printed in Volume 16, p.48; Will Books. It was transcribed by Kelsey Williams, a descendant of Patrick Stewart and Elizabeth Menzies, and former member of the Stewarts of Balquhidder Research Group. Punctuation and paragraph formatting have been added to improve readability.

The Last Will and Testament of William Stewart, is transcribed from the collection, North Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, hosted by Ancestry.com. It was transcribed by Ryk Brown, co-host of the Stewarts of Balquhidder Research Group.

The Last Will and Testament of Patrick Stewart, formerly 5th of Ledcreich, 1772.

In the Name of God, Amen.

I, Patrick Stewart of Saint David’s Parish, in Craven County, in the Province of South Carolina, Planter, being of sound mind & memory, but thoughtful of Death, do, this eighth day of May in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy two, make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner following (that is to say):

First, I recommend my Soul into the Hands of Almighty God hoping and believing a Remission of my sins by the merits & mediation of Jesus Christ, And my Body I commit to the Earth to be buried at the discretion of my Exors hereafter named. And my Wor[l]dly Estate I give & bequeath as follows:

In primis, I give & bequeath to my dear Wife, Elizabeth Stuart, the use of all my Books & Household Furniture during the term of her natural Life.

Item, I give to my said Wife, Elizabeth Stewart, the use of all my Stock of Horses, Neat Cattle, and Hogs, so far as shall be necessary and convenient together with what I have hereafter bequeathed to her for her comfortable and decent subsistance during the term of her natural Life.

Item, I give and bequeath to my said wife, Elizabeth Stewart, the use and Labour of my two young negroe slaves. to wit. a Boy named Jim and a Girl named Melia. for and during the terms of the natural Life of her my said wife.

Item, I give and bequeath to my said Wife, Elizabeth Stewart, one hundred and fifty Pounds Current and lawfull money of South Carolina, or, in Lieu thereof, forty Pounds Proclamation money, to be paid to her, my said Wife, annually in and upon the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, viz. each and every Year during the term of her natural Life, in manner hereafter mentioned.

Item, (if my son James Stewart shall return to this Parish of Saint David’s and shall settle himself live and reside therein and shall marry with the Consent and approbation of me or my Exors, hereafter named, then my Will is, and I do hereby ordain, that my said Son, James Stewart, shall have the use and property of my following: five Negroe Slaves. to wit. Toney, Dembo, Tom, Sal, and Chloe, to hold to him, my said son James Stewart, his Exors, Admrs, and Assigns, subject to the following Charge, (that is to say) that he, my said Son, James Stewart, in Consequence of the said Legacy shall pay to my said Wife, Elizabeth Stewart, the abovesaid one hundred & fifty Pounds Current and lawfull money of South Carolina, or, in lieu thereof, the said forty Pounds Proclamation money, annually, in and upon the said Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel in each and every Year during the term of her natural Life, but, if my said son, James Stewart, shall not comply with and perform the Condition abovementioned, then, and in that Case, I give and bequeath to my Daughter, Catharine Little, my said Negroe Slaves named Toney, Dembo, and Sal, to hold to her the said Catharine Little, her Exors, Admrs, and Assigns, and, then, and in that Case, I give and bequeath to my Daughter, Margaret Carraway, the Wife of John Carraway, my said Negroe Slave named Tom to hold to her, the said Margaret Carraway, her Exors, Admrs, and Assigns, and then, and in that Case, I give & bequeath to my Daughter, Elizabeth Stewart, the Wife of James Stewart, my said Negroe Woman Slave named Chloe, to hold to her, the said Elizabeth Stewart, her Exors, Admrs, & Assigns, each of the said last mentioned Negroe Slaves being subject to the same charge above mentioned, (that is to say) that each of the said Legatees last mentioned, to wit my Daughters Catharine Little, Margaret Carraway, & Elizabeth Stewart, or their Assigns-in-Law, shall, in Consequence of the said Legacies, contribute and pay to my said Wife, Elizabeth Stewart, annually, in & upon the Feast aforesaid, in each & every Year during the term of her natural Life, a Part of the said one hundred & fifty Pounds Current & lawfull money of the Province of South Carolina, or of the forty Pounds Proclamation money, proportionate to the number of the five Slaves conditionally bequeathed to each of them in Manner above said, so, as the said annuity, or sum, in South Carolina Currency, or proclamation money above specified, be annually made up, and paid to my said Wife, as aforesaid. –

Item, I give and bequeath to my said Son, James Stewart, freely and absolutely my Negro man slave named Jack, to hold to him my said son, James Stewart, his Executors, Administrators, and Assigns;

Item, after the Decease of my said Wife, Elizabeth Stewart, I give and bequeath to my said Son, James Stewart, his Executors, Administrators, and Assigns, freely and absolutely, all my said Books, and Household Furniture, of what Nature or Kind soever, and all my said stock of Horses, Neat Cattle, and Hogs; –

Item, after the Decease of my said Wife, Elizabeth Stewart, I give and bequeath to my said Daughter, Catharine Little, her Executors, Administrators, and Assigns, my said young Negro Girl slave named Melia;

Item, after the Death of my said Wife, Elizabeth Stewart, I give and bequeath unto my Grand Son, Charles Stewart Carraway, his Executors, Administrators, and Assigns, my said Young Negro Boy Slave named Jim; –

Item, after the Payment of my Just Debts and Funeral Expenses – I give and bequeath to my said son, James Stewart, the Rest and Residue of my Estate, real and personal, of what Nature or Kind soever, to hold to him the said James Stewart, his Heirs, Executors, Administrators, and Afsigns for ever –

Item, I nominate, ordain, and appoint my said Daughter, Catharine Little, and my Friend, Alexander Gordon, Esquire, to be my Executors of this my Last Will and Testament, In Witness whereof, I, the said Patrick Stewart, 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 above named Patrick Stewart, as and for, his Last Will and Testament, in the Presence of us, who hereunto subscribed our Names as Witness in the said Testator’s presence, and at his request. 

