* William Braswell Nash Co., NC 1794

In The Name of God Amen, I WILLIAM BRASSELL senr. of Nash County and state of North Carolina Being well in health and of perfect mind and memory thanks be given to the almighty God. Calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for man once to die do make and ordain this my Last will and testament, that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hand of almighty God and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a desent christian like manner at the Descretion of my executors nothing Doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same by the mighty power of God and as touching such worldly Estate where with it hath pleased God to bless me with in this live I give and bequeath in the manner and form following----

Item – I give and bequeath unto my son BENJAMIN Thirty pounds Virginia money to be raised out of my estate to him and his heirs forever ---

Item -- I give and bequeath unto my son WILLIAM all my land on the south side Tar river to him and his heirs forever ---

Item – I give and bequeath unto my son JOHN two hundred and eighty six Acres of land lying on the north side Tar river begining at a hickory and maple on the said river Thence No 48 degrees Wt to TANNER’S line Including all my Land below the said line to him and his heirs forever –

Item – I lend unto my loving wife MILLEY the plantation whereon I now live and all the land belonging thereto that I have not Desposed of and one negro man named JACK and one negro by named POMPY and one negro girl named GRIZY and all the rest of my movable estate to her During her natural life.

Item – After the decease of my wife I give and bequeath unto my Daughter COURTNEY one negro boy named POMPY and one half of the Land that I lent to my wife to her and her heirs forever ---

Item – after the decease of my wife I give and bequeath unto my Daughter TOPPEN one negro girl named GRIZY and the other half of my land that I lent to my wife to her and her heirs forever ---

Item – after the Desease of my wife I give and bequeath unto my sons WILLIAM and JOHN and my Daughters SARAH PHEREBY MILLEY ELIZABETH PENELEPTY RODAH CLOE LEAH PIETY and BERSHEBY one negro man named JACK, one still and all the rest of my movable estate that I have not allready given away to them and their heirs forever. To be sold amongst them selves and the money equally Divided amongst them all ---

Lastly I Constitue make and ordain my worthy friends BENJAMIN MANNEN, SOLOMON BATCHELOR and BENAMIN WILLIAMS Exrs. to this my Last will and testament and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannull all other former wills legacies and Exrs. and bequests by me befor named willed or bequeath ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my Last will and testament In witness where I have hereunto set my hand and seal this secon day of April 1794. Signed Sealed published and Declared by said WILLIAM BRASSELL as his Last Will and Testament. (signed) WILLIAM BRASSEL (seal)

JAMES MOORE

JOSEPH (his mark +) RITCHISSON

JUDAH (her mark X) MOORE

Nash County } May Court 1796

The foregoing Will was duly proven in open Court by the Oath of JAMES MOORE a subscribing Witness thereto & on Motion ordered to be recorded. Attest WM. HALLIELE

Said is Registered in obedience to the above order. Attest WM. HALLIELE

WM. BRASWELL Will Recorded Aug. Court 1796.

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This abstract omits daughters Courtney and Toppen:

1794 - April 2, WILLIAM BRASWELL Wife: MILLEY. Sons: BENJAMIN; WILLIAM - all my land south of Tar R.; JOHN - 286 A. north side of Tar. R. on TANNER's line. Daughters: SARAH, PHEREBY, MILLY, ELIZABETH, PENELOPY, RHODA, CLOE, LEAH, PIETY, BERSHEBY. EX: Friends BENJAMIN MANNEN (MANNING) SOLOMON BATCHELOR, BENJAMIN WILLIAMS. Wit: JAMES MOORE, JOSEPH RITCHESON, JUDAH MOORE. May Ct. 1796 (Abstracts of WB I Nash Co., NC 1778-1868 by Ruth Smith Williams and Margarette Glenn Griffin)

William (BRACEWELL) BRASWELL, inventory by Benjamin MANNING, exr., Feb. 17, 1796 included 907 acres of land and three Negroes. (Abstracts of Early Records of Nash Co., NC 1777-1859 by Joseph W. Watson 1975)

William BRASWELL sale by Solomon BATCHELOR, exr., no date. Account current, Feb. Term 1805. (Abstracts of Early Records of Nash Co., NC 1777-1859 by Joseph W. Watson 1975)

From Sally's Place:

From Nash County Deed Books:

DB 7, page 187
Nov 14, 1803
Toppin Hill (wife of Richard Hill) and Cortney Hill (wife of Isaac Hill) were
daughters of William Braswell, deceased.

Updated April 17, 2010