###Charles Johnston's Will - 9 June 1789 0range County NC###
[P 74]
In the name of God Amen I Charles Johnston this 9th day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred & Eighty Nine now being of perfect mind and memory thanks be to god all calling to mind that it is appointed for all men once to die, I do therefore make Ordain and Publish this to be my last will and Testament that is to say in ,anner and form following, first I give up my Sou to that great god the Judge of Heaven and Earth who gave it, Secondly my body to be decently buried in Christian and Orderly manner also all my Just Debts to be paid and adterwards my whole Estate Real and Personal that God has been pleased [p 75] to bestow on me to be given and distributed in manner and forkj as followeth. First I give and bequeath to my Dear and well beloved Wife Martha John[ston] two Negroes Pompy & Bett for and during her natural life and at her Death to be given to my Son in law John Freeland to be his right & property and further I give and bequeath unto my said Wife one bay Mare & a Horse named Aniel with two pair of Gears one great plow & one small plow on Mattock & Hilling Hoe her sa[ddle] & Bridle two Cows & Calves with four head of [dry?] Cattle all of her own Chosing also Six head of Sheep together with all the Household furniture and further I order that my said wife shall have and re ceive t[he] Sum of ten pounds Annually paid her by my S[on] George if requested by her for support to her yearly during her natural life.
And further I give and bequeath to my Son George Johnston all my Real Estate that I now possess, together with all my Improvements as also two Negroes to wit, Jacob & Joe as also my still with all the vessels thereunto belonging as a[lso] Six head of sheep, with all my Shoemaker tools of [??] Sorts, with one two year old Cow, all the Be his right and property.
and further give and bequeath to my Son in law Samuel Craig one Negroe fellow named prince to be his right & pro[perty]
And further I give and bequeath to my Son in law Jo[hn] Strayhorn One Negroe wench named Sall to be h[is] right & property.
[p76]
and further I give and bequeath to my Son in law Chaldous Bailey one negroe Girl named Ruth that he has now in possession as also to be paid him the Sum of Twenty pounds to be raised from the sum under of ,my moveable property and also to have two head of Cows that I have not given away or may hereafter give away as mentioned in my said Will.
And further I give and bequeath to my Son in law Matthew McCauley one Negroe Boy named Isaac to be his rright & property as also to have two head of Cows with their Calves & to have the second choice.
And further I give and bequeath to my Son in law John Freeland one Negroe Girl named Milley to be his right and property of also two head of Cows with their Calves and that to be third Choice.
And further I give and bequeath to Charles McCauley One yearling Mare Colt to be his right and property
And further I give and bequeath to William Craig my Grand Son my best suit of Cloaths with my shot Gun to be his right and property.
And further I give and bequeath to Charles Strayhorn my riding Saddle & Bridle to be his right & property.
And further I give and bequeath to John McCauley my Grandson one two year old Heifer to be his right and property.
And further I order and desire that after paying the Sum of twenty pounds as before mentioned and all my Just Debts with all other necessary expresnses
[p 77]
The remaining part of my moveable property that I have not Given away, I order that it shall be equally Div[ided] amonst my Wife and all my Children to have a]n] equal part and lastly in order to put this my las[t] Will and Testament into execution, I constitute nominate and appoint my trusty and well beloved friends Samuel Craig & Wm McCauley to act and tr[?] act for me in this my last will & Testament i[n] all manner of things set fourth in it, as I myse[lf] might or could do was I personal present.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this day and year first above written. Signed Sealed & Acknowledged
In the presence of us: Wm Blackwood, Joseph Blackwood, James Blackwoocd
Charles Johnston [seal]
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**Summary of heirs:**
- Wife Martha (Blackwood) Johnston
- Son-in-law John Freeland (wife: Catherine Johnston)
- Son George Johnston
- Son-in-law Samuel Craig (wife: Mary Johnston)
- Son-in-law John Strayhorn (wife: Elizabeth Johnston)
- Son-in-law Chalders Bailey (wife: Margaret Johnston)
- Son-in-law Matthew McCauley (wife: Martha Johnston)
- Charles McCauley (relationship ?)
- William Craig (grandson)
- Charles Strayhorn (relationship ?)
- John McCauley (grandson)
So the will acknowledges the following children directly or indirectly in this order (implying birth order?):
- Catherine
- George
- Mary
- Elizabeth
- Margaret
- Martha
In what is perhaps an unusual way of doing things, Charles fails to mention his daughters by name, leaving their shares directly to his sons-in-law instead.
**Charles McCauley** could not be Charles Johnston’s grandson, son of Mathew and Martha, because that Charles McCauley was not born until after this will was written. This probably leaves only Charles McCauley, son of Wm and Catherine McCauley. Wm is named executor and “trusty and well beloved friend”. Is that all he was? What did CJ leave a bequest to Charles McCauley, if he was not blood relation of some kind? Was Catherine (Wm’s wife) perhaps a sister or other close relation of Charles?
**John McCauley** is clearly named a grandson (son of Mathew and Martha McCauley) who would have been approximately 8 years old at the time. **Charles Strayhorn** can only be a grandson, also, the son of John and Elizabeth Strayhorn.
