Sampson County, NC - Will & Estate Records YOUNG ROYAL Young Royal was born about 1755 and received over 94 pounds for service in the Revolutionary War. We have no details of his service. He married July 20, 1779 Edith Blackman, the daughter of Joseph Blackman of Duplin. Joseph had died in 1768 and left his will in Duplin Co. NC. Edith was born about 1763. Daughter Betsey or Elizabeth had a family Bible and recorded all birth dates of the Young Royal family. She had married William Westbrook and he had died in 1817. At the time the Young’s Will was written, William and Wilson had already headed south. Elizabeth later married Eldridge Thornton. The dates added to the will came from her Bible. Young’s son Josiah Royal born 1802 and died in 1816 is also listed. In the name of God Amen, I Young Royal of Sampson County & state of North Carolina being of perfect mind and memory blessed be God, and calling to mind thee mortality of man knowing that time allotted for all men once to die, do make this my last Will and Testament. But first of all, I recommend my soul into the hands of the Almighty GOD who gave it to me and my body to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors. But touching of such worldly estate as it has pleased God to bestow on me: First: I give and bequeath unto my beloved son Rezon Royal (1780) the land that I bought of John Major Knowles, called the Phillips place, and all the property with I have given him heretofore. Secondly: I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Sally Butler (1782), wife of Travis Butler, one Negro girl named Lynder and the property which I have heretofore given her. Thirdly: I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Sabra Brown (1784), wife of Robert Brown, one Negro girl named Hannah and the property which I have heretofore given her. Fourthly: I give and bequeath unto my beloved son William Royal (1786), one Negro boy named Harry, also one bed and furniture. Fifthly: I give and bequeath unto my beloved son Wilson Royal (1788), one Negro boy named Jordan, also one bed and furniture, and if either William or Wilson Royal should die or never return to receive said property, the one who shall return to have both their parts and if it should happen that neither of then returns, the property that I have left to them is to be equally divided amongst the rest of my children. Sixth: I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Betsey Westbrook (1791), one Negro girl named Coriander, also the property which I have heretofore given her. Seventh: I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Polly Royal (1793), wife of Hardy Royal, one Negro girl named Hazel, also the property which I have heretofore given her. Eightly: I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Nancy Butler (1795), wife of Robert (Adam) Butler, one Negro girl named Phillis, also the property which I have heretofore given her. Ninethly: I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Rebeccah Royal (1798), two Negro girls by the name of Chiller and Cherry, also one bed and furniture. Tenthly: I give and bequeath unto my beloved son Raiford Royal (1800), all the lands that I now process, except the lands that I bequeathed to my son Rezon Royal, to belong to said Raiford Royal after his mother’s death. Also I give and bequeath unto my beloved son Raiford Royal, two Negro boys by the names of Simmon and Jonas. Also one bed and furniture and all the plantation tools of every description, except the blacksmith tools. Also I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Edith Royal the remainder of my property that I have not mentioned or given to my children. After paying my just debts during her natural lifetime and after her death to be equally divided among my children, heretofore mentioned. PS: William and Wilson Royal are to receive their part of my property when called for by them which I have above stated. I hereby make and appoint my son Rezon Royal and my son-in-law Travis Butler executors to this my last will and testament, this annulling any other wills or bequeath by me heretofore made. This 13th day of July one thousand eight hundred and eighteen. (1818) Signed sealed and acknowledged before H. Royal and Robert “X” Butler. his Young “Y” Royal mark An odd thing about this will is, it was not probated until 1894. No one named in the will was then alive. Raiford and then Sabra and Robert Brown also moved to Dooly Co. GA. William had settled there and many Royal descendants in GA descend from this family. Robert Brown was a county official in Sampson but died in 1832, soon after moving to Dooly. Raiford Royal returned to Sampson in 1845 and was very annoyed at Travis Butler that the above will had not been probated. Raiford gave a Power of Attorney to BNL Eldridge Thornton to speak for him in settling the Young Royal estate. About this time Edith Royal, the mother, died. It was 50 years later before the will was probated. The game plan apparently was that Travis Butler was using the Young Royal property and did not want to probate the will. By 1830 Wilson Royal was in Jackson Co. FL and It is not known if he ever returned to NC. In 1840 William Royal died in Dooly Co. GA. His wife has already died before the 1840c. He had sons John D. Royal, Alfred Royal, and Simon Royal. Reason Royal, Sarah Butler, and Elizabeth Thornton stayed in NC. Reason died in 1854 and Raiford Royal died in Dooly in 1864. He was the last to die. Thirty years later the Will of Young Royal was probated. __________________________________________________________________________ USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. The electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. _____________________________________________________________________