AAFA Wills

According to AAFA records, Warren was the son of Jacob and Mary (Pace) Alford and the grandson of Lodwick and Susannah Alford. He was born March 15, 1770, undoubtedly in North Carolina. He died September 5, 1844, having prepared his will August 9, 1844 in Robeson County, North Carolina.

He was married twice: First to Jennette Little who was born January 7, 1773 and died June 17, 1813; she was the daughter of Alexander Little. His second marriage was to Barbara Little who was born in 1778 and died February 16, 1866; she was the daughter of John Little, who was Alexander Little’s brother.

Warren was a member of the House of Commons, North Carolina General Assembly in 1825–26 and 1827–28. He was the first postmaster of Alfordsville, and he was an Elder in Ashpole Church.

SOURCES: Peggy T. Townsend's VANISHING ANCESTORS: Cemetery Records of Robeson County, North Carolina, Volume One (1975, reprinted 1994), lists birth and death dates on p. 24. Author's note in the book: "(Warren Alford was the son of Jacob Alford & Mary Pace Alford)."

William Curry Harllee's KINFOLKS: A GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD (New Orleans, LA: By the author, 1934–35), also lists the cemetery data on p. 122, data from the family Bible on p. 1326, and a genealogy of the family on p. 1456, including the information on the Littles. Copies of these pages are available from the AAFA Library.

WILL OF WARREN ALFORD

In the name of God, Amen. I, Warren Alford of the State of North Carolina Robeson County & being of Sound disposing mind & memory do this Ninth day of August in The year of our lord one Thousand Eight Hundred and forty four Publish & declare this my last Will and Testament in form & manner Following Viz-

First I give & bequeath to my beloved wife Barbara Alford my negroe woman Jane my negroe boy Bob my negroe Girl Scinda my negroe Girl Mariah my negroe boy Daniel and my negroe boy Lewis. Also I give & bequeath to my beloved wife Barbara all my land whereon I now live on The West Side of Ashpole Swamp to the Run of said Swamp including the mill during her natural life and after her death It is my desire that the said land be equally divided between my Sons Sion & James Alford. Also I Give and bequeath to my beloved wife Barbara as much of my stock of Horses Cattle Hogs & sheep Farming tools Household, & Kitchen Furniture as my Executors Hereafter named, shall think Sufficient to Support her decently during her natural life and at her death the above mentioned Property Consisting of Horses Cattle Hogs and Sheep - farming tools, Household and Kitchen furniture - that my Executors leave with her be equally divided between my three sons- Lodwick B. Alford Sion Alford and James L. Alford & Their Heirs. And it is my will that the balance of my Perishable Property after my beloved wife is Provided for as herein named by my Executors be equally divided among my Three sons Lodwick B. Sion & James L. Alford & their Heirs.

Secondly I Give & bequeath to my Sons- Sion and James L. Alford all my Land where my Son Lodwick B. Alford now lives in South Carolina Marion District and also I Give & bequeath to my Sons- Sion & James L. Alford my negroe Girl Orry. Provided they have to pay and discharge Certain debts for which they are bound for my son Lodwick B. Alford but if my son Lodwick B. Alford Pay the said debts-himself or cause it to be done- for which my sons Sion and James L. Alford are bound- Then my son Lodwick B. Alford to have the said land- where he now lives for his sole use and benefit during his natural life and after his death his wife Scinda to have the sole use and benefit of the said Land during her natural life and at her death the said land- to be equally divided between my Grandsons Sion H. Alford & William D. Alford.

and also if my Son Lodwick B. Alford Pay the Said debt or discharge my Sons Sion & James L. Alford from the payment of the same then my son Lodwick B. Alford to have the said Negroe Girl Orry for his sole use and benefit during his natural life and at his death his wife Scinda to have the sole use and benefit of the said negroe Girl Orry & her increase during her natural life Then the said Negroe Girl & her increase to be divided among his three Daughters Altha Ann, Louiza P. and Bethsheba C. Alford.

Thirdly I Give & bequeath to my Son Sion Alford my negro woman Pol & my negro man Jim.

Fourthly I Give & bequeath to my Son Neill L. Alford my Negroe man Jerry.

Fifthly I Give & bequeath to my son James L. Alford my Negroe man Willis & my Negroe Boy Dick.

Sixthly I Give & bequeath to my daughter Diann Alford all my land on The East-side of Ashpole-Swamp between the Lowry Road & the Road leading from Ashpole to the Red Bluff for her Sole use & benefit as long as she Remains Single and after her marriage or at her death the said land to be equally divided between my Sons-Sion & James L. Alford. and likewise I Give & bequeath to my daughter Diann Alford my negroe woman Annis & my negroe Girl Susannah and all their Increase for her Sole use & benefit during her natural life. Then to The heirs of her body -if any and if none then Return To my lawful Heirs and likewise I Give & bequeath to my daughter Diann Alford one Bed & Furniture.

Seventhly I Give & bequeath to my daughter Mary McCallum & her husband Dugald McCallum My Negroe woman Emily.

Eighthly I Give and bequeath To my Grand daughter Jannett McCormick my negroe Girl Margaret for her Sole use & benefit During her natural life then To the Heirs of her Body if any and if none then Returned to my Lawful Heirs.

Ninethly I Give & bequeath to my Grandson Alexander McCormick Ten dollars.

Tenthly I Give & bequeath to my Grand daughter Katharine W. P. Alford my negroe Girl Racel(?) for her Sole use & benefit during her natural life then to the Heirs of her body if any and if none then Return to my Lawful Heirs.

Eleventh I give and bequeath To my grandson Warren L. Alford one Hundred & fifty acres of Land more or Less lying above the road leading from Ashpole to the Red Bluff and adjoining the Lands of Neill Baker and Angus McCallum.

and, It is also my will & desire that a Certain debt which I owe to the Estate of Alexander Little Deceased be Payed and Satisfyed out of the Negroes Herein named to my beloved wife Barbara. Namely Jane, Bob, Scinda, Mariah, Daniel & Lewis and after Said debt is Satisfied then my beloved wife Barbara to have & dispose of those that Remain of the Said Negroes Herein willed to Her as She Please But if any other Part of my property Herein named be Taken to Satisfy the said debt then the negroes Herein named to my beloved wife to be equally divided among my Heirs after her death.

And It is also my will & desire that my negroe Girl Harriet be sold To pay the Rest of my Just debts. And further I do hereby appoint and Constitute my Son Sion Alford & my son in law Dugald McCallum and my Brother in law Alexander Little Executors to this my last will & Testament.

In witness whereof I have Hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal the day & year before written.

Warren Alford (Seal)

Signed Sealed and Published in presence of

Warren Alford Jr.

James Alford

John J. Little

State of North Carolina Court of Pleas and quarter sessions

Robeson County November Term 1844

Then was this will offered for Probate and duly proven in Open Court by the oath of John J. Little one of The subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be Recorded-

Tdh(?) Howell Clk