Patrick Stewart

Witnesses:

Charles Bedingfeild
William Godfrey
William Pegues

The Last Will and Testament of William Stewart of Bladen County, North Carolina, USA, 22 Aug 1778.

I, William Stewart of Bladen County, being of a sound and perfect understanding and memory, do make this my last will and testament.

I give to my wife during her lifetime the following negroes, viz. Big Will Campbellton, Daisy [name unclear], Phillis. Amelia and Dianna, together with the following plantations, viz. the plantation where I now live that is known by the name of Bonniesfield [name uncertain, difficult to read], the one known by the name of Newfield and one of the name of Skippersfield, as also are my horses, cattle and other stock likewise my plantation tools and household furniture and at her decease the said negroes, lands, and stocks are to be disponed of in the following manner, viz. the negroes, Big Will Campbellton, Phillis, Amelia, and Dian— [partially illegible] to be equally divided as she my wife shall will and negroes best [illegible], Jannette, [illegible], Elizabeth and Helen, the said lands together with the negro which named Daisy.

I give and bequeath to my son Charles to him and his heirs forever the stock and plantation tools to be divided between my sons Duncan, James, and Charles.

I give and bequeath to my son Duncan the following negroes, viz. – Long Iain [name uncertain, difficult to read], John, Tom, Big Jude, and Sandy to him and his heirs forever.

I give and bequeath to my son James the following negroes, viz. [illegible], Big Sam, Harry, [illegible], and Sally to him and his heirs forever.

I give and bequeath to my son Charles the following negroes, viz. Starting Larry, Little Bill, Diana and Dugald, to his and his heirs forever.

I give and bequeath to my daughter Catherine the following negroes, viz. Ota— [partially illegible], [illegible], D—nder [partially illegible], Bob, Little Viola, to her and her heirs forever.

I give and bequeath to my daughter Jannette the following negroes, viz. [a line of text is cut off at the bottom of the page] Lois and Neptune, to her and her heirs forever.

I give and bequeath to my daughter Ann, a negro girl named Leroy to her and her heirs forever.

I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth a negro girl named Peg, to her and her heirs forever.

I give and bequeath to my daughter Helen, a negro girl named Little Judy, to her and her heirs forever.

I give to my daughter Margaret Spiller one shilling Sterling.

I give and bequeath to my wife’s granddaughter Jannette Bailey, a negro to be raised on or purchased out of the assets of the plantation to her and her heirs forever.

I give to my wife’s granddaughter Jannette White a young negro to be raised on or purchased out of the assets of the plantation to her and her heirs forever.

I give to William Stewart Bailey twenty pounds.

I give and bequeath to William Stewart Wright twenty pounds

I give and bequeath to my grandson Walter Stewart if he does not receive any of his father’s property, fifty pounds when he shall arrive at twenty-one years of age. But in case he shall die without lawful heirs of his body the said fifty pounds to return to my sons Duncan, James, and Charles.

I give to my wife during her lifetime one third part of the profits arising from my mills in New Hanover County likewise one third part of the profits of my saw mill in Bladen County, the other two thirds of the profits of said mills I give to my sons, Duncan and James, and at my wife’s decease, I give and bequeath to my sons Duncan and James the whole of the mills in New Hanover County together with all the lands I hold on the east side of South River to them and their heirs forever.

I give and bequeath to my son Charles at my wife’s decease the whole of the sawmill on the [illegible, an earlier transcription reads “west”] side of South River together with all the land [illegible] belonging to him and his heirs forever.

I give and bequeath to my sons Duncan, James, and Charles two tracts of land on Colly Swamp, likewise three tracts of land on Cypress Creek and three tracts on Beaver Dam to be divided between their selves as they shall agree.

And I do will and require that if any of my sons shall die without lawful heirs of their body that then in such case their part in the aforementioned lands, negroes or other property shall return to their surviving brothers or children. Likewise, if any of my daughters Catherine, Jannette, Ann, Elizabeth and Helen dying without heirs of their body, their part to return to their surviving sisters excluding my daughter Margaret Spiller.

And I do hereby make void and of no effect former wills, gifts, or promises of any of the above-mentioned land, negroes, tools or other property to any person or persons whatever.

I desire that this may be received by all persons whom it may concern as my last Will and Testament. And I do hereby instruct and appoint Jannett Stewart, my wife, Elizabeth, And Duncan Stewart, my son and David Bailey, Executors of this my last Will and Testament. In witness here of I have hereafter set my hand and affixed my seal. This 22^nd day of August 1778.

Signed, sealed published and [illegible] by William Stewart as his last Will and Testament in the presence of Robert Hendry, Ann Stewart, Elizabeth Stewart.

(signed) William Stewart, esq.