JESSE COTTEN - WILL 1802-03 Will Date: November 25 1802 Recorded: July 1803 Bertie County In the name of God, Amen I, Jesse COTTEN, of Bertie County being of sound mind and perfect memory, blessed be God do the 25th day of November in the year of our Lord 1802, make and publish this my Last Will and Testement, that is to say that I give my body to the earth to be buried in in a decent manor and my love to God who gave it and shall dispose of my worldly goods in the following manner. I lend unto my well beloved Wife the land and plantation where I now live. During her natural life and plantation essentials. Such as is now on the plantation also I give unto my Wife six cows and calfs, four sows that belong to the plantation Also I give unto my Wife my grey horse and bay horse also I give unto my Wife all my household and kitchen furniture also three feather beds and furniture. I also lend unto my well beloved Wife during her natual life the following negros, Jacob and Trixee and Patti and their increase. I give unto my Son Lewis COTTEN one negro named Dannel, one feather bed and furniture, two sows and pigs to him and his heirs for Ever. I give unto my Son Cullen COTTEN one negro named Peter one bed and furniture to him and his heirs for ever. I lend unto my Daughter Elizabeth COTTEN one negro girl named Nancee but in case she should have an heir lasfully begotten of her body then it is my will to give the said negro Nancee to her and her heirs for Ever. I give unto my Daughter Elizabeth one feather bed and furniture. I give unto my Daughter Caroline in case she has an heir Lawfully Begotten of her body one negro named Dorcas to her and her heirs for ever. I give unto my Daughter Polley in case she has an heir Lawfully Begotten of her body one negro named Beck to her and her heirs for Ever. I give unto my Daughter Dolley in case she has an heir lawfully Begotten of her body one negro named Joan to her and her heirs for ever. I give unto my Son Jesse COTTEN one negro named Mark to him and his heirs for Ever. I give unto my Son Godwin COTTEN one negro named Tom to him and his heirs for Ever. I give unto my Son Lewis COTTEN one negro named Lormon to him and his heirs for Ever. It is my Will and Desire that all my Negros that I have given away and lent should be kept together on my Lands and put unter the care and direction of my Son Lewis COTTEN for which service and trouble it is my desire to give him one fourth of everhting he can raise and make untill he marries, also the Negros which I have not given away to be included among them and in case any accident should befall my Son Lewis it is my desire that my Son Cullen should take place if my Executor thinks he is competent to mange the estate and turn it to the same advantage that my Son Lewis has done! and that my Son Lewis shall have the care of the Estate untill my Son Cullen comes of the age of twenty one years. In And as my children shall come of the age of twenty one years or marries it is my desire that they shall have Legaces already given away. I give unto my Beloved wife Working Chair and _____ ____ (unreadable) It is my Will and Desire that if any of the children Legaces or Negros should die before the resid?? of my Estate is Equally Divided among them, that it should be made good out of the property that is still remaining not given away. It is my Will and Desire that my Wife and children shall have the use of my Land and Plantation lying on Roanoke River for six years or until the year Eighteen Hundred and Eigh??? and if my wife shall dye before that time, it is my Desire that an Equal Division of all my Estate that is not given away should take place and be Equally Divided among my children then living at my wifes Death, or the time above stated after paying my Just Debt that is land, negros due. And Hereby make and ordain my beloved Wife and my Son Lewis COTTEN and my Brother Godwin COTTEN Executors of this my Last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I Jesse COTTEN have to this My Will and Testament set my hand and Seal the day and date above written. Signed Sealed published and Decreed in presence of us Joseph Benthall X Catherine X(her mark) Hayes Jesse X (his mark) COTTEN Nancy X (her mark) Kinnehorn [Seal] State of No. Carolina July ?, 