Will of Robert Blackwell (1742-1813)

 

                           Caswell County Will Book F-- Page 346

                                        April Court 1813

 

In the name of God Amen I Robert Blackwell Sr. of the County of Caswell and state of North Carolina being sick in body but perfect in memory and reason and believing that in a short time must leave this world and having a desire to settle my affairs before I go home; do hereby make constitute and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following Viz,

 

First--- I desire to give my soul to Almighty God who gave it me; as to my temporal affairs I give as follows,

 

Secondly--- I will that all my just debts be lawfully and contentedly paid by my executors hereafter named; and that is not sufficient to satisfy the debts that two Negro men by the name of Sam and Ned be hired out to settle the same.

 

Thirdly---To my well beloved wife Zillah Blackwell I give and bequeath 583 acres of land including the dwelling house during her mortal life and after her decease to be equally divided between my two Sons Robert Blackwell and John Blackwell.

 

Fourthly---I give to my wife to dispose of as she thinks proper all the house and kitchen furniture together with the Spinning wheel loom, barrels, hogsheads, all the____ and vessels excepted what is hereafter named. Also one wagon and gears, ---- ---- horse ratter, and one Sorrel horse, and one mare, two plows, four hoes, one mattock, one axe, two cows and calfs, one steer and one heifer, ten head of sheep, all the flock of hogs, geese and all the crop of corn fodder, oats, wheat, brandy, tobacco, leather, beehives, two scythes and cradles;

 

Fifthly---I give to my beloved wife one Negro man named Peter and his wife Lucy and two Negro women by the name Dafney each and their increase during her life and after her decease to be equally divided between my children as follows, Carter Blackwell, Nancy Malone (Deceased), Levi Blackwell, Thomas Blackwell, Garland Blackwell, Polley Watt, Kitturah Watt, Robert Blackwell, John Blackwell and I give to my daughter Betsy Malone(Deceased) five shillings for reason of my not giving her an equal part in all that I have given all that I intend her to have as she departed this life without life without an heir.

 

Sixthly--- I give and devise to my Son Robert Blackwell two hundred acres of land adjoining the lands of Richard Smith, Thomas Swift and Yancey lying on both sides of the Rock Branch, also one feather bed and furniture and bedstead, one walnut desk, one cow and calf, one plow and hoe, one mattock and two ewes and lambs.

 

Seventhly--- I give and devise to my son John Blackwell two hundred acres of land adjoining the land of Levi Blackwell and Jesse Carter lying on both sides of Moon’s Creek. Also one feather bed and furniture and bedstead, one cow and calf, two ewes and lambs, one walnut desk, one plow and hoe, mattock and axe, one Shot Gun.

 

Now I think I have done justice to all my children and placed them on an average; It is my will and desire that the balance of my property be equally divided among the following children; Namely, Carter Blackwell, Nancy Malone(Deceased), Levi Blackwell, Thomas Blackwell, Garland Blackwell, Polley Watt, Kitturah Watt, Robert Blackwell and John Blackwell, consisting of one Negro boy named Jiles, this property to be divided as before stated.

 

Lastly I give to my Daughter Kitturah Watt sixty dollars and now I do by these presents devise to be my last will and testament and no other utter by word or writing and which witnesseth the same. I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 28th day of November 1812

 

I now appoint my executors, my wife Zillah Blackwell, Thomas Blackwell, and Robert Blackwell.

                                                             

                                                        Robert Blackwell   (Seal)

 

Signed in the presence of

Test.  Charles Mitchell

          Chas. Brooks                                                                 

 

 

 

                                  State of North Carolina

                            Caswell County April Court 1813

 

The executor of this will was duly proved in open court by the oaths of Charles Mitchell & Charles Brooks the subscribing witnesses thereto and on motion ordered to be recorded; At the same time Thomas Blackwell & Robert Blackwell qualified as executors and letters of testimony issued accordingly.

 

Test.                                                                                                                                A.E. Murphy    CC

 

 

Transcribed By: Latham Mark Phelps

                                     August 5th 2003             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Blackwell was my 5th Great-Grandfather. He along with his brother-in-law Dr. Lancelot Johnston served in the Revolutionary War and as you will see below had quite distinguished careers.            

 

 

Robert Blackwell (1742-1813)

 

—5th great-grandfather---Son-in-law of Thomas Rice---married his daughter Zillah Rice--- In 1771 he served 77 days in Captain Nathaniel Hart’s Company of Orange County Militia during an expedition against the Insurgents of North Carolina(against The Regulators and The Battle of Alamance)  During the Revolution he was First Lieutenant in Captain Ramsey’s Company and became Captain in 1777.  In 1796 and 1797 he represented Caswell County in the North Carolina House of Commons.

 

                                         The Colonial Records of North Carolina

                                                     Volume     Page 597

 

                                       Col. John Williams to Gov. Caswell

                                            (From Executive Letter Book)

 

                                                            Camp at Quankey, 28th Aug’t , 1777

      Sir:---

   Your Excellency will herewith receive a list of officers, ordered on the recruiting service. I have directed them to apply to you for instructions.  Capt. Joel Brevard and five Lieut’s. of my Reg’t have resigned their Com’s.  Mr Robert Blackwell, First Lieut. in Capt. Ramsey’s Company, a very obliging officer, ( & a man of property ) I beg leave to recommend to your Excellency, to fill the vacancy of Capt. Brevard: also Mr. James Tatum, and William Washington, two Cadets, in my Regiment, to fill the vacancies of Ensigns; if you think proper to do it, please to enclose the Com’s directed to me on our march; which we will begin on Monday next, it being the first day of  Sept’r.  I amYour Excellency’s most ob’t H’ble Serv’t

                                                                           

John Williams

 

 

 

Dr. Lancelot Johnston (1748-1832)

 

--- 5th great-granduncle by marriage---Son-in-law of Thomas Rice—married his daughter Zerurah Rice—Dr. Lancelot Johnston, an Irishman Served as a surgeon in the American Revolution.—The Colonial records of North Carolina show that Dr. Johnston served in N.C. Militia in 1771 from Orange County, having served 60 days at 2 shillings per day. In 1777 he received a commission from the Congress of the United States, signed by John Hancock, appointing him “Surgeon of the 9th Battalion in the Army of the United States, raised for the defending of American liberty and for repelling every invasion thereof ” according to his Commission preserved by relatives in Alabama. In 1778 he was appointed regimental surgeon of the levy of Continental troops about to be raised from Hillsborough and Salisbury districts to the assistance of South Carolina during that campaign. Colonial records show he was advanced 150 lbs. for the purchase of medicine for troops. After the Battle of Camden, he was commended for his treatment of the wounded, the citation being delivered before the N. C. Legislature in 1780. After the Revolutionary War, he returned to the relative peace of private practice for the next 40 years at Locust Hill,(his residence in Caswell County), remaining active almost until his death.

 

 

 

Capt. Robert Blackwell came to Caswell County, N.C. from Hanover County, Va. as did his wife Zillah Rice’s family. He was a son of William Blackwell and Mary Marshall  of Hanover County, Va.