In the Name of God Amen. I MATTHEW DAVIS of Warren County & State of North Carolina
being of sound & perfect mind & memory do this 30th of March in the year of Lord
one thousand Eight hundred & Twenty five make and ordain this my last Will and
Testament in manner following That is to say-
I lend to my beloved wife MARY DAVIS all my land estate lying
on the north side of the Great Branch also I lend to my Beloved wife MARY DAVIS
the following Negroes, to wit, GEORGE, SEALEY, EASTER & ISHAM, also TEMPERANCE &
REMUS also the one half the stock of horses, cattle, sheep & hogs also all the
household furniture and Plantation utensils all the above named during her
natural life.
Item- I give & bequeath to my son PETER R. DAVIS following
tract of land being part of WEATHER's tract and bounded as follows... Also the
following Negroes JOHN, HANNAH, KINCHEN, JACOB & DANIEL the above named to him
and his heirs forever.
Item- I give and bequeath to my daughter NANCY POWELL that
part of my land lying on the south east side of the Little Rocky branch whereon
JNO. B. POWELL now has a plantation. Also the following Negroes to wit,
SOLOMON, CEILY, NED, PRIMUS & JANE to her and her heirs forever.
Item- I give & bequeath to my son STEPHEN DAVIS the following
tract of land bounded as follows... Thence along PETER R. DAVIS line the black
Branch to a white oak thence down the black branch to the mouth and down Fishing
Creek to the beginning also the following Negroes to wit, LEWIS, ISHAM, TEMP,
MARIAH & HAGER to him and his heirs forever.
Item- I give and bequeath to my daughter ELIZABETH PITCHFORD
the tract of land whereon she now lives which I purchased of JNO HARWELL
also the following Negroes to wit, RICHMOND, RUTH, GEORGE, HENRY son of NED,
REAMUS & DICK to her and her heirs forever.
Item- I lend to daughter POLLY KEARNEY the land lying on Reedy
Creek which I purchased of JOHN T. KEARNEY during her life then to be equally
divided between the children she now has or may hereafter have. Also I lend to
my daughter POLLY KEARNEY the following Negroes TIM, HARRY (son of RUTH), MATILDA,
SANDY & MARANDY during her life and at her death for the above named Negroes
with all their increase to be equally divided between the children she now has
or may hereafter have.
Also I lend to my son-in-law EDWARD KEARNEY during his life
the following Negroes which I bought from sd EDWARD KEARNEY to wit DOCTOR, BELL,
LUCY, FAN, HARRISON, EVELINE, JOHN, MARIAH, MARY, MANERVA & JULIA also CHARY & TOM
and at the death of said EDWARD KEARNEY the said Negroes with their increase to
be equally divided between the children she now has or may hereafter have.
Item- I give to daughter REBEKAH WILLIAMS one tract of Land
bounded as follows which tract of land I have lent to my wfie during her life lying
as before stated on the north side of the Great branch also the following Negroes,
to wit, FED, PETER, ESTER, MARY, BOB, RANSOM & CHARITY & SARY to her and her
heirs forever.
Item- It is my will that all the property I may die possessed
of not mentioned in this my last Will of every description & denomination shall
be equally divided between the whole of my children.
I constitute and ordain my two sons PETER R. DAVIS & STEPHEN DAVIS my whole and
Executors to this my last will and testament denying & revoking all other wills
or wills made by me.
In witness whereof I do hereunto set my hand & affix my seal the day and date first
written
MATTHEW DAVIS
Signed & Sealed in presence of
R. T. CHEEK
JOHN HALL
State of North Carolina
Warren County, Feby Court 1827