1803 Bertie County The Last Will and Testament of Jesse COTTEN ?? as proved in open court by the oath of Joseph Benthall one of the subscribing witnesses and ordered to be Recorded in Book 8 George Gray ? Page 19 ========= **Source: Allan James Cotton - descendant of Jesse COTTEN by:Laurie Cotton-Johnson -- gracie402001@yahoo.com =================================================================== JOHN COTTEN- Will 1741-1742 NORTHAMPTON County, sc. May Court, Recorded 1742 Date of Will: January 17 1741 Source: NC Office of the Secretary of State. The Deposition of ye under Subscribers first Sworn on The Holy Eveng * * * * 1741. John COTTEN who Deceast this Life ye 2nd of feb., 1741; as aforsd Did make, * * * under his hand and Seal, & the Subscriber were Wittness Thereto, which * * * was by ye sd. COTTEN Delivered Into ye Care of John Dawson, one of the Subscribing Wittnesses, who by misfortune hath Lost ye sd will with Sundrey of his own papers, but ye sd subscribers being well assured in their Consciences that they Can Remembr The whole Substance of the sd will Declared it was as followeth, Viz: After funeral Expences Discharged and Debts paid, I give & bequeath my Estate as followeth: Itim. I give & bequeath To my Son, John COTTEN, my planation whereon I now Dwell, to him & his Heires forever, only my Wife to Live thereon and to Injoy the Use thereof During her natural Life; also one gun, one feather Bed and furniture, Two Cows & Calves, Two Ews and Lambs. My will and Desire is that my Crosscut Saw & whipsaw be Equalley between my Two Sons. Also, I give my Son John one Iron pot. Itim. I give & bequeath to my Son Benjamin COTTEN, my plantation whereon Phillip Edens now Dwells, to him & his heires forever, only the sd Edens to Live thereon and Injoy the Use thereof During his Natural Life. My will & Desire is that my Land belonging to my sd plantations be Divided as Equal as Possible, one half to ye one plantation and ye Other half to ye other; also I give my sd. son my black horse, bridle and Saddle and Cane, one feather Bed and Firniture, one Iron pot, Two Cows and Calves, Two (?) Ews and Lambs. Itim. I give and Bequeath to my Daughter, Mary Breecle Two hundred acres, be ye same more or Less, Lying at at a place Called Blue water, to her and her heires for Ever; also one feather Bed & firniture, one Dish, and one Bason, one Iron Pott, one Cow and Calf, Two Heiphers, and three Ews and Lambs, Ten Sows and Pigs, one Iron Pot. Itim. I give and bequeath to my Daughter, Anne COTTEN, one bey Mare & her Increase, Two Cows and Calves, Two Ews and Lambs, and one feather Beed and firniture, and one Iron pot. Itim. I give & bequeath to my Daughter, Sarah COTTEN, my Negroe wench, Called Rose, and her Increase, only, my wife to have ye Labour of ye sd wench During her natural Life; also, I give my sd Daughter, Two Cows and Calves, Two Ews and Lambs, one Iron pot. Itim. I give & bequeath to my Loving wife, Anne COTTEN, my Negroe fellow Mingo, to Maintain and School my small Children; also, give my sd wife, my working oxen for the plantation use; also, I give my sd wife, my Grey Horse and Side Saddle, and all my working Tools not alreadey given. Also, I Do nominate and appoint my Loving wife, Executrix and my Loving brother, William COTTEN, Executor of this my last will & Testament, revoking and Disalowing of all other wills by me heretofore Made. In will: hereof I have hereunto Set my hand & Seal, 17th of Jan: 1741 Jno. Dawson Richd. Berfield, Thos. Cowman * * * * within Depositions * * * * Richd. Berfield & Thos. Cowman * * * * on oath before Isaac Hunter * * * * Justs of the County within Mentined as witness my * * * * & Date * * * written. Isaac Hunter. Northampton County, sc. May Court, 1742 The within Written Nuncupative Will of John COTTEN, deceased, was proved in open Court by the Oaths of John Dawson, Richard Barefield, & Thomas Cowman, ye subscribing evidences there to & on Motion of William COTTEN, praying Administration on y sd Deceased's Estate with ye Will Annexed, which was granted, he having given Security as ye Law directs Test. J. Edwards, Clk. C Additional Comments: I believe this John COTTEN b. bet. 1701-1702, d. 02, Feb., 1741 in Northampton Co., North Carolina to be the son of John COTTEN b. bet. 1671-1677 VA., d. 