The bond James Summers gave, with Jeremiah Gaylard and James McKins as his sureties, when he was made administrator of John Summers’s estate in Beaufort County in March 1788. The wording follows the standard printed and copied form of the day: the administrator promised to return an inventory and an account within ninety days and to give up the letters of administration if a will turned up.
Administration bond of James Summers on the estate of John Summers – Beaufort County, 1788 (copy certified 1804)
Transcription notes: spelling, capitalization and punctuation follow the original. Words in [square brackets] are editorial notes; [?] marks an uncertain reading and [illegible] marks words that could not be read.
State of North Carolina
Know all men by these presents that James Summers Jeremiah Gaylard James McKins Are held and firmly bound unto the Governor and Commander in Chief of the said State in the Sum of five Hundred pounds Current Money to be paid to the said Governor or his Successors, Governors or Commanders in Chief for the Time being. To Which payment well and truly to be made we bind ourselves our heirs executors and administrators Jointly and Severally, firmly by these presents. Sealed with our Seals and Dated this Third Day of March Anno Dom. 1788.
The Condition of the above obligation is Such, that if the above James Summers —— administrator of all and Singular the Goods and Chattels rights and Credits of John Summers Deceased Do make or Cause to be made a true and perfect Inventory of all and Singular the Goods and Chattels, rights and Credits of the Deceased Which have, or Shall come to the hands, Knowledge or possession of the said administrator — or into the Hands or possession of any person or persons for him and the Same So made, Do exhibit, or Cause to be exhibited into the Secretary’s office and one attested Coppy thereof To the County Court where order for administration passed Within Ninety Days after the Date of these presents; and the same Goods, Chattels and Credits and all other the Goods Chattels and Credits of the Deceased at the time of his Death Which at any time hereafter Shall Come into the hands or possession of the said administrator or into the hands or possession of any other person or persons for him and Do well and truly administer according to law, and further Do make or Cause to be made, a true and Just account of his Said administration, within Ninety Days after the Date of these presents, and all the rest and Residue of the said Goods. Chattels and Credits which shall be found remaining upon the said administrator account (the same being first examined and allowed by the Governor and Councel superior or County Court) Shall Deliver and pay unto such person or persons respectively, as the same Shall be due, pursuant to the True Intent and meaning of the act in That Case made and provided. and If it Shall appear that any will or testament was made by the said Deceased and the executor or executors therein named Do exhibit the same into Court making request to have it allowed and approved of accordingly if the said administrator above bounden being thereunto required Do render and Deliver the said letters of administration approbation of such Testament being first had and made in the said Court Then this obligation to be void otherwise to remain in full force and virtue.
Signed Sealed & delivered In presence of Ald. Ellison
James Summers (Seal)
Jeremiah Gaylard (Seal)
James his X mark McKins
I Alderson Ellison Clerk of the county Court of Beaufort do certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the administration Bond of James Summers Jeremiah Gaylard & James McKins taken from the original this 29th March Anno Dom. 1804
Ald. Ellison Clk
[Outside:]
administration Bond. Estate John Summers
About the original
This is one of several Summers estate papers copied from the Beaufort County records by clerk Alderson Ellison on March 29, 1804. James McKins signed by his mark.
The penalty of five hundred pounds was the usual way of guaranteeing the administrator’s performance; it is not the value of the estate.
Source: Administration bond of James Summers on the estate of John Summers. Roach Family Papers (#346), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, Box 1, Folder b (Inventories, Wills, and Estates, 1783–1868). Collection guide. Digitized folder: ECU Digital Collections, 0346-b1-fb.
Images courtesy of East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University. View in ECU Digital Collections: 35969.
Part of the Roach Family Papers collection on East Carolina Roots.
