Below I have transcribed the will of David Averitt, my 5th great-grandfather.
His children by his first wife were:
- Elizabeth “Betsy” AVERITT m. Thomas ANDERSON
- Enoch AVERITT m. Leta McINTOSH
- Selah AVERITT m. John HOLMES
He later married Sarah “Sally” BUTLER, daughter of Arthur BUTLER and Sarah “Sally” JOHNSON. Their children were:
- Arthur J. AVERITT
- David B. AVERITT
- Permelia Ann AVERITT m. Everett GWALTNEY
State of North Carolina Craven County }
In the name of God amen I David Averitt of the County aforesaid Being in a Low Staight of health but of a Sound and perfect mind and memrey Blessed be God do this the Eleventh day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy Eight do make and publish this my Last Will and Testament in manner following that is to say —
First I lend unto my Loving wife Sarah AVERITT three Hundred and fifty nine acres of Land where on I now Live during the time she Remains my widow also I Lend to my wife Sarah one negroe woman Cauld Rachel and one negroe Child Asa and all my hoshold and kitching furniture also my Gray mare and saddel and bridel and one Cart also all my Corn and foder and peas also all my meet and fat and all my Cotten and flax and Leather and wheat also all my Stock of Cattel and hoggs during the time She Remains my widow
Item I give and bequeath unto my two Sones Arthur J Averitt and David B Averitt all the Land I now own to be Equilly divided between the two after the death or mariedg of my wife Sarah which Ever Shall happen first and if Either of the two above mentioned Sones Should dye before they arive to the age of twenty one years and whithout haveing any Children my will is for the Surviving one to Hear all my Lands —
Item I give and bequeth unto my three daughters Elizabeth Anderson and Selah Averitt and Permelia Ann Averitt my two negroes Rachel and Asa they and their Increas to be Equally divided between the three (turn over)
above mentioned daughters
Item I give and bequeth unto my yongest daughter Permelia Ann one Cough and Calf also one feathre bead and furniture and Beadsted I leave my Sorrel mear and one Cart and one SAddel and Bridel and one Set of Turning tools one Croscut Saw and two frows one Iron wedg and one Large pear of ?yards to be Soald at publick Sale after my deceis and the money arising from said sail is to pay my just debts and the Balance is to be put to the us of Raising my three yongest Children
Item I give and bequeth unto my Son Enuch Averitt one Iron wedg and fore dollars in oney at my deceis I also Leave all the propoerty that I lent to my wife Sarah that I have not before given away to be soad at hur death andd the money arising from Said Sail and one note of hand on Enuch Averitt for sixty dollers to be put to the use of Raising and Schooling my three yongest children also I hereby make and ordain my Loving wife Sarah Averitt and James Roach and Samuel Wiggins Executors of this Last will and testament
In witness whereof I the Said David Averitt have to this my Last Will and testament Sett my hand and Seal the day and year first above written
David Averitt { Seal }
Signed Sealed publised and deceared by the Said David Averitt the testator as his Last Will and testament in the presents of us —
John Chapman
Polley Atkinson
Estate of David Averitt
The following are selected items I have transcribed including the inventory and account from the estate sale. I have written names exactly as they were in the document and then to the side I have written them the way we more commonly see them in italics.
Estate Sale
This is a just and true an acount of the property this day soald at publick Sale belonging to the Estate of David Averitt dect which was soald by order of the Last Will and testament of the Said David Averitt dect with the perchasers names and the price annexed to March the 15 day 1828
1 Hone? Samuel Wiggins 1 pear of Surry Irons Alfred Chapman 1 Iron Squear Enuch Averitt (Enoch AVERITT) 1 pear of Taylors Shears Robert Cooper 1 Lot of Turning tools Joshuay Griffin (Joshua GRIFFIN) 1 Large frow Enuch Averitt (Enoch AVERITT) 1 ditto Sarah Averitt 1 Club ax Joseph Hardy 1 Jointer & Jack plain Thomas Kent 1 molding plain Edward Jones 1 Small plain Alfred Chapman 1 molding plain Alfred Chapman 1 Round, Shave Frederick Butler 1 drawing Knife Joseph Hardy 1 Tennant Saw Elisha Griffin 1 pear of Cart wheels Sarah Averitt 1 Crous Cut Saw John Lane 1 Lof of Chear Rounds Joshuay Griffin (Joshua GRIFFIN) 8 Cider Barrels Zachariah Williams 1 pear of Large Stilyards Enuch Averitt 1 Side Sadel Sarah Averitt 1 peck measure James Stocks 1 Half Bushel Alfred Chapman 1 Surveying Book Osburn Clark 1 Martains Justice Alfred Chapman 1 Lot of Books John Carson 1 ditto Enuch Averitt (Enoch AVERITT) 1 Razour Strap James Anderson 1 Lot of Books Robert Cooper 1 Laurel Mear Elisha Griffin Samuel Wiggins Extr
Inventory
This is a Just and true Inventory of all the personnal property belonging to the Estate of David Averitt dect Excepting what was soald by order of the Last Will and testament of the said David Averitt dect this the 11th of March 1828
Two feather beads and firnitude
two beadsteds and Cords
Six Chears to Setin
one Clock
Six Earthan plats
one puter dish
one Eartan dish
two puter basons
one pitcher
Six Earthan boals
four teacups and four Sausers
one Sugar dish
fore wine glases
one tumbler
one decanter
one half Gallon pot
one quart pot
one funnel
two Caufy pots
one Set of candel molds
one Caufy mill
Seven tabel spoons
one tin trunk
one case of knves and forks
one Chest
one flax Hackel
one Shot Gun
one pear of Saddel bags
one Riding Saddel
one Lining wheel
two pear of Chards
two washing tubs
two pales
two Iron pots
one tea kittel
one Loom to weavein
one pear of fier irons
one pear of fier tongus and Shovel
one Cradel
one Reel
one pear of winding blads
one Umberrilah
one drawing knife
two Augers
two ploughs
one pear of plough gear
three Club axes
one hatchet
two weeding hoes
two Grubing hoes
one Small pear Stilyards
one pear of Smoothing Irons
one tin Ladel
one Griddel
one Candel Stick
two oake barrels
nine head of Cathel
Sixteen head of hoggs
one Grae mear
one Carte and gears
three sids of Leather
one Barel of Seed Cotten
two Hundred weight of flax in the Straw
twenty barrels of Corn
fore Hundred weightt of Baken
twenty weight of Lard
fore Bushels of peas
three blade foder Shacks
two top foder Shacks
one bank of Slips
one kit of Shooe tools
one Looking glass
Seven Stone Jugs
two pot trammels
two pear of pot hooks
one hand Saw
fore Stocks of Beas
one tabel
one Grind Stone
one pear of Iron wedges
two bottels
one Note of hand on Enuch Averitt for Sixty dollers
one Note of hand against the Estate of Jacob Butler dect for five dollers and fifty Cents
two Iron Bound CaggsSamuel Wiggins Extr
Wow, this is fantastic information Sarah! I’ve just recently found out that Arthur J. Averitt, son of David Averitt, is a great, great, great grandfather of mine.