Will date 8 Sept. 1848, codicil date 13 May 1852, date recorded Feb Ct. 1853,
"In the name of God, I Crissey Braswell of the County of Edgecombe and State of North Carolina being of sound mind & disposing memory and in reasonable health" ...
Item 2, I give to my daughter Polly Calhoon during her lifetime one equal share of my lands which I now have hereafter with my grandchildren, Mary Elizabeth Armstrong, James Gray Armstrong, George Washington Armstrong and Crissey Armstrong, viz. one fifth part, also I give to her $400 in money, my carriage and harness, two horses, Hunter and Bill, one spinning wheel, one bed and furniture which was left me by her father, James Braswell, for her natural life and at her death to her children, a deceased child always standing in the place of a parent and should said Polly die leaving no children, all of the aforesaid property shall go to my grandchildren, Mary Elizabeth Armstrong, James Gray Armstrong, George Washington Armstrong and Crissey Armstrong in like manner and under the same limitations as the property I shall hereafter bequeath them.
Item 3, I give the other four fifths of my lands which I now have or may hereafter have unto my four grandchildren, Mary Elizabeth Armstrong, James Gray Armstrong, George Washington Armstrong and Crissey Armstrong and their heirs forever.
Item 4, I lend to Mary Elizabeth Armstrong during her natural life slaves Piety and Wilson and after her death I give them to her child or children if she should have any and if she should die without children to descend as in item 3, I also bequeath to said Mary Elizabeth Armstrong $150 in money and one bed and furniture;
Item 5, I give to James Gray Armstrong, slave Isaac, son of Savery and Isaac, son of Vilet and $50 in money, subject to same limitations as in item 3;
Item 6, I lend unto Crissey Armstrong during her natural life slaves Vilet and Sarah, her daughter & boy Redding & their increase and after her death to go to her child or children and if she dies without children to go as in item 3, also one feather bed and furniture and $50 in money;
Item 7, I give to my grandson George Washington Armstrong slaves Augustine & Joe and $50 in money, subject to the same limitations in item 3;
Item 8, I give to my daughter Polly and my two granddaughters all my bed clothing not given away and my wearing apparel to be equally divided among them; Item 9, all the balance of my property to be sold and the proceeds used to pay my just debts and legacies I have given in money and the balance to be equally divided between my daughter Polly and four grandchildren Mary Elizabeth Armstrong, James Gray Armstrong, George Washington Armstrong and Crissey Armstrong.
I appoint my friends William D. Petway and James F. Jenkins as my executors,
signed Crissey Braswell (X),
wit. David Mercer (middle initial not legible).
Codicil: I give to Mary Elizabeth Barnes a small Negro girl named Martha Ellen, a child of woman Vilet, but if Mary should die without child, I lend said Martha Ellen unto Cressa Armstrong during her natural life and after her death to go to her children and if she has no children, to go as in item 3; I hereby revoke that part of my will which gives the increase of Vilet so far as Martha Ellen and no more,
signed Crissey Braswell (X), wit. Jesse Mercer, G. ( ).
(Abstracted from copy of original, NC Archives CR.037.801.4, 6-26-01. CTC)
CRISSY BRASWELL
1853 ESTATE
Braswell, Crissy 1853 estate file; Aug. Ct. 1853, Petition. to divide land of Crissy Braswell by Polly Calhoun, Willie G. Barnes and his wife, Mary E. Barnes, James G. Armstrong, Crissy Armstrong and George W. Armstrong the (three) last being infants and sue by their guardian, William J. Armstrong, petition states that Crissy Braswell has recently died having made a will leaving her lands as follows: one fifth part to petitioner Polly Calhoun during her life and after her death to her lineal descendants and in the event her death without bearing any lineal descendants, to your petitioners Armstrong and Mary E. Barnes who is the wife of Willie G. Barnes, their sister- one fifth part to each of our petitioners the said Mary E. Barnes, James G. Armstrong, Crissy Armstrong and George W. Armstrong with a proviso that if any die without bearing issue, his share shall go to the survivors; Crissy died seized of two tracts of land on the north side of Mercer’s Mill Branch adjoining the lands of the devises of Zadock Braswell and the lands of formerly (owned) by Daniel Land, Joab Proctor and John Williams, the other lying on both side of Williford’s Mill Swamp adjoining the lands of John Dawse, Jacob Proctor and others; court appoints William Hines, William D. Petway, John Whitehead, John Dawse and Jesse Mercer.
(Edgecombe Co. Estates, NC State Archives CR.037.508.17, 7-7-01. CTC)
From Foy Braswell's Library
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