Notes for John Cotton

Notes for John Cotton

Will: JOHN COTTON'S WILL.
In the name of God Amen. I, John Cotten, of Bartie Precinct, in North Carolina, Gent., being sick in body butof perfect Sence & Sound memory, blessed by God, doe mak and ordaine this to be my last will and Testament, in manner and forme folowing, Viz: first,
Item. I gaive to my son John Cotten, three hundred and twenty acors of land, be it more or less, whar he now lives, on the west sid of Ahorskey Marsh, to him and his heairs for ever.
Item. I give to my son William Cotten one hundred and fiftyacors land be it more or less, lying in the oserow (?) Meadows whar he now lives, beginning at a marked hickory at my uppermost line, so runing down a line of marked trees to the lower most line, to him and his heairs for ever.
Item. I give to my son Samell Cotten, a Neack of land whar he now lives, be the saime mor or less, and parte of a survay that I bought of Charles Stevenson, being a hund. acors mor or less to him and his heairs for ever.
Item. I give to my sonThos. Cotten, all the remainder of my land bought of Charles Stevenson, it is northerdly of William Cotten and containes three hund and forty acors beinga neck called the Green pond neck to him and his heairs for ever.
Item. I give to my sons Arthur Cotten and James Cotten my lowermost survay land on fishing creek to eaqualey devided betwixt ym, to them and their heairs for ever.
Item. I give to my son Joseph Cotten, to hundred acors land and to be taken oute of my uper survay on fishing creek, to him and his heairs for ever.
Item. I give to my son Alexandr Cotten, one hundred acors land out of my uper survay of fishing creek to him and his heairs for ever and the other three hundred acors to be equaley devided be twen my sons John Cotten, William Cotten, and Samll. Cotten, to them and their heirs for ever.
Item. I give to my son Arthur Cotten, one Neagerow man naimed Meingo, butt except the labour and sarvice of the sd. Neagerowto be preformed and don for my loveing wife Martha Cotten deuring her widowhood, and my sd son Arthur Cotten to be and goe for himself when he shall arrive at the age of 18 years.
Item. I give to my son James Cotten, one Neagerow boye naimed Peter to him and his heairs for ever and that my son James Cotten may goe and for himself when he shall arrive att the age of eighteen years.
Item. I give to my son Thos. Cotten one Neagroe gerlle naimed Rose to him and his heairs for ever but except the labour and sarverce of the sd Neagrow geirll to be for and with my loving wife Martha Cotten deuring her widowhood, and that my son Thos. Cotten be free and goe for him self when the sd Thos. arrive at the age of eighteen years.
Item. I give to my son Joseph Cotten one Neagerow boy naimedToney to him and his heairs for ever.
Item. I give unto my daughter PresselerCotten on Neagerow woman named Mooll to her and her heairs for ever, butt except the youse and labour of the sd Neagrerow to be for my loving wife Martha Cotten dewering her widowhood.
Item. I give to my son Alexander Cotten one Neagerow man named Guge, butt except the sd Neagerows labour and survice to be for my loveing wife Martha Cotten during hur widowhood.
Item. I give to my son William Cotten one new feather bead and a woosted sett ruge and one large fine blanket and a sheate, to pewter bassons, and to pewter dishes, three cows and calves, to yearlings, and one three year ould heifer, and eight soues with their in creese, and one baye Gelding horse, and one large barow or spayed sow, and a pateran of fine druged for a sute of close, coate, bretches and jacket and triming answreable and fifty bushalls of oyster shells. And all that parsell of plankthat wase sawed for the meill work to euqualie devided betwene my sd son William Cotten and my son Samll. Cotten.
Item. I give to my son Samll. Cotten, a p'terne of fine druged to make him a sute of close and trimings answrable which cloth and triming is to be answare and euqualey de