Will of John Butler

In the name of God Amen, I, John Butler being very sick and weak in body, but perfick mind & memory and calling to mind the mortality of human Nature and Knowing that its appointed for all men once to die Do make and ordain this my Last will and Testament in manner and form Following Viz. Principally and first of all I Recommend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God that Gave it and my body I Recommend to the Earth to be Buried in a Decent Christian like manner at the Discretion of my Executors hereafter named, and Touching Such worldly Estate wherewith it hath Pleased God to bless me, I Give and Dispose of it in the following manner.

First my will is that all my Just debts and funeral charges be paid and satisfied out of my estate.

Item: I lend to my Dearly Beloved wife Sarah Butler during her natural life two hundred and nineteen acres of land where on by building stand which shall be more fully pointed out hereafter.

Item: I Give and Bequeath unto my Beloved son, Whitmill Butler two hundred and nineteen acres of land lying on the North side of the road which runs through my plantation beginning where my upper line crosses said road and following my upper lines round so far as to include the … two hundred nineteen acres of land by funning across from the back line to the rode including the house and plantation where on he now lived. Being a part of two tracts of land one granted to John Cockerham and the other to myself to him and his heirs forever.

Item: For and in consideration of the live and good will I have for James Cherry, I Give and Bequeath one hundred acres of land unto him and his heirs forever beginning where my Son Whitmill’s corner shall be on my back line adjoining Robert Ian’s land thence down Whitmill’s line to Cockerham’s line, then on Cockerham’s line so far as to include the hundred acres of land by a straight line from Cockerham’s line to the back line.

Item: I Give and Bequeath to by Beloved son, Solomon Butler two hundred and nineteen acres of land being the same which I have before lent to my wife which after her death is to descend to him and his heirs forever beginning on the rode and running south across four mile Branch to Cockerham’s Corner thence on Cockerham’s line to the other corner to the east then on Cocherham’s line towards the north thence a straight course into my late survey adjoining the lands before Given to Whitmill Butler and James Cherry so as to include the two hundred and nineteen acres.

Item: I Give and Bequeath to my Beloved daughter, Sarah Butler two hundred and nineteen acres of land adjoining Solomon’s lines on the South Side of the Rode to her and her heirs forever.

Item: I Give and Bequeath to my Beloved son, Andrew Butler two hundred and nineteen acres of land being the remainder of my two tracts of land containing nine hundred and seventy seven acres to him and his heirs forever.

Item: I Give and Bequeath to my Beloved son, John Butler one hundred and fifty acres of land which I purchased from Wiley Cleaveland to him and his heirs forever.

Item: I Give and Bequeath unto my well Beloved wife, Sarah Butler on bay mare, also one feather bed and furniture to her and her heirs forever.

Item: I Give and Bequeath unto my daughter, Sarah Butler one bay mare and feather bed and furniture to her and her heirs forever.

Item: I Give and Bequeath unto my son, John Butler on feather bed to him and his heirs forever.

Item: I Give and Bequeath unto my son, Solomon Butler on feather bed to him and his heirs forever.

Item: I lend to my wife all my stock of cattle and hogs during her natural life. But after her death my stock of cattle to be equally divided among all my children and my stock of hogs to my son, Solomon to him and his heirs forever.

Item: I lend unto my wife all my plantation tooles and other articles not before mentioned during life but after her death to be equally divided among all my children.

Lastly I nominate constitute and appoint my Beloved friend, Jesse Cherry and my Beloved sons, Whitmill and Solomon Butler Executors of this my last will and testament, in witness where of I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 12^th day of February 1817.

John Butler

Signed and Sealed in the presence of

Bennett Easterling

Elijah Beck

John Moody

Recorded in Will Book “B”, Page 18

Recorded April 24^th, 1818

Orsamus D. Allen, O.B.D

Bundle 30, Package 9.