Will, NC, Edgecombe, Dempsey BRYAN 1845 In the name of God, Amen. I DEMPSEY BRYAN of the county of Edgecombe and state of North Carolina being of sound mind and perfect mind and memory (blessed be God) do this 28th day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty three make and publish this my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following, VIZ. ITEM. 1st I lend unto my beloved wife MARY [BRYAN] all the lands that I am no in possession of with all the appurtenances thereunto belonging also the following Negroes, viz. MOSES, AGGY, MARIAH, CHARLES, JACOB, LEWIS, SILVY, DOLLY, FRANCIS, LITTLE MOSES, NORFLET, LYCIA, HARRIET, LITTLE DICK, ALFORD, SUE, ROXANE, GINRAL, RUFFIN, PENNY, BEN, MILLY, AFFE, RODY, ADAM, BECKY, and fifteen shares of bank stock in the Tarboro Branch of the Bank of the state of North Carolina. Also all the beds that is not otherwise disposed of, all the household and kitchen furniture, also one burnish and harness, one buggy and harness, two horses, four mules, her chest, sixty head of hogs, six head of cattle, twenty head of sheep, two wagons and harness, one yoke of steers and cart, two large log chains, one large iron kettle, one small cart and harness with all the plantations utensils and tools of every kind (at the home house) to have and to hold all the above named property during her natural life or widowhood, and at her death or [the end] of her widowhood, I give and bequeath all the above named property of every kind to my son HUGH BLARE BRYAN and his heirs forever. Also the first of January after my death my beloved wife MARY to have one hundred and seventy five barrels of corn, thirty stacks of fodder, seven thousand pounds pork, twenty bushels of salt, three hundred pounds of sugar, one hundred pounds of coffee and five barrels of flower, for her and family support. ITEM. 2nd I give and bequeath unto my daughter LUCY [BRYAN BATTS], wife of BENJAMIN BATTS, the following Negroes, viz: ANTHONY, MIRNAVY, STARLING, MUN, CHERY, ADLINE, HESTER, PINK, BILL, THON (DEMPSER SON), ALLEN one eye, also ten shares of Bank Stock in the Tarboro Branch of the Bank of the State of North Carolina, to her and her heirs forever. ITEM. 3rd I give unto WILLIAM HENRY KNIGHT in trust the following property, viz: SINCHEN, ALBERT KING and ten shares of Bank Stock in the Tarboro Branch of the Bank of the State of North Carolina for the benefit and support of his mother, the profits arising from the same to be paid to her yearly by the said WILLIAM HENRY. ITEM. 4th I give and bequeath unto my grandson WILLIAM HENRY KNIGHT the following Negroes, viz: CHERRY, NAT, RINCHEN, ALLEN, CHERY, JOHN and BYTHA also two tracts of land bought of RICHARD WHITAKER of Florady bound as the deeds for call lying in Edgecombe county on the south side of Fishing Creek and on both sides of Griffins swamp to him and his heirs forever. ITEM. 5th I give unto my daughter PENNINA BRYAN the following Negroes, viz: ISAAC, ELLICK, MAHALA, MARY, JO, PINK, PHILIS, RICHARD, TURNER, FRANK, TOM, LUCY, BELL, HARY, WASHINGTON, SARAH, CHARITY also ten shares of Bank Stock in the Tarboro Branch of the Bank of the State of North Carolina, also one thousand dollars in money, also one feather bed and furniture to her and her heirs forever. Page 1 of 5 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, NC, Edgecombe, Dempsey BRYAN 1845 ITEM. 6th I give unto my daughter MARY [BRYAN MAY], wife of THOMAS MAY, the following Negroes, viz: HARIAH, AMY, SYLER, JANE, AARON, JULY, GINNY, HARTY, MORNING, BERRY, R. DELA, DINAH also ten shares of Bank Stock in the Tarboro Branch of the Bank of the State of North Carolina, also five hundred dollars in money to her and her heirs forever. ITEM. 7th I give and bequeath unto my daughter MARTHA [BRYAN PITMAN], wife of REDDIN PITMAN the following Negroes, viz: PRIMUS, MARY, LONG, AARON, CHARLOTTE, LUCY, BOB, ANNETTE, ROSE, LUCY KING, TEMPY, ALLEN KING, also one thousand dollars