The last will I’d like to share is that of Richard King, who died in Rowan County, North Carolina in 1782.
This Richard King appears in the DAR Patriot Index because future applicants need to prove correct service. He was born c1705, reportedly in Ireland, so would have been in his 70s when the American Revolution began and would not have received a bounty land warrant for service, when he died before the war had ended.
His will identifies his children and, although another Richard King was the soldier, there is no reason to believe that his children were not his.
Will of Richard King
Rowan County, North Carolina Will Book B:19-20
In the name of god amen, The seventh Day of May 1779 I Richard King of Rowan county and state of North Carolina being very weak in body, but of perfect Mind & Memory thanks be given unto god; Therefore calling to mind the mortality of my Body, & knowing that it is appointed for all Men Once to die, do make & ordain this to be my last Will & Testament; That is to say principally & first of all, I given & Recommend my soul into the hands of almighty God that gave it & my Body I Recommend to the earth, to be buried in decent christian Burial, at the discretion of my executor, nothing doubting but at the general Resurrection, I shall Receive the same again, by the mighty power of God; & as touching such worldly estate as it hath pleased god to belss me with in this life, I give, demise (sic) & dispose of the same in the following manner & form – – –
First I give & bequeath to Margaret my dearly beloved wife, my negro wench named Moriah, waggon, plough, harrow, and other utenseals, together with Household goods & moveable Effects, likewise the priviledge of the land I live upon to clear & cut wood at pleasure during Life: I order my moveable Effects as horses cows & c to be sold at publick vandue, her Riding horse excepted,
Likewise a cow and calf which I bequeath to my grand daughter Margeret Lansley;
the money of said Effects to be put to interest for the use of my wife, who is to discharge all my debts _ _
Likewise I give & bequeath to my son Thos King all my lands in considerationo that he pay to my grandson Richard Blythe the sum of forty pounds in two years after my Discease_ _ _
I bequeath to my sons Robt., James, Andrew & John King & my daughters Ann, Elisabeth, margeret & Mary to each of the I say I bequeath five shillings sterling.
And I Do hereby utterly disallow revoke & Disannull all & every other former Testaments, wills, Leagecies & bequests & Executors (my sons Robert and James I now appoint my sold Executors)
Ratifying & Confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & Seal the day & year above written_ _ _
Richard King
Signed, sealed, published, pronounced
and Delivered by the said Richard King
as his Last Will & Testament in the
presence of us the subscribers
John (X) Kilpatrick
Willm Barr
Patrick Barr
Others have attributed Richard’s son, Robert King, as the man who married Mary Morrison, legatee in William Morrison’s 1771 will. I have no reason to doubt it and it puts me in the mind that this Richard King, if related to Edward King, might not even be related.
Robert is the common name, but Richard had no son Edward and Edward doesn’t have any Richard King appearing in records with him.