Will of Charles Reeves
Stokes County, North Carolina
Will Book 3, Pg 261
Written 15 Aug 1831
Probated December 1833
Transcription
In the name of God Amen. I Charles Reaves of the County of Stokes & State of N Carolina knowing it is appointed unto all men to die & being weak of body but of sound mind & memory & having a small portion of this worlds goods accumulated by my own industry & the blessing of God & wishing to dispose of them awarding to my own choice do make & constitute this to be my last will & testament in manner & form following to wit viz.Item 1st, It is my will that all my just debts be paid out of my estate -
Item 2nd, It is my will that my wife Obedience Reaves have of my estate during her natural life or widowhood fifty acres of Land including my dwelling house & two negroes namely Isaac & Lucy & her increase if any & two feather beds & household & kitchen furniture & one horse & all my cows, hogs & sheep -
Item 3rd, I have given to my Daughter Susanah A. Crews one negro man Squire, one horse bridle & saddle, one feather bed & furniture, one cow, three head of sheep, one hog, one black walnut cupboard, one case of knives & forks. And it is also my will that she have out of my estate one negro girl named Sukey -
Item 4th, It is my will that my son George Reaves have out of my estate one negro boy Jack, one feather bed & furniture, one Cow & Calf, two head of sheep, one hog all of which he has now in his possession & I also give him one negro man named Archer –
Item 5th, I give to my son William Reaves one bond that I’ve taken up from James Bruce, one Judgement taken up from Martin Shelton of Twenty three Dollars, one ditto Judgement from John Bithing (?) of Twenty Dollars, one ditto Judgement from one of the Kizers of fifteen Dollars, one ditto Judgement from William Boyles of Twenty Dollars -
Item 6th, I have given to my daughter Catherine Brown one feather bed & furniture & one bed & I also give her one negro girl Martha –
Item 7th, Whereas my son William Reaves has gone contrary to my wish in visiting at the house of Henry Tilleys & hath not taken my advice to break off from the family, that if he should hereafter abstain from them entirely & not marry in said family, I give him all that I have given to my wife at the death of my wife & if he does marry in said family or continue to cohabit there that the said negroes be given the choice one to my son George Reaves & other to my Daughter Catherine Brown if any increase to go my Grand son Charles Reaves & the balance to be equally divided between my Daughters Susanah A. Crews, Catherine Brown & my son George Reaves.
Item 8th, It is my will that all of my property not mentioned in my will be sold & applyed toward paying my debts & if not enough for each of my children viz: Susanah A. Crews, George Reaves and Catherine Brown to pay the deficiency –
Item 9th, It is my will that my son George Reaves & my friend William C. Cole be & they are hereby appointed my executors to this my last will & testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal this the Fifteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred thirty one –
In the presence of Charles Reaves (Seal)
Richard Gill
Wm Deatheridge
John James Payne
Codicil
I Charles Reaves of the County of Stokes & State of North Carolina do make this Codicil to be taken as part of my last will & testament as follows. That is to say, Whereas I have by said will given to my son William Reaves upon conditions named therein the property left to my wife at her death now I do hereby revoke & make void the said legacy so far as one hundred Dollars which I give to my son in law Thomas Brown in as much as he let me have one hundred Dollars in part payment for the negro I’ve given him and the remainder of it to go to William Reaves if he will through the advice & consultation of my son George Reaves & my sons in law Matthew Crews & Thomas Brown make a compromise to forsake the place named in my will & not marry there to have the balance & if not for it to be divided as above stated.
And I also revoke that part of my will whereas & appointed my friend William C. Cole my Executor & give the whole of the Executorship to my son George Reaves – In witness whereof I have to this codicil annexed my said will, set my hand & seal this 24th day of October 1833.
Test
Wm. C. Cole Charles Reaves (Seal
Stokes County
December Term 1833
The execution of the last will & testament with the Codicil annexed of Charles Reaves decd was duly proven in open Court that is to say the will by the oath of William Deatheridge & the codicil by the oath of Wm. C. Cole of which the foregoing is a true copy & ordered to be recorded.
Jn. Hill, Clk