in money to her and her heirs forever. ITEM. 8th I give unto my son WILLIAM D. BRYAN the following Negroes, viz: ISAAC, ANNETTA and all their children VIOLET and all her children, HARRIETT and all her children, BEN, PATTY, JERRY, AGGY also ten shares of Bank Stock in the Tarboro Branch of the Bank of the State of North Carolina, to him and his heirs forever. ITEM. 9th I give unto my daughter NANCY [BRYAN] the following Negroes, viz: DEMPSEY, CHARLOTTE, STARLING, ISAM, TENER, GEORGE, CHANY, MARY, NACE, EDNEY, JUDY also ten shares of Railroad stock in the Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad company, also ten shares of Bank Stock in the Tarboro Branch of the Bank of the State of North Carolina, also five hundred dollars in money, also one feather bed and furniture to her and her heirs forever. ITEM. 10th It is my will and desire that the balance of my estate that is not disposed of be sold at six months credit and the money arising from such sale and all other moneys that is not given away shall first pay the legacies in the will and the balance to be equally divided. ITEM. 11th I nominate and appoint my two sons WILLIAM D. BRYAN and HUGH BLARE BRYAN my executors to this my last will and testament written on one sheet of paper with my own hand and pen. Set my hand and affixed my seal the day and year above written. D. BRYAN {seal} WITNESS JOHN F. SPEIGHT LUNSFORD R. CHENY PATRICK MCDOWELL Page 2 of 5 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, NC, Edgecombe, Dempsey BRYAN 1845 CODICIL part of the above named Negroes and fifteen hundred dollars of bank stock named in the first clause of the will that was lent to my beloved wife MARY [BRYAN] during her natural life or widowhood, Negroes JAMBY, ALFORD, SUE his wife, ROCKSANNER, GINRAL, RUFFIN LETTIS & child, mother with a all there future increase, DICK, LICICA, his wife PENNY, MILLY, OFFE, RODY, ADAM and after the death of my beloved wife MARY my will and desire is that the above named Negroes and the Bank Stock be sold by my executors at a credit of six months and the money arising from the sale of said property be equally divided between LUCY BATTS, SARAH KNIGHT, PENNY BRYAN, MARY MAY, MARTHA PITMAN, WILLIAM D. BRYAN, NANCY BRYAN & HUGH B. BRYAN. In witness whereof I have set my hand and seal this 5th day of May one thousand eight hundred and forty five. D. BRYAN {seal} In witness of. JOHN F. SPEIGHT LUNSFORD R. CHENY PATRICK MCDOWELL Page 3 of 5 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, NC, Edgecombe, Dempsey BRYAN 1845 Edgecombe County Court February Term 1847 The xxx paper writing preporting to be the last will and testament of DEMPSEY BRYAN, deceased, with the codicil annexed thereto is brought into court and offered for probate to xxx and personal estate and is proved by the oaths of JOHN F. SPEIGHT, LUNSFORD R. CHENY, two of the subscribing witnesses thereto to the said will and codicil, the said last will and codicil, being so proved is ordered to be recorded. WILLIAM D. BRYAN, one of the executors named in the said will at the same time qualified as executor to said will. TEST JOHN NORFLEET Page 4 of 5 ** PAGE BREAK ** Will, NC, Edgecombe, Dempsey BRYAN 1845 ###### # # ##### ####### # # ##### ####### # # # # ## ## # # # ## # # # # # ## ## # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ###### # # # # #### ##### # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ## ### # # # # # # ###### # # ##### ####### # # ### ##### ####### # # Transcribed from original documents by Brent R. Brian & Martha M. Brian. This document and others can be found on our website: BMGEN We claim COPYLEFT on the documents that we publish that are our original work. COPYLEFT “rules” can be reviewed on the web site: GNU Free Documentation License In short, use what you like. But if you use our stuff, mention us as the source. Brent R. Brian Martha M. Brian BrianMitchellGenealogy@gmail.com Page 5 of 5 ** PAGE BREAK **