SAMUEL WILLIAMS MARRIED JANE BRASWELL, DAUGHTER OF RICHARD THE 1ST & HIS WIFE SARAH.
In the name of God, Amen. This 18th day of November Anno Domini 1748. I SAMUEL WILLIAMS of Edgecombe County in North Carolina being very sick and weak in body but of perfect & sound mind & memory, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say, Principally and First of all I bequeath my soul into the hands of God that gave it and my body to the earth to be buried in a Christian like & decent form at the discretion of my executors & as touching such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life, I give and bequeath and dispose of the same in manner & form following: viz: IMPRIMIS, I give and bequeath to my son SAMPSON WILLIAMS and WILLIAM WILLIAMS to be equally divided between them that neck of land adjoining to the TAYLOR’s in the island as I leased of MRS. JOHNSTON at their disposal according to the tenor of the lease. ITEM, I give and bequeath to my son JACOB WILLIAMS and GEORGE WILLIAMS to them forever only their mother to have her lifetime in the manner plantation and the land belonging to it. I give, dispose to be equally divided between JACOB and GEORGE the plantation whereon I now live the land belonging to it, one hundred acres of that new patent land lying on the south side of the Beaver Dam Swamp being part of that patent and to be laid out next to the Beaver Dam Swamp, and I also give to them the --ming part of the lease as I took of MRS. JOHNSTON according to the tenor of the lease. ITEM, I give and bequeath to my son SAMUEL WILLIAMS forever the remaining part of that new patent land lying on the south side of the Beaver Dam Swamp as part of the above land mentioned and also one cow and calf. ITEM, I give and bequeath to my GEORGE WILLIAMS one negro boy called little JACK to him forever. ITEM, I give and bequeath to my JACOB WILLIAMS one negro fellow called old JACK to him forever. ITEM, I give and bequeath to my daughter CREESE WILLIAMS a negro wench called NANN and also a negro girl called HANNAH only the first child as negro NANN has I give to my son WILLIAM WILLIAMS forever and NANN and HANNAH as above bequeathed CREESE forever. ITEM, I give and bequeath to my loving wife JANE WILLIAMS and to her forever at her disposal a negro wench called BANDY and a negro boy call DANIEL and all the rest and residue of my whole estate not before bequeathed . I constitute, appoint and ordain my loving wife JANE WILLIAMS and my son JACOB WILLIAMS my sole and entire executors of this my last will and testament, revoking, disannulling & disallowing & confirming this and no other to be my last will & testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written. SAMUEL WILLIAMS {seal} Published, pronounced and declared by the said SAMUEL WILLIAMS in the presence of us the subscribers. JOHN POPE JOHN CRUDUP MOURNING CRUDUP {her mark}
Edgecombe County North Carolina February Court 1748 The within last will & testament of SAMUEL WILLIAMS, late of said county, deceased, was exhibited into court by JANE WILLIAMS, relict of the said deceased, & JACOB WILLIAMS, son of the said deceased, executors of the within will, and proved by the oaths of JOHN POPE Esquire & JOHN CRUDUP, evidences thereto and at the same time the said executor took the executor’s oath & c. which was ordered to be certified. Test BENJAMIN WYNNS, Clerk
Many thanks to: (for posting this transcription and copy of this will)
Brent R. Brian
Martha M. Brian
BrianMitchellGenealogy@gmail.com
Pamela Strickland Vick (for finding this will for us!)