To wit. I recommend my Soul to God that gave it and my Body to be decently Buried and as to what worldly Goods I have been blessed with, I give and dispose of the same in the following manner---- Viz.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Daughter Susannah Curtis my Negro woman Milley(?) and her increase from this time, together with all Property I have heretofore given or let her have.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Son John Cottrell the fifty dollars sent to him by Major William B. Lenoir, together with all the property I have heretofore given to him.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Daughter Rosannah Pauly(?) one Silver dollar together with such other Property as I have heretofore given her, which is to be her full Share of my Estate.
Item. It is my Will and desire that all my Gust(?) Debts and Funeral expenses be paid out of the Remaining part of my Estate.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Daughter Susannah Curtis,my Daughter Edy Curtis, my daughter Nancy Curtis, my son John Cottrell and my son William Cottrell, all the rest and Residue of my Estate both Real and Personal, not being(?) before mentioned to be equally divided amongst them, share and share alike.
Lastly(?) I hereby appoint my son in law Samuel Curtis my whole and Sole Executor of this my last will and Testament. In Testimony whereof I hereunto set(?) my hand and Seal this llth day of March A D. 1825.
Signed(?) Sealed Published and delivered Thomas Cottrell (seal) In Presence of us
William Lenoir Test.(?)
North Carolina
Thomas(?) Lenoir Test.(?)
Wilkes County
November Term 1828
W. A.(?) Lenoir
The above will was duly proven in open court by the oaths of William & Thomas
Lenoir -
Test. R. Martin clerk.
This will was transcribed by Jerry Curtis on June 9, 1987 from a photocopy of original. If a word was in doubt, it was followed by (?). The original punctuation and capitalization was preserved if possible. The following words were abbreviated " major, William, , Thomas, clerk."
The left hand side and the bottom of photocopy were blurred making
transcription difficult.
The name "Cottrell" was spelled "Cottrell" five times and "Cottrel" one time.
The name "Curtis" was spelled out five times. Mr. Cottrell was the
transcriber's great-great-great-great- grandfather.