PERSON COUNTY, NC - WILLS - William Trotter, 27 Oct 1821

WILL OF WILLIAM TROTTER

Person County, North Carolina, 1824

 -In the name of God Amen I William Trotter of the County of Person and

State North Carolina being sick and weak in body but of sound and

perfect mind and memory Thanks be to God for the same and calling to

mind the mortality of my body and knowing it is appointed for all men

once to die, 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

commend my soul into the hands of God that gave it and my body to buried

in a decent and Christian like manner at the discretion of my executor

hereafter named. Nothing doubting but at the general Resurrection I

shall receive it again by the mighty power of God  And as Touching such

worldly estate where with it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I

give devise and dispose of in the following manner and form that is to

say 

               First I give and bequeath to Thomas Trotter two Negros Dick and Will;

and to Catharine Black I give three Negros Rachell & Sam[?] her child

and Franke a woman, to Sally Mitchell I give three Negros Dorcas, Jack

and Stanford, to Martha Sallard I give three Negros Ailcey, Henry and

George. To Mary Thomas I give three Negros Sam, Hannah a girl & Tom. 

               To Fanny Trotter I give four Negros Stephen, Lewis, Tabb and Amy, and

one feather bed and furniture and two cows 

               To William Trotter I give the following lands the Seymour Tract

adjoining James Jorden & others the Brann Tract adjoining the same The

Stewart tract adjoining James Trotter and others and a part of the

Fletcher Tract joining the land whereon I now live his line to commence

at a Hycory corner of James Trotters land on the west thence a Direct

course to the mouth of the Spring branch whereon my Distillery is thence

up said branch to his spring field fence thence west to Corner near the

old Schoolhouse running thence south through his lane to Henleys line,

Together with three Negros Gabriel, Squire, and Charles. & feather bed

and furniture, one grey mare and two colts one yoke of stiers and two

cows.  I give James Trotter one cow and I give to James Saterfield one

cow also 

               I moreover give full power to my executors to dispose of Armstead a

negro and one bay mare one bay horse and one yoke of steirs in any way

thay may think propper for the benefit of James Trotter during his

natural life, and after his death to be sold and equally Divided between

the Heirs of said James Trotter, and also I give full power to my

executors to dispose of the Negros Bob and Synah in any way they may

think proper for the use of James Saterfield during his wife's natural

life and at his Death to be sold and equally divided between the

children of my daughter Elizabeth Satterfield his wife. 

               I further give and bequeath unto Sterling Q[?] Trotter the land whereon

I now live and miles with the remaining part of the --- Fletcher Tract

on this side of William Trotters line and also the Russell Tract of land

joining the land of Presley Draper, dcd and others five negros of the

names following Joseph, Hannah a woman, Absalom, Divid & Milly with all

the stills and the distillery the waggon and gear and all the stock of

every description all the plantation tools household and kitchen

furniture with all Debts due me by bond or open acct and all the money

now on hand out of which Legacy he is bound to pay all my just debts. He

is also to have the crop that may be on hand at my death and if the crop

is not finished at my death he shall retain the hands to finish it.  And

it is moreover my will that all the increase of those Negros that I have

severally given should devolve to those to whom they are given. 

               Lastly I constitute and appoint Thomas, William and Sterling Trotter my

sons exectors to this my last will and testament disallowing and

disannulling all former wills by me heretofore made ratifying and

confirming this and this alone to be my last will and testament in

witness whereof I have hereiunto set my hand and affixed my seal this

27th October A.D. 1821. 

Signed & sealed Wm Trotter in the presence us

Lewis Amis, Jurat

Samuel H. Wheeler

State of North Carolina, Person County, May Term 1824.  The execution of

this will was duly proven in open court by the oath of Lewis Amis &

subscribing witness there to and ordered to be recorded.