In the name of God Amen, I Richard Hocott of the County of Edgecomb and State of North Carolina being of Sound mind and memory do make ordain declare and publish the following to be and contain my last will & testament in manner and form following to wit

Item first I will and desire my Executors herein after named to provide for my body a decent buryal and to pay all my just debts out of the first moneys coming into there hands as a part and parsel of my Estate

Item second I will desire and devise unto my beloved wife Elizabeth the dwelling house where I now live and one hundred and fifty acres of land around it to be laid off as She may want it to have and to hold to her the Said Elizabeth during her natural life and no longer

Item third I give and bequeath unto my wife Elizabeth the following Slaves with all their issue born after the date of this will to wit one man named Ben and one woman named Sinia and one girl named Hester to have and to hold during her natural life and no longer

Item forth I give and bequeath unto my Said Wife Elizabeth two cows & calves one horse two yews & lambs two Sows & pigs all of which to be her choice all the poultry one loom & all of my house hold and Kitchen furnature except what is here after named one buggy and harness and one bed and furnature (her choice) for an during her life and no longer

Item fifth I give and bequeath unto my Said Wife Elizabeth one other bed her choice with all the bed cloths she had before we were married which She may dispose of as She may like

Item sith I give and bequeath unto my Said Wife Elizabeth one thousand pounds of pork & twenty barrels of corn one thousand pounds of fodder twelve pounds of Sugar & twelve pounds of Coffee & ten gallons of Molasses & three bushels of Salt & one barrel of flour for her years support

Item the seventh I give and bequeath unto my Son Daniel Hocott the following Slaves to wit one negro man named Amos one negro woman named Alif one girl named Mary one girl named Sarah and one boy named John all of which I give to the Said daniel Hocutt in fee simple provided he the said Daniel leaves a child or children surviving him and if he leaves no child or children nor the issue of child or children I want the said slaves equally divided among all my children

Item the eight I give and bequeath unto my Son Benjamin Hocott all my lands not before mentioned and also one negro man named Ben and one woman named Sinia & one girl named Hester before mentioned after the death of my Said Wife Elizabeth also the lands given to my said wife I give to the said Benjamin Hocott after her death

Item the ninth my will and desire is that all my property not herein mentioned be sold after my death and the money be equally divided among all my children except Daniel Hoc0tt and Benjamin Hocott

Item the tenth I nominate and appoint my Sons Daniel Hocott and Benjamin Hocott Executors to this my last will and testament hereby revoking all other wills and testaments by me hereto fore made

In testimony of which I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the Sixteenth day of September A.D. 1853 Signed, published and declared to be and contain the last will and testament of Richard Hocott in the presence who witness the same at his request the year and date above written   Richard (X) Hocutt   /s/ Benjamin Bynum, Newit Owens

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“One negro man named Ben” may be, in the 1870 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: Benjamin Hoketts, 70, wife Clapsly, 60, and Haywood, 27, Daniel, 18, Cain, 16, and Sarah Hoketts, 16, plus Willie Nicholls, 8.

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