Will of Jemima BUTNER

Dated 7 May 1801

In the name of God Amen! I Jemima Butner of the County of Rowan & State of N. Carolina being in perfect mind & memory, but weakly in body & calling to mind my mortality think proper to make & ordain this as my last will & test: knowing that it is appointed unto men once to die, do this proper to confirm my intention by these presents, & in the first place I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God, & my body to be decently buried, at the discretion of my executors, & as touches such worldly estate, as it had pleased God to bless me with, I dispose, devise & give in manner & form following, that is, I give & bequeath to my eldest son Samuel Meril 14 pounds which I paid for the improvement whereon Meril now lives also 27 pounds, which I paid in taking up a judgment that was against him, also my sorrel horse, also an equal part of all my moveable property with the rest of my sons; my negroes except I give & bequeath to my daughter Nancy my negro woman Slager, which is to be valued, & John, William & Charles Meril is to have an equal part of the value of said Negroe in money; also I give one half of my wearing cloaths to my daughter Nancy; I give & bequeath to my daughter Ellien on negro girl named Rose, which is also to be valued & the above John, Wm & Chas Meril is to have an equal part of her value in money, I also give to my daughter Ellien the other half of my wearing cloaths. I give & bequeath to my son Andrew Meril my Negroe boy named James, which is also to be valued & the above John Meril, Wm & Chas Meril to have an equal part of the value in money, also I give to my son Andrew an equal part of my moveable property, that I do not mention in my will. I give to my son Jonathan Meril my Negro boy named David & he is to pay to my son Chas Meril 10 pounds current money 2 yrs after my decease I give also to my son Jonathan Meril an equal part with the rest of my sons of my moveable property, which is not here mentioned or given. I give to my son Elijah Meril an equal part of my moveable property which is not mentioned or given in this will. Lastly I also appoint constitute & ordain, my son Andrew Ameril & Jonathan Meril whole & sole executors of this my last will & test: & I do hereby revoke all other wills test: at any time by me made, in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this 7th day of May, 1801.
Jemima Butner (her mark and seal)

Signed, & sealed & declared in the presence of
Thomas Durham
Azariah Merrell.

Jemima, born Jemima Smith, and the widow of Capt Benjamin Merrill, is my ancestor. Her great-grandfather Andrew Smith came to America from Yorkshire. The copy I obtained of the will has no note of its being proven, but Jemima died in 1803.