1721 in Bertie Co., North Carolina and Martha COTTEN nee Godwin. If anyone knows otherwise, please advise. Transcribed by: Laurie Cotton-Johnson gracie402001@yahoo.com ======================================================================= JOHN COTTEN - Date of Will: 1728 NORTHAMPTON County, NC - Date Recorded: May 1728 Source: NC Office of the Secretary of State. In The Name Of God Amen, I, John COTTEN, of Bartie Precinct, in North Carolina, Gent., being Sick in body but of perfect Sence & Sound memory, blessed by God, doe mak and ordaine this to be my Last will & Testament, in manner and forme folowing, Viz: first, Item. I Give to my Son, John COTTEN, Three Hundred and twenty acors of Land, be it more or Less, whar he now Lives, on the west Sid of Ahorskey Marsh, to him and his heairs for Ever. Item. I Give to my Son, William COTTEN, one hundred and fifty acors of Land, be it more or Less, lying in the oserow (?) Meadows, whar he now Lives, beginning at a Marked hickory at my upermost Line, So runing down a line of Marked Trees to the Lower most line, to him and his heairs for Ever. Item. I Give to my Son, Samell COTTEN, a Neack of Land whar he now Lives, be the Saime mor or Less, and parte of a Survay that I bought of Charles Stevenson, being a hund. acors mor. or Less, to him and his heairs for Ever. Item. I Give to my Son, Thos. COTTEN, all the Remainder of my Land bought of Charles Stevenson, it is northerdly of William COTTEN, and Containes Three hund and forty acors, being a neck Called, the Green pond neck, to him and his heairs for Ever. Item. I Give to my Sons, Arthur COTTEN and James COTTEN, my Lowermost Survay Land on fishing Creek, to Eaqualey devided betwixt ym, to them and their heairs for Ever. Item. I Give to my Son, Joseph COTTEN, to hundred acors Land and to be taken oute of my uper Survay on fishing Creek, to him and his heairs for Ever. Item. I Give to my Son, Alexandr COTTEN, one hundred acors Land out of my uper Survay on fishing Creek, to him and his heairs for Ever, and the other three hundred acors to be Equaley Devided be twen my Sons, John COTTEN, William COTTEN, and Samll. COTTEN, to them and their heairs for Ever. Item. I Give to my Son, Arthur COTTEN, one Neagerow Man Naimed Meingo, butt Except the Labour and the Sarvice of the sd Neagerow, to be preformed and don for my Loveing wife, Martha COTTEN, deureing her widowhood, and my sd Son, Arthur COTTEN, to be and Goe for himSelf when he Shall arrive at the age of 18 Years. Item. I Give to my Son, James COTTEN, one Neagerow boye Naimed Peter, to him and his heairs for Ever, and that my Son, James COTTEN, May Goe and for himself when he Shall arrive at the age of Eighteen Years. Item. I Give to my Son, Thos. COTTEN, one Neagroe Gerlle Naimed Rose, To him and his heirs for Ever, but Except the Labour and Sarverce of the sd Neagrow Geirll to be for and with my Loveing wife, Martha COTTEN, deureing her widowhood, and that my Son, Thos. COTTEN, be free and and Goe for him Self when the sd. Thos. arrive at the age of Eighteen Years. Item. I Give to my Son, Joseph COTTEN, one neagerow boy naimed Toney, to him and his heairs for Ever. Item. I Give unto my daughter, Presseler COTTEN, one Neagerow woman, named Mooll, to her and her heairs for Ever, butt Except the youse and Labour of the sd Neagerow to be for my Loveing wife, Martha COTTEN, Dewering her widowhood. Item. I Give to my Son, Alexander COTTEN, one Neagerow man, naimed Guge, butt Except the Sd. Neagerows Labour and Survice to be for my Loveing wife, Martha COTTEN, During hur widowhood. Item. I Give to my Son, William COTTEN, one new feather bead and a woosted Sett Ruge, and one Large fine blanket, and a Sheate, to pewter bassons, and to pewter dishes, three Cowes and calefes, to yearlings, and one three year ould heifer, and Eight Soues with their In Creese, and one baye Gelding horse, and one Large barow or Spayed Sow, and a pateran of fine druged for a Sute of Close, Coate, bretches and Jacket and Triming answreable, and fifty bushalls of oyster Shells. And all that parsell of plank that wase Sawed for the meill work, to Euqualie devided betwene my Sd. Son, William COTTEN, and my Son, Samll. COTTEN. Item. I Give to my Son, Samll. COTTEN, a p'terne of fine druged to make him a sute of Close