Will of Henry Petree Stokes County, NC, 1866


"In the Name of God Amen.  I, HENRY PETREE of the County of Stokes and State of North Carolina do make and declare this my last will and testament, that is to say, I will that my Executor herein after named, sell at public auction the whole of my personal property upon a credit of six months and after paying all my just debts, I will an bequeath one half the proceeds thereon an one half of all the money which I may have at the time of my death, to my beloved wife SARAH PETREE and the other half of the proceeds of my personal property and money I give and bequeath to my children.  To my son RILEY F. PETREE I give and bequeath the sum of twenty five cents and no more.  The remainder I equally divide between WILLIAM H. PETREE, MARGARET F. ANDERSON, ELIZABETH DOUB, CATHERINE SPAINHOUR, EZEKIAL B. PETREE and REBECCA HELSABECK.  "I also will...and devise the whole of my lands with all improvements to my said wife SARAH PETREE, for and during her natural life, and at her death, I will the said lands and improvements to my said children.  To my son RILEY F. PETREE I give and bequeath twenty five cents and no more.  The remainder I equally divide between WILLIAM H. PETREE, MARGARET F. ANDERSON, ELIZABETH DOUB, CATHERINE SPAINHOWER, EXEKIAL B. PETREE and REBECCA HELSABECK, and their heirs forever.  "And I do hereby constitute and appoint my nephew WILLIAN WESLEY PETREE and DAVID R. LEAK Executors of this last will and testament in Witness where I the said HENRY PETREE do hereunto set my hand and seal this 31st day of July A.D. 1866.

s/ HENRY PETREE  SEAL

Signed in presents of
JOHN A. BURNETT     
    JOHN G. WHITE

In settling this estate when the lands were finally sold most of the property was bought by F. E. PETREE.  Whether he disinherited RILEY FROST, who incidentally signed a receipt indicating he was paid $1.00 rather than $0.25 in the final settlement, or intended the note to be excused, there is some tradition that they disagreed on taking sides for the Confederacy and the Union during the Civil War.


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