For this week's Amanuensis Monday post, I have focused on the will of ZACHARIAH O'NEAL of Johnston County, North Carolina, written 20 March 1796. [1] Zachariah was a farmer, as you will be able to tell from the 400 Acres of Land, stock (animals), and working tools listed in his will below.
He had a wife named Annie and at least eight children:
1) Thomas Oneale
2) Winney Oneale
3) Creasey Oneale
4) Edee Oneale
5) Lodowick Oneale
6) Stephen Oneale
7) Micajah Oneale
8) Aley Houst
I like this particular will because it contains information about the land that Zachariah owned and where he got it from and the 3 negros he owned by name - Dick, Jinny, & Peter. Details like this help us to track and prove his children in subsequent generations.
A little bit more about Zachariah O'Neal:
He was listed in Captain Houlder's Company in Johnston County, North Carolina in 1787 as having 1 male 21-60 years old, 2 males under 21 and above 60, 5 white females, and 1 black between the age of 12 and 50. [2]
He was also listed on the 1790 Johnston County, North Carolina census with 4 white males under 16 years old, 2 white males over 16 years old, 6 white females, and 1 slave.
Zachariah wrote his will on March 20th, 1796, giving most everything to his wife, Annie, and then after her death, to his children.
I do not know when his will was proved. But his wife Annie wrote her will on August 17th, 1829 and it was proved Feb 1835. Annie only mentioned 2 or 3 of her children in her will; I'm guessing that her older children moved away from the area and that is why they were not mentioned in her will.
Here are the images of Zachariah O'Neal's will. You can click on the image to make it bigger. A transcript of the entire will is below.
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| Zachariah O'Neal's will, Johnston Co., NC, 1796, p. 1 |
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| Zachariah O'Neal's will, Johnston Co., NC, 1796, p. 2 |
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| Zachariah O'Neal's will, Johnston Co., NC, 1796, p. 3 |
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| Zachariah O'Neal's will, Johnston Co., NC, 1796, p. 4 |
The last will and testament of Zacharias O'Neal, Johnston Co., NC [1]
Written 20 Mar 1796
In the name of God Amen the 20th day of March 1796
I Zacharias Oneale of Johnston County in the
State of North Carolina being very sick and weak
in Body but of perfect mind and memory thanks
be given to God for the same and calling to mind
the mortality of my body and knowing that I
have once to die do make and ordain this my last
will and testament as touching my worldly Estate
wherewith it hath pleased god to bless me with
in this life I give and demise in the following
manner and form...
Impremis. I give and Bequeath to my loving
son Thomas Oneale four hundred acres of land
in this county being the land I purchased of
Meed Gulley and took a title in my said son
Thomas Oneals name for the same I give to him
his heirs and assigns for ever he first paying and
taking up my obligation of one Hundred Dollars
given Meed Gulley for a last payment of said
land also I give to my said son Thomas Oneal
one Maire of a Sorrel collar and one shot
gun also the household furniture that I have
given him heretofore in his possession.
Item, I give and bequeath to my loving friend John
Ogbon one Sorrel Mair with a saddle and bridle
Item, I give to my loving wife three worke horses
two saddles and bridles also six cows and
their calves also four head of sheep also one
feather bed and furniture during her life time
Item, I give and bequeath to my loving daughter
Winn Oneale, two cows and calves two head of sheep
also one feather bed and furniture also six heads of
hogs freely to be by her possessed.
Item, I give and bequeath to my loving daughter
Creasey Oneale two cows and yearlings one
feather bed and furniture six head of
hogs two sheep freely by her to be possessed
Item, I give and bequeath to my loving daughter
Edee Oneale two cows and yearlings one feather
bed and furniture six head of hogs two sheep
freely to be by her to be possessed.
Item, I give and bequeath to my loving son Lodowick
Oneale my lower land and plantation on
Little River in this county being the land &
Plantation I purchased of Stephen Young to
him his heirs and assigns forever also two cows
and yearlings freely by him to be possessed.
Item, I give to my aforesaid wife, Anne, all the
remainder of my stock of hogs besides that is not
heretofore willed also I give her all my corn and
meete now laid up for her use to support my
family on so long as the same will serve her also
I give to my said wife Anney my negro man
named Dick during the time of her life time
or being my widow and after her death or marriage
I give the said Negro man Dick to my loving son
Stephen Oneale to him and his heirs and assigns
forever...
Item, I give to my beloved wife Anne the use and
service of my negro man Peter and negro woman
Jinney during the time of her natural life and
after my said wifes death I give and bequeath
to my loving son Micajah Oneale my aforesaid
negroman Peter to him and his heirs and assigns
forever.
Item, I give and bequeath to my loving son Lodowick
Oneale after the death of said wife, my said negro
woman named Jinny to him and his heirs and assigns forever.
Item, I give to my said wife Anney the use and Privilege
of my lands and plantation whereon we now live
during her natural life time and after the
death of my said wife I give and bequeath the
said land and plantation whereon we now live to
my loving son Micajah Oneal to him his heirs and assigns forever.
I also give to my said son Micajah Oneale two
cows and yearlings freely to be by him possessed
I give to my loving wife Anney all the remainder
part of my cattle not before willed also I give
to my said wife all my dwelling houses and
kitchen furniture that I have not before
willed to her during her natural life and
after her death to be all except one feather bed
and furniture to be equally to be divided between my
daughters herenamed that is to say Aley Houst
Winney Oneale, Creasey Oneale, and Edee Oneale
freely to be by them possessed
Item, I give & bequeath to my loving son Stephen
Oneale after the death of my wife on feather bed and furniture
Item, I give and bequeath to my loving son Thomas
Oneale, one cart and wheeles freeley to be by him possessed.
Item, I give to my loving wife one cart and wheeles
I also give to my said wife all my working
tooles of every nature with all the residue of
my Estate
I also constitute and appoint my loving wife
Anney Oneale and my loving son Thomas Oneale
Execuutrix and Executor of this my last will
testament revoking and disallowing other and
Former will or wills Executors or Executrixs ratifying
and confirming this and no other to be my
last will and testament.
In witness whereof I have herunto set my
hand and seal the day and year above written
Signed sealed and pronounced to be the last
will and testament of Zacharius Oneales in the presents of us
T Hollemon
Etheldred Price (his mark)
Sam Oneale (his mark)
Zacharius Oneale (his mark & seal)
If you descend from this family, I would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below or email me directly.
I have not yet determined if there is a connection between this Zachariah O'Neal and my Moses O'Neal who wrote a will in Johnston County in 1813. I would like to know more information about this Zachariah O'Neal.
Additional Posts:
Sources:
[1] Johnston County, North Carolina, Original Will Records, Zacharias O'Neal, 1796, C.R. 056.801.8; North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina, copied March 2014.
[2] "State Census of North Carolina, 1784-1787," Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 30 Sep 2014), Zachariah O'Neal under Capt Houlder's Company, 1787.
[3] 1790 US Federal Census, Johnston County, North Carolina, population schedule, Zachariah O'Neal; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 30 Sep 2014); NARA Film M637, Roll 7.
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