Taken from: http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/NCGREENE/1999-09/0937184391

NORTH CAROLINA DOBBS COUNTY July session 1776 [ Papers pertaining to the
settlement
of the estate of John Murphrey found among some old papers formerly belonging to
a Murphrey.
These papers were in bad condition, thus causing the typed copies to be made.] To
the
worshipful the Justices of the County Court aforesd, The Petition of Elizabeth
Murphry widow of
Capt. John Murphry decd. respectfully showeth that JOHN MURPHREY her late husband

depart'd this life in the Month of May, a greatly lamented event caused by his
being thrown from his
riding chair, which accident fractured his skull. Your petitioness sheweth that
her late husband died
intestate and being duly distressed as to the nature of these times and the
distribution of her sd.
husband's estate amongst herself and orphans she is advised she is entitled to
her Dower and the
orphans to their Inheritance in the lands which said John Murphrey died possessed
of and also to a
distribution share of his personal estate. To witt: one track in the Beare garden
whereon the
Mansion house standeth, one other called the Panther Swamp quarter adjacent, one
other adjacent
called Sweetin quarter, two tracks adjoining the mansion farm, the Meadow track
on Mill Swamp
and Muskettoe quarter on Contentne river whereon stand the mill landing and the
Dutch house sd,
quarter now in the tenure of John Murphrey the younger, also two other tracks,
one purchased of
William WADE (in the tenure of William Murphrey) and one called Longbridge
adjacent to
Nahuney Swamp (for a more paticular description ..she begs leave to refer to the
title papers of the
sd. John murphrey, decd...left children 10 of whom are still living within this
govt. vizc. MICHAEL,
JOHN, WILLIAM, PATSEY wife of ROBERT HILL, ELIZABETH, wife of JOHN SUGG,
ANN, wife of MARTIN CASWELL, GALE of lawful age, JETHRA, ELEANOR, and SARAH
under the lawful age of 21 years...may it please the court to offer a writ of sub
poena to these
children..to be directed to Benja. CASWELL, sheriff of Dobbs County..to summon a
lawful jury...
Benja . EXUM Follows a letter to the sheriff of Dobbs commanding him to summon 12
freeholders
connected by CONSANQUINITY or affinity to allot and set off the properties
etc..Wittness:
MARTIN CASWELL, Clerk of sd. court. The list is as follows: MURPHREY DIXON/
sAMUEL
HOLLADY /GEORGE MEWBORN/ SPYERS SINGLETON /RICHARD CASWELL JR /
RICHARD HILL / DREW ALDRIDGE THOMAS ALDRIDGE / NICHOLAS SMITH /
SAMUEL CASWELL / JOS. HOLLADAY / JOHN HAMPTON