* Samuel Braswell, Nash Co NC 1794

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.

A letter from Ruby dated Nov. 17, 1994 contained the following additional information.

The verbal will of Sarah HUNT mother of our Sarah HUNT BRASWELL, wife of Samuel suggest that Sarah HUNT's maidedn name was Sarah LONG & married Jesse HUNT - not proven yet.