Being A Joines:
  A Life in the Brushy Mountains


 MISCELLANEOUS

Will of Ezekiel Joines, August 1803

The first Joines to appear in records of Rowan County (from which Wilkes was formed) is Ezekiel Joines (spelled variously Joynes, Joines, Joins, Goins, Goines, and Jines; older people pronounced it as "Jines."). He appears on the 1778 Tax List for Rowan County.

Ezekiel Joines apparently arrived in North Carolina with his grown sons Thomas and Major, who both fought in the Revolutionary War. Legend has it that Major was killed at the Battle of Eutaw Springs near Camden, South Carolina.

Ezekiel remarried in Rowan County to Sarah Gunter on 14 July 1779 (North Carolina Marriage Bond No. 000125211 - Sarah Gunter and Ezekil Goins). She may also have been married before, because her son Edmund is referred to in several records, including Ezekiel's will, as Edmund Gunter alias Joines.



In the name of God amen, I Ezekial Joines of Wilkes County and State of North Carolina being of sound and perfect mind and memory, Blessed be God, do this 6th day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and two do make and publish this my last will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say, First, I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Sarah Joines all my whole estate consisting of every species of property that I am now possessed with at this time to have free and clear during her lifetime or widowhood -- and after her death or marriage, the whole property to be equally divided between Thomas Joines, Sayer [Sarah] Roberts, Piety Parsons & Edmund Joines alias Edward Gunter. The division shall be made by my Executors and if they can't agree in the division the whole property shall be sold to by Executors and the money equally divided amongst the Legatees. Under these considerations I do hereby make and order my trusty friends John R. Johnson and Edmond Joins alias Edmund Gunter Executors of this my last will and Testament. In witness whereof I the said Ezekial Joines have to this my last will & testament set my hand & seal the day & date above written.

Signed and published and
delivered by the said Ezekial Joines the testator as his last will & testament in the presence of us who were present at
the time of signing

 

Ezekial X Joines Seal
mark


(wrote on the back thus)

 


sealing thereof

her
Sarah X Johnson


N
Carolina
Wilkes County

}

 

August Term
1803

 

mark
Ben Johnson
Edmund Joines


 

The written will
was duly sworn
in open court by
the oath of
Ben Johnson
& Edmund
Joines