N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-2A-21
In all cases where last wills and testaments which appear as recorded in the record of last wills and testaments to have had two witnesses thereto and such last wills and testaments were admitted to probate and recorded in the record of wills in the proper county in this State prior to the first day of January, 1890, upon the oath and examination of one of the witnesses, such proof being taken in writing and recorded, and the certificate of probate of the clerk of the court states that such a will is proven by one of the subscribing witnesses thereto and the handwriting of the other subscribing witness being a nonresident is proven under oath, and such a will and certificate has been recorded in the record of wills of the proper county, such probate is hereby validated as fully as if the proof of the handwriting of the nonresident witness had been taken in regular form in writing and recorded.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-2A-21