ROBERT BRASWELL IS THE SON OF RICHARD BRASWELL THE 1ST AND HIS WIFE SARAH.
In the name of God Amen, I Robert Braswell of Bertie Precinct in North Carolinah, being sick and weak of body but of sound sense and memory, thanks be to God, do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament in manner and form following, viz., first I bequeath my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it me, and my body to be decently buried after the discretion of my executors who are hereafter named, and as for my worldly goods that it hath pleased God to bestow upon me, I dispose of in the manner and form following: First and imprimis I give and bequeath to my daughter Sarah Daughtry one large iron pot. Item. I give to my loving son Robert Braswell my young gray horse and my negro man named Brisco. Item. I give unto my loving son John Braswell my negro man named Squash and a young mare. Item. I give unto my loving son Richard Braswell the plantation whereon I now live with three hundred acres of land adjoining it on Yourah Swamp. Item. I give to my son Valentine Braswell one hundred acres of land that I took up myself that lyeth adjoining to Thomas Sealey's line and a mare of four years old. Item. I give to my loving daughter Jean Braswell one negro boy named Pompie and the feather bed and all its furniture a is whereon I lie and two cows and calves. Item. I give to my daughter Mary Braswell the feather bed and all its furniture as it stands and cow and calf moreover it the bed whereon she lyeth. Item. I give to my godson Demcee Sumner one plantation and one hundred acres of land to it which said land I bought of Gore Downing and is adjoining to the land of Nicholas Sessions and one iron pot and one cow and calf which is now in the possession of his mother Elizabeth Sumner. Item. I give to my son John Braswell one young iron gray horse. Item. I give and bequeath to my loving wife Sarah Braswell after my lawful debts are paid all the remainder of my estate within and without doors to her and her disposing forever. And lastly I nominate and appoint my loving friends James Bryant and Joshuay Daughtrey to be my executors of this my last will and testament, revoking and making entirely void all other wills by me made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this fourteenth day of September, 1734.
Robert (his R mark) Braswell
Test:
Thomas Bryant, Jurat
Nicholas Baget
Patience Bryant
Bertie Precinct, N.C., November Court, 1736. The above written will of Robert Braswell was proved in open court by the oath of Thomas Bryant one of the subscribing witnesses thereto and also James Bryant one of the executors therein named took the oath by law required.
Test.: John Wynne, Clerk of the Court
(Raleigh Archives. North Carolina wills, Volume 4, Folios 2-3: Transcribed by George F. Walker (1962) --)