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THE WILL OF THOMAS DEVANE 1765
In the name of God Amen. The Twentieth day of May in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and sixty five. I Thomas Devane of Black River, in the Provence of North Carolina and New Hanover County, gent, being very sick and weak in body, but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given to God therefor, calling to mind the mortality of the body and knowing that it appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and Testament, that is to say, principally and first of all I give and recommend my sout into the hand of God that gave it; for my body, I recomment it to the earth, to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner at the discretion of my Executors, nothings doubting, but, at the general resurrection,
I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God; and as touching such wordly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life with,
I give, devise and dispose of the same in the follow-manner and form.
Impremis. It is my will and I do order, that in the first place all of my just debts and funeral charges be paid and satisfied.
Item:	It is my will, that my dearly beloved wife
Margaret enjoy the use of all my estate during her widowhood, except my land at Long Creek, which I give to my well beloved son John DeVane,
Item:	I give to my well beloved son Thomas Devane,
the plantation on Black River, whereon I now live, after the marriage of my wife Margaret.
Item:	It	is my will that at the decease or marriage
of my wife Margaret the remainder of my estate, except one shilling sterling money of Great Brittain, which I give to my well beloved daughter, Margaret Jones, and no more, be valued and divided equally in five parts; to my son John Devane one part; and to my son Thomas Devane one part; and to my daughter, Mary Corbett one part; and to James Portevents dec. children one part in money, to be raised and levied out my estate, and to be equally divided among them.
Item. I likewise constitute, make and ordain my well beloved sons John Devane and Thomas Devane and Thomas