In the name of God amen

I William Batts sen’r of the County of Edgecombe and State of North Carolina being of sound and perfect mind and memory, blessed be God, do this twenty-seventh day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty nine make and publish my last Will and Testament revoking all others that I may have made heretofore in manner and form as follows Viz —

Item 1st. I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Patsey Batts two feather beds and furniture, and two bedsteads, fifty dollars in money and one years support of corn pork &c for herself and family and three cows & calves to her and her heirs forever.

Item 2nd. I lend unto my wife Patsey Batts during her widowhood the following property to wit the tract of land and its appurtenances whereon I now live lying on the North side of the Big swamp containing about four hundred and seventy five acres more or less. Also the following negroes Isaac, Elsy and her youngest child Thomas, boy Amos also boy Meedy until my grandson William Henry Edwards arrived to the age of twenty one years, then I give and bequeath the said boy Meedy to him the said William H. Edwards to him and his heirs forever. Also I lend to my wife two head of horses, three sows & pigs and twenty shoats her choice.

Item the 3rd I give and bequeath unto my son John Batts one negroe man named Ben also seven hundred dollars in money to him and his heirs forever.

Item 4th. I give unto my son Guilbert Batts one feather bed, bedstead and furniture, one negro boy by the name of young Isaac, also that part of the tract of land that I purchased of David Bunn lying on the North side of Maple creek — Four hundred dollars in money and one brandy still (the one that is at Wright W. Joyner) to him and his heirs forever.

Item 5th. I give unto my son John Batts in trust for the benefit of my daughter Sally Flowers and her children which she now has or may hereinafter have the following property to wit: One tract of land whereon Gray Flowers now lives lying on the north side of Whites swamp, adjoining the lands of John Farmer, and others containing two hundred and fifty acres more or less. Three feather beds and furniture which said  Gray Flowers & Sally has in their possession at this time also the household and kitchen furniture and all the stock of hogs & cattle which the said Gray & Sally Flowers has in possession also one negroe boy named Orren and five hundred dollars in money. Now my will and desire is that after my death should my son John Batts think it advisable to hire out said negro Orren he is to do or manage in any way that he may think his labour will be most advantage to Sally & her children. It is my desire that Sally and her children shall remain on lands so long as she may wish to do so. The money and the labour of the negroe and the other property reserved at all times to be applied to the support and comfort of Sally and her children in the way that my son John shall think best. After the death of my daughter Sally it is my will and desire that all the property that is then remaining which is given to my son John Batts, for the benefit of Sally and her children shall then be equally divided between her living children. My desire is that should my son John Batts die before my daughter Sally or refuse to act that theCounty Court of Edgecombe shall appoint some discreet and suitable person to take the property and manager it in the way that will be best for the support of Sally and her children.

Item 6th. I give unto my friend Redding S. Petway in trust for the benefit of my daughter Emily Joyner and her children which she now has or may hereafter have the following property to wit all that part of the tract of land that I purchased of David Bunn lying on the south side of the Maple Creek whereon Wright W. Joyner now lives, negroe woman Venice and her five youngest children and all her increase hereafter. The house hold and kitchen furniture and all the stock of every kind that belongs to me that is now in the possession of Wright W. Joyner & Emily his wife and two hundred dollars in money. It is my desire that Emily and her children shall remain on lands so long as Emily shall desire, And that the said Redding S. Petway shall so manage the negroes and other property in that way that will be most advantageous to the support of Emily & her children. After the death of Emily it is my will and desire that the property that is then remaining shall be equally divided between her living children. It is my further desire that if the said Redding shall die or become incapable of managing of affairs or refuse to act before the death of Emily that the County Court of Edgecombe shall appoint some discreet person to take said property and manage it in the best way for the support of Emily and her Children.

Item 7. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Farmer one negroe girl named Harriet and her increase hereafter and one negroe boy by the name of Peter to her and her heirs forever.

Item the 8th. I give and bequeath unto my friend David Williams in trust for the benefit of Elizabeth Farmer and her children one thousand dollars in money the said David is to keep the money out at interest and from time to time as necessity may require to apply the interest to the support and comfort of Elizabeth and her children which she now has or may hereafter have, never to apply any of the principal as long as can lie down without, and what is remaining of the thousand dollars at the death of Elizabeth to be equally divided among her living children. If the said David shall die before Elizabeth or refuse to act it is my will and desire that the County court will appoint some discreet person to take the money and act as directed.

Item 9th. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Patsey Thorn one negro boy named Charles and one negroe girl named Nelly and after the death of her mother I then give her the two negroes lent her mother viz Elsey and her child Thomas and One thousand dollars in money to her and her heirs forever.

Item 10th. I give and bequeath unto my friend David Williams in trust for the benefit of Polly Farmer and her children the following property to wit negroes Dinah and her three children Jerry, Hilliard and Sidney and all the increase of Dinah hereafter One bed and furniture two cows and one calf seventy five acres of land where William Pittman lives adjoining the lands of John G. Williams & others (for Polly a home) and eight hundred dollars in money. The said Davis to manager the said property in the best way for the support and maintenance of Polly and her children which she now has or may hereafter have. And after the death of Polly, what is then remaining is to be divided between her then living children. It is my will and desire that if the said David shall die before my daughter Polly or refuse to act that the County Court of Edgecombe will appoint some descent person to act &.

Item 11th. I give and bequeath unto my son William W. Batts after the widowhood of his mother the tract of land whereon I now live lying on the north side of the Big Swamp containing five hundred acres more or less (being the whole tract except seventy five acres given Polly) negroes Isaac & Haywood, one bed bed stead and furniture two cows and calves and One thousand dollars in money to him and his heirs forever.

Item 12th. I give and bequeath unto my grandson William Henry Edwards the tract of lands which was sold as Henry Edwards’ dcd[?] which I bought adjoining the lands of Charles Land and others, containing one hundred and forty acres more or less, and after the widowhood of my wife Patsy, negroe boy Meedy and four hundred dollars in money to him and his heirs forever.

Item 13th. I give and bequeath unto mu granddaughter Martha Ann Edwards two small negroes by the names of Hagar and Meedy and a note against Egbert A. Taylor for fifty dollars to her and her heirs forever.

Item 14th, I give and bequeath unto my grandson William Batts son of John Batts after the widowhood of my wife Patsey negroe boy Amos, which I lent to my wife to him and his heirs forever.

Item 15th. All the balance of my property of every kind that I have not lent or given away be sold on a credit of six months and all the money and notes that are left after paying my just debts and the legatees that I have given off in money together with the account of sales be equally divided among all my heirs — signed sealed and published by the said William Batts as his last Will and testament the day and date first Written.   William (X) Batts {seal}

Witness — Willie G. Taylor, Wm. D. Petway, James Wiggins

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William Batts Sr.’s will entered probate in Wilson County in 1856.

North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998 [database on-line], Ancestry.com.