In the name of God, Amen. I Samuel BRASWELL of the County of Nash & state of North Carolina being of sound & perfect mind & memory (blessed be God) as this 30th day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety four make & publish this my last will & testament in manner following, that is to say,
First I give & bequeath to my beloved Wife Sarah BRASWELL one negroe woman named Mary Anne & one mare called Ginny
Item. I lend to my said wife Sarah the land and plantation whereon I now dwell with the land and plantation where my Father lived & died containing in the whole by estimation two hundred & ninety six acres it being two parcels of land that was given to me by my father also one still for & during her life or widowhood and at her marriage or death, I give the parcels of land & plantation & also my still to my son Sampson BRASWELL to him his heirs and assigns forever
Item, I give & bequeath to my son Micajah BRASWELL all cattle that he has in his possession belonging to me.
Item, I give & bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth WOODARD one negroe man named Jacob & three head of sheep to her, her heirs & assigns.
Item, I give & bequeath to my daughter Margaret BRASWELL one feather bed & furniture & my young horse Jolly the horse to be sold and the money applied to her use & two cows & calves to her, her heirs & assigns.
Item, I give and bequeath to my son Sampson BRASWELL one hundred acres of land I purchased of William HUNT also two hundred acres of land more of a new survey adjoining the other tract I purchased of Wm HUNT to him, his heirs & assigns forever.
Item, I give & bequeath to my son Wilson BRASWELL all my land that is not bequeathed in this Will to my other son, one feather bed & furniture, two cows & calves, two sows, one Rifle, one chest & one pocket compass & the colt that his mother’s mare Ginny is now with fold with to him, his heirs & assigns forever.
Item, I give & bequeath to my daughter Quinny BRASWELL one negroe man named Simon one feather bed & furniture to her, her heirs & assigns forever.
Item, I lend to my wife Sarah one negroe man named Peter and the rest & residue of my estate of all kinds whatsoever for & during her life & widowhood & at her marriage or death I give my negroe man Peter to my daughter Sally BRASWELL to her, her heirs & assigns forever.
And after paying my just debts I lend to my wife Sarah all the residue of my Estate during her life, or widowhood & at her marriage or death to be equally divided between my two children Sampson and Sally BRASWELL to them their heirs & assigns forever
And I do hereby constitute and appoint, make, ordain my worthy friends Howell ELLEN & Frederick HINES Executors of this my last will & testament [etc.] Signed by Samuel BRASWELL, Witnessed by James WILLIAMS, Jesse HUNT, Martha THOMAS [Martha & Jesse signed with their marks.]
Nash County, February Court 1795. The foregoing will was duly proven in open court by James WILLIAMS a subscribing witness.