1873 May 13 - Stokes Co., NC - Will of Martha Matthews Bitting:
I Martha Bitting of the County of Stokes
and 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 Test-
ament in manner and form following
that is to say
First: That my Executor hereinafter named,
shall provide for my body a decent buri-
al suitable to the wishes of my relations,
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 his
hands as a part or parcel of my estate,
Item: I give and devise to my beloved
daughter Elizabeth Gibson and to my
beloved Grand Daughter Lulu G. Nelson
all of my real and personal estate, to
be equally divided between them
Item: I give and devise to my friend
Elizabeth Westmoreland one acre of land
whereon her house stands during her life time
Item: I give and devise to my Grand
Daughter Lulu G. Nelson, one half dozen
silver tea spoons, one half dozen silver
table spoons, one silver butter knife
and Bureau & Book case
Item: It is my will and desire that neither
Isaac H. Nelson, father of my grand
daughter Lulu G. Nelson, William Nelson,
present guardian of my grand daughter
Lulu G. Nelson have any thing do with
the management or control of the property
and effects so given and devised to my
said grand daughter Lulu G. Nelson
Item: It is my will and desire should
my Grand daughter Lulu G. Nelson die
without any bodily heirs, then in that case
it is my will that my beloved daughter
Elizabeth Gibson and her heirs shall
have all the property and effects as is
herein given and devised to my grand
daughter Lulu G. Nelson
Item: And whereas my grand daughter
Lulu G. Nelson is a minor of the age
of about nine years old and will not
be of the full age of twenty one years
until the 30th day of May 1879, Now therefore
my will and desire is that my brother
Caleb H. Matthews is hereby constituted
and appointed guardian of my grand
daughter Lulu G. Nelson to have and to
hold the custody and guardianship of her
estate and do as he thinks best and
proper with the same until the said
Lulu G. Nelson shall arrive at the
full age of twenty one years
And lastly I do hereby constitute
and appoint my trusty friend and
brother Caleb H. Matthews my lawful
Executor to all intents 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 Martha
Bitting do hereunto set my hand and seal this 13 day of May AD
1867. Martha Bitting (seal)
Signed sealed and delivered
by the said Martha Bitting
to be her last Will and
testament, in the presence
of us who at her request
and in her presence do subscribe
our names as witness thereto
Jas. E. Matthews
W. C. Matthews
Whereas I Martha Bitting have made my
last Will and Testament in writing bearing date
the 13th day of May 1867 and have thereby
made sundry devises and bequests according
to the then existing circumstances of my estate
but which circumstances having now materially
changed I do by this my writing which I hereby
declare to be a codicil to my said Will to be
taken and construed as a part thereof.
Having heretofore willed & devised to my daughter
Elizabeth Gibson and my grand daughter
Lulu G. Nelson all my lands, one half to
each instead of one half I will and devise to my
grand daughter Lulu G. Nelson one hundred acres
of land. I will devise to my daughter Elizabeth
Gibson all the remainder of my lands lying on the
waters of Town Fork including the dwelling house
I now live in all the out houses and all the
Stock and crop on hand. Lulu G. Nelson is
to have her portion or part of land below the
orchard fence on the east end of the land
adjoining the lands of W. F. Samuel & T. J. Voluntine
and others. In testimony whereof I hereunto set
my hand and seal this 25th day of Feb 1873. Martha Bitting (seal)
Signed sealed published and
declared by the said Martha Billing
to be a codicil or part her last Will
and testament in presence of us
who at her request and in her presence
do subscribe our names as witness
Robert Matthews
Wm. C. Matthews
I James Rierson Jr. Judge of Probate for the County of
Stokes in the State of North Carolina do certify
that the foregoing is a true copy of Martha Bittings
Will, as appears of Record in my office.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and official seal this 30th October
1875 James Rierson Jr.
Judge of Probate
Transcribed by Judy S. Cardwell in 2007.
1845 Mar 20 - Stokes Co., NC-Will of John Leppaux Bitting:
John Leppaux Bitting (1785-1850) is the son of Anthony Bitting Sr. and
Martha Poe Bitting. John married first to Johanna Gertrude Stoltz (1785-
1831) and second to Martha Matthews Moore (1830-1875) Martha first
married to Edward Moore
I John L. Bitting do make and ordain this my will
& testament. I give to my WIFE MARTHA 4 beds, steads & furniture
two milk cows, two bureaus, some chests she keeps her
clothing in, my corner cupboard, 1 doz chairs, pots, kettles
& cooking utensils of whatever kind she wants I further
wish her to have plenty of Grain & meat for 1 year
should Lewis continue with her furnish provisions
for them also. I give her the house and lotts where
I now live or the Lotts & house I lately purchased
of Doc[Doctor] A. Bowman whichever place, she prefers she
is to have her choice of hard bargain or the place
on Buffalow. There is many things about the house
let her have what she wants also Give her a choice
horse and fifteen hundred Dollars in money an
to be hereto do as she wishes Except the houses Lotts
& Land after her decease to return back to my
estate I also give her negro Mary I give her
besides the corn & meat.
2nd I Give to my SON SAMUEL L. BITTING his horse he
calls Henry Clay also pay to him two thousand
dollars in money he has been living two years
or upwards since he was of age I allow him
nothing for that be dividing his expenditures equal
to his services give him & his wife one years
provisions also two beds & furniture with steads
3rd MARTHA ELIZABETH and ANN GERTRUDE to have two
thousand dollars each & the same to be put
on Interest for them until they should marry
or become of age also two beds & funiture & steads
one hundred dollars a piece when they become
of age to buy them a horse & cow or cow a piece
they are to have five hundred dollars towards
schooling them and I further wish my executors
to pay particular attention to them after the sale
of my personal property & even before you will
find plenty to fill the above legacys in selling
of my negros & other personal no
man is to bid say 50 100 or no man when he
bids he says so much for the widow the bid
is not good.
4 after paying the above legacys the ballance
of my estate is to be equal divided except as
to my wife she is to have no share in the
real estate more than I have willed her sufficient
my wife Martha personal in the personal estate
My daughter POLLY GOLDING,JOHN H. BITTING, WALTER
R.BITTING, JOS.[JOSEPH] A. BITTING,SAM [SAMUEL] LEWIS BITTING,
MARTHA E. BITTING ,ANN GERTRUDE BITTING the
last seven to have equal wish each other
except my chest whire I always keep the
key give to Polly Golding with instructions to
take good care of the key , the land where
Jesse Cox lives I want him to stay five years
longer on if he pays for the land in that time let
him keep it the notes I hold against Walter R.
& Jos.[Joseph] A. Bitting pays no interest on them R.D. Golding
likewise. As for the land you must consult
each other & do what you think is best consult
with my wife in her arrangements I leave
Caleb H. Matthews, John H. Bitting & Reuben
Golding my executors with express under
standing that they are authorized to bid &
thier bids to good & valued.
A debt is owiing me from Jos.[Joseph] A. Bitting for
Peter the debt was one thousand Dollars there is no
exception taken of it. You therefore
demand in lieu of one thousand only five
hundred dollars & give him a bed & furniture.
March 30, 1846 J. L. Bitting SEAL
1846 Sept 28 Codicil to John L. Bittings Will
John H. Bitting has died since I made this
will then it is my desire that HIS CHILDREN
receive his share that I willed to him
Samuel L. Bitting has received his two thousand
dollars of me I appoint Walter R. Bitting
in place of John H. Bitting who is dead
as one of my executors. J. L. Bitting
1851Mar 1851 - John L. Bitting’s will is probated in Stokes County, NC.
Transcribed by Judy S. Cardwell in 1999.