I Jacob Hine of the County of Stokes in the State of North Carolina and health being weak in body but of fitful mind and memory tho ake? be? given to good: Calling unto mind the mortality of men and knowing it to be appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament, Viz. First of all I recommend my Soul to my Creator and my body to be buried in decent Christian burial on the burying ground in Friedland. And as to my worldly Estate wherewith God has helped me in this world I give and demise the same in Manner and form following, Viz.
1. I give and bequeath unto my dear son Jacob William all my plantation whereon I now live with all improvements and lands thereunto belonging as his sole property forever on the following conditions Viz. He shall pay after my death all my just debts and funeral expenses with all the incidental charges thereon and the said Jacob William shall likewise pay unto my other children the following sums: namely; my two sons John and Frederick and to my daughter Catherine married to Moses Swaim, Eva married to Renatus Kaske, Mary married to Alexander Koch each of them ten pounds ten shillings lawful money of North Carolina and to the children of my deceased daughter Gertraud the sum of nine pounds lawful money each of my said children to have and to hold the same as their sole property forever.
2nd. I do hereby make ordain Constitute and appoint my trusty friends Jacob Bloom Esquire and John Rights both of Salem in Stokes County Executors to this will and testament. I do hereby and make void all my former wills and Legacies done by me either in writing or by word of mouth ratifying and Confirming this one to be my last will and testament.
In witness thereof I have thereunto set? my hand and seal this fifteenth Day of September one thousand Seven hundred and Ninety four. his
Joh: Jacob X Hein (seal)
mark
Signed sealed published Prounced? and declared by the testator on his last will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other hereunto subscribe our names.
Michael Rominger, Jr.
Michael Rominger, Sr.
Memoir of Johann Jacob Hein (1713-1795)
The widowed Brother Johann Jacob Hein, who entered into his eternal rest a Friedland on September 26th, did not leave behind any written memoir of the details of his life, therefore, from his own accounts, only the following minor [record] has been compiled. He was born on September 13, 1713, at Schoenbach in Dillenburg and brought up in the reformed religion. Of his childhood years he knew himself so well that he remembered caring most often for his soul's salvation. He went to his first Holy Communion in his 14th year and the impression [ of that event ] remained with him for life. At that time he learned the wool-carding profession and left for some years on his travels, during which he lost the restlessness in his heart because of his salvation. He allowed himself to journey away from sinful amusements toward a fatherly manner with which he guarded himself against offensive outbursts of sin. In 1739 he married Catharina Schober, with whom he had 2 children. He became a widower in 1749 and was married again in 1750 to Margaretha Gabriel, who bore him 9 children, of which 4 went ahead [ into heaven ], as did one child from the first marriage. In 1753 he moved with his family to New England and established himself in Broadbay. At this time he was wholly resurrected in the Grace or the blood of Jesus due to the arrival in Broadbay of Brothers Soelle and Samuel Herr, who served as his witnesses and saw to his salvation. This even gave rise in 1773 to his move to Wachovia with his family where he built 1 1/2 miles from the local schoolhouse. At his wife's request he and his wife became members of the local Society when it was formed. In 1777 he was a widower once again. For many years he had a wound on his leg which in this year, however, started to become quite serious, and against which the medicines that were applied had no helpful effects, so that by 1778 he had become bedridden. On December 31, 1780, after repeated requests, he was received into the congregation from his sickbed. Even though his wound was now becoming increasingly worse and he had to endure great pain, he nonetheless tolerated the pain with much patience. During the first months of 1781 he believed, as did everyone, that his end was near because his entire leg began to rot. He therefore eargerly requested the Holy Communion and to his great pleasure it was brought to him at his sickbed on March 4, 1781. In the following month of April he resolved to allow his leg to be amputated, an operation that was fortunately and quickly performed on the 25th of the same month by an English doctor from Cornwallis' Army with the help of Brother Bonns from Salem. Everyone was grateful in their hearts towards God. After the operation he still had much to endure untill he was again so well recovered that he could again be present in the Saal for the meetings, so that after another 5 months of bed rest [ ending ] in September 1781, it had been 2 1/2 years since he had had to begin dealing with this hardship. To the joy of the Brethren he was a diligent visitor of the meetings from this time on. In order to get to them he had to hobble 1 1/2 miles with 2 crutches. At any opportunity he could not express enough his gratitude toward the beloved Savior who had done him the tremendous [ act of ] compassion in allowing him to spend his remaining days so enjoyably in the religious hope of a far better existence when he would be with the Lord forever. Some time ago he began to complain about decreases in his energy that were making the trip to the meetings more and more difficult. In this year of 1795, however, he visibly weakened. On July 18th he was present at the Holy Communion for the last time and he said aftewards that it had been especially pleasant for him, and although his trip here had been very difficult, he did not regret coming. He was ill at the beginning of August and he was started on a "red" cure which often offered individuals the hope that the medicines administered would again recover him with God's help. According to his wishes he was visited on September 17th, and at his eager request he was brought the Holy Communion for the Sick on the 22nd, which he enjoyed in the complete awareness of his thoughts and with great emothion. From that time on he lay quite still and accepted litlle or nothing. He remained in this condition untill evening of the 26th because on this evening between 5 and 6 o' clock he entered peacefully into his eternal rest after a pilgrimage here below which lasted 82 years and 13 days.
Translation by Jeffrey H. Morgan
August 11, 1992
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