and Triming answrable, which Cloth and triming is to be answare and Euqualey devided betwixt my Sonn, William and Samll. COTTEN. Item. To my Son, Samll. COTTEN, I Give one feather bead known by the naime of the Trundle bead, and a blew wostde Sett Rugg, and one blanket and Sheate, and one Square fraimed warnut table, and three Cowes and Cayeles, and an in broke hors of to years ould, to puter bassoons, and to puter dishes, and fifty bushels of oyster Shells, and to Each of my Sons, Samll and Wm COTTEN, a large Sheare, to purches Ym nails to buld them a howse, Each &. Item. I Give to my Son, Alexander, Eight Sowes and their increase, and Three Cowe, one heifer yearling, and one to year ould Steare, and one three year ould Steare. Item. I Give to my Son, John COTTEN, all teh Stock of both hoggs and Catte that is now in his persesion of my Marke, and fifty bushalls of oyster Shells. Item. I Give to my daughter, Susanah COTTEN, the feather bead whar on She lyes with all its furniture. Item. I Give to my Son, Thos. COTTEN, one Sute of new Courteins of ableew Couller, one Large fine bead Tick, one wosted Sett Rugg, and one Large fine blankett. I Give and bequeath to my Loveing wife, Martha COTTEN, my bead whar on I lye with all its furneture, Courtens, Rugg, blankets, Sheates, pelowes, and one Large new fine blanket and Quelt, beSides, and bead Stead Corde and matt. and, Item. I Give to my Son, Alexander COTTEN, as much dewroys which is now by me, as will make him A sute of Clothes. Item. I Give to my Sons, Alexander and Samll COTTEN, as much Striped holan, as will Make Each of ym a Jeacket and Bretches and Trimeing to it. And I give & bequeath to my Loveing wife My Riding horse, Calling his Name blaise, and a Sid Sadle. Item. I Give to my Son In Law, John Tomas, one puter dish. Item. I Give to my Son In Law, Capt. John Spears, one puter dish. Item. I Give to my Daughter, Mary Holand, one puter dish, and the use of the above Neageroes is Left to my Sd wife for hur own and my Sd fower youngest Childrens Maintaneance during her widowhood. Item. I Give to my Son, Joseph COTTEN, three wethers and a Ramm, to yeewes and a Lam. Item. I Give to my Daugter, Martha Benton, Late widow of Frances Benton, decesed, Three Ewes with their in Crease. Item. I Give to my Sons, Wm. and Samll. COTTEN, 20 pound of feathers, to be Equaly devided Inlargen their beads. My will is furder, that my mill Stones, Spindle, Jaks and peecks, to be Sould for Silver Money, and that to be Equaley devided betweixt my fower Small Children, Arthur, Pesseller, James, and Thos. COTTEN, and all the Remd. of my Estate, both with in and with oute dores, I Leave to my wife and fower Small Children above named, to be Eaqualey devided. Item. I Give to my Daughter, Susanah, as Much fine Silk Stufe as will mak hur a Sute of Clothes, and my will is that my mair tht Runes in Tormenteing nack, the first Coult She Brings, may be for my Son, Arthur COTTEN, and if the Sd mair lives to bring Aney more Coultes may be for my Son, James and Thos. COTTEN. and, Lastly, I doe apoint My Loveing wife to be Exetrs. of This my Last will and testment, butt Nomonate and apoint My Loveing friend, Thos Bryant, and Wm Benet to be over Sears, and have power, In case my wife Should again Marey, and hur Covetor prove unhapey to hur and my fower Small Children, to Remove and Secure them and their Estate att their desc. In witness war of Asigne this to be my Last will and testement. John COTTEN (Seal) Test. Thos. Bryant, Jurat. Thomas Strange, Marey Parkers, Jurat. Bertie sc. May Court, 1728. The above Will was Exhibited by Martha COTTEN, Widow and Sole executrix of John Cotton, Deced. and was proved by the Oaths of Capt. Thomas Bryant, and Mary Parker, in Open Court, in due form of Law, who were Evidences thereto. And then the sd. Martha took the the Exrs: oath in Open Court. Test. Rt. Forster, Cler. Cur. Copied from Original Will filed in the Office of the Secretary of State. Northampton County. Transcribed by and published here with the permission of: Laurie Cotton-Johnson gracie402001@yahoo.com ======================================================================== ======================================================================== Return to: Secretary of State Wills at NCROOTS.COM © 2004