John Butler - 1875 - Bladen County, NC - Wills Submitted for use in the USGenWeb Project Archives by Butch Butler Film 4599, pt. 3, Vol. 2 Pages 207-209, Bladen County, North Carolina Wills I, John Butler of the county of Bladen and in the State of North Carolina being of sound mind and memory but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence do make and declare this my last will and testament in name and form following that is to say: First that my executor (hereafter named) shall provide for my body a decent burial suitable to the wishes of my relatives and friends and pay all funeral expenses together with my just debts howsoever and to whomsoever owing out of the moneys that may first come into their hands as a part or parcel of my estate. * Item - I give and devise to my beloved wife Elizabeth G. Butler four hundred acres of land to be set out by metes and bounds so as to include my mansion house and all out houses and other improvements and to be as convenient as can be laid off to have and to hold to her the said Elizabeth Butler for and during the term of her natural life or during her widowhood in satisfaction for and in lieu of her dower and third of and in all my real estate. * Item - I give and devise to my eldest son's legal heirs that is the heirs of James A. Butler the sum of one dollar to be paid by my executor out of any moneys belonging to my estate to be theirs absolutely forever. * Item - To the heirs of my second daughter Elizabeth G., formerly wife of Amos High, I don't give anything in any way or manner. * Item - I give and devise to my son John T. Butler the sum of one dollar to his use absolutely forever. * Item - My will and devise is that my daughter Nepsey W., wife of Daniel White shall have one fifth of my land which is near seven hundred acres when my youngest child comes of age to he hers at her disposal absolutely forever. * Item - My will and devise is that at the death or marriage of my widow the land which I bequeathed to her containing four hundred acres also two lots in Bladenboro containing one acre with the improvements and the balance of my land if any shall be divided equally as can be as to value between Charles T. Butler, Martha Ann Butler, and George E. Butler, they being my three youngest children. Said lands to be kept by my executors until they separately arrive at full age, then to them and their heirs in fee simple forever. * Item - My will and devise is that my wife Elizabeth G. Butler shall have one bed and bedstead and furniture, her choice, all the household and kitchen furniture, all the farming tools and utensils, carts and buggy, all the horses or mules, all my cattle, hogs and sheep, all the domestic fowls and poultry, all the crops of every description that may be on the plantation whereon I now live, and all the provisions on hand at the time of my death, also my bees, my silver watch and shotguns to be used for the use of the family and at the death or marriage of my wife Elizabeth G. Butler, that is in either case, her part of my personal property of every description shall be divided between my seven children by my last wife, to be shared and share alike to each and every one of them, it to be theirs absolutely forever. * Provided, however, if the lands which I have given to my sons Robert Q. Butler, Thomas V. Butler, and my daughters Sallie F. Butler and Isabel Butler shall be sold or taken from them for my debts by any legal process of law on my account, then in that case, my will and devise is that my land, be it much or little shall be equally divided between my daughter Nepsey W., wife of Daniel White, and my seven children by my last wife, to wit: Robert Q. Butler, Thomas V. Butler, Charles T. Butler, George E. Butler, Sallie F. Butler, Isabel Butler, and Martha Ann Butler to be divided share and share alike to each of them absolutely forever. * Item - My will and devise is that the cash on hand and the notes when collected shall be used for the use of my family while they stay together for schooling the minor children and for necessaries for the family to be used by my executors or widow in paying any demands, and if said moneys shall not be sufficient to carry out the preceding clause, then my executors are authorized to sell timber on any of the above or before mentioned lands to raise funds for the purpose above mentioned. * And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my trusty friends Elias B. Johnson and Robt M. Sessoms my lawful executors to all intent and purposes to execute this my last will and testament according to the true intent and meaning of the same and every part and clause thereof, hereby revoking and declaring utterly void all other wills and testaments by me heretofore made. In witness whereof, I the said John Butler do hereunto set my hand and seal the 2nd day of October A.D. 1875. Signed sealed published and declared by the said John Butler to be his last will and testament in presence of us who at his request and in his presence to subscribe our names as witness thereto. John Butler (Seal) George W. Jones Joe Hester ====================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogy information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than as stated above, must contact the submitter or the listed USGenWeb archivist.