Person:James Potts (14)

Will of James Potts

In the name of God Amen, I, James Potts of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina being weak in body but of sound and perfect memory and understanding thro (torn) of God do make and order this my last will and Testament and desire I may be received by all as such I most humbly bequeath my soul to God my maker and body to the earth from whence it was taken in full assurance of its return at ______t day thro the almighty power and goodness of God as for my burial I desire it may be without pomp or State ___(torn) with decency as the discretion of my dear wife and my Executors hereafter mentioned who I doubt not will m____ it with all requsit prudence.

I desire that all my just debts and funeral expenses be first paid and as to the remainder of my world estate which it hath pleased God to bless me with I will and order as followeth (Viz):

I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Margret Potts this plantation we now live on acording to the boundary line betweenst John Potts and me and plow and horses and four cows and four sheep and the two old Negroes and as for the little Negrowench name Febe she shall have her at her own disposal and fourteen £, eight shillings in hard money to be divided amongst the four viz Margret my wife and three children and th____ (torn) thirty pounds in Robert Campbells hands and twenty five pounds in Edward Smiths and twenty in Andrew Rea___ and five pounds in Dennis Mc falls hands the said money to be divided equally betwixt Margret my wife and ____ Potts & John Potts and my grandson James Potts Baxter and there is five thousand two hundred pounds in paper money to be equally divided betwixt Margret my wife and three children and there is fifty pounds hard money in John ____sey's hands to be equally divided betwixt my two sons and John Baxters son James Potts and the ___s eleven pounds fifteen shillings hard money in my br___ (brother John's Potts') hands to be equally divided betwixt my children William & John Potts and Jean Baxter and th___ some plantation on rockey ___ to be sold and the money to be equally divided betwixt my two sons Wm and John and Jas Potts Baxter and there is one plantation known by the name of Minevess to John Baxter's son James Potts and there is one still one ___ & one waggon to be sold and the price to be equally divided betwixt Margret my wife and Wm, John Potts and Jean Baxter and there is one bed and furniture for James Potts Baxter there is one chest by the name of my chest for John Potts at his mother's al___tion of her way of living there is two large bibles my two sons Wm & John Potts there is my body cloaths to be equally divided betwixt my two sons Wm & John. N. B as for the plantation we now live upon it is to be given to John Potts at his mothers decease or at her marriage likewise the two old Negroes Bia and mall is to be given to my two sons Wm & Jno Potts Bia to John & maul to Wm at the death or marriage of their mother and as for the __y household furniture I do give to my beloved wife Margret Potts to be disposed of at her discretion and I do hereby constitue and appoint my beloved wife Margret Potts William Potts & John Baxter as my Executors given under my hand and seal this sixttenth day of February 1781.

NB the remainder of the cattle & sheep to be equally divided amongst the three children except one two year old heifer to my grandaughter Margret Baxter.

(signed) James Potts (his mark)

Witness: Wm MCullar jurat, Wm Owens

[Source: Mecklenburg County Original wills NC 1749-1918[