Letter from Sarah Wooten to her father, Council. Wake County, NC. 1843.

Image from Sarah's letter to her father.  (East Carolina University Digital Collection)

Note: I've kept the original spelling, capitalization and punctuation, and added any comments in square brackets [ ].

[Address as written on back of folded letter for mailing:]
Mr. Council Wooten
Mosely Hall
Lenoir Cty
NC

[Letter:]
Raleigh June the 4th 1843

Dear Father

I received your letter Monday night and was very glad indeed to hear that you were all well and that I had another little Sister. I am almost crazy to see her. You must tell me what Counce says about her when you write again and if he is willing to give up the crib to her. Mr. Powel called here to see Nancy the other day - he had been to Greenboro Washington and some other places to see which he liked best as he is going to move from Newbern. He told Nancy that he liked Raleigh very much and perhaps he might come up here to live. The Episcopal school commenced last week and I heard that three girls came up this week from Newbern. Two of Mr. Smallwoods daughters and one of Mr. Blackwells. There was a very large ball at Chapel Hill Thursday night but very few went from here. Nancy’s brother Joshua spoke besides a great many other boys. Tell Mother I have got a box of beautiful flowers for her & Mrs. Taylor has promised to give me any sort of flowers that she has. I will get another box when I go to start home to put some garden flowers in as I have none but Green House flowers in the box that I have got now. I have got you two of the prettiest flowers you ever saw. A pink and a red verbena. The red one is not more than six inches high and it has been in bloom three or four days. I think the flower that Mother will like best is the Apple Geranium. It smells exactly like nice mellow Apples. There were two Negroes hung here about three weeks ago and although it was a very rainy day the town was crowded with people. I heard that the man professed religion a few days before he was hung and the woman professed it while at the Gallows. I was very sorry to hear that Aunt Apsly had the dropsy but I hope that she can be cured of it. Tell Jane and Sister that they owe me a long letter and I do not think that I shall write to them again until they answer my letter. Since I have been back I have been through my Philosophy and Chemistry nearly through the history of England and half through the history of Greece. Tell Sister that I have got a first rate reading book which I do not use and I will send it down to her if I can meet with an opportunity. Rebecca sends her love to you all and says kiss the baby for her. Tell Eb she must write to me and I will be certain to answer her letter. You cannot imagine how bad I want to see you all and especially the baby. I was envious enough to get home before but now I am more anxious than ever. Give my love to Brother John Jane and all the Children. Kiss Counce ten times for me and the dear little baby twenty times. Give my love to my dear Mother and receive a full share yourself from your affectionate daughter.

Sarah A Wooten

[end of transcription]

Source of scanned original:

ECU Digital Collections, “Letter from Sarah Wooten to her father Council Wooten,” http://digital.lib.ecu.edu/32483

Susan (Becton) Jones's Will. 1847. Craven County, NC

Image: From the 1847 will of Susan (Becton) Jones of Craven County, NC

Note: I've kept the original spelling, capitalization and punctuation, but added paragraph breaks between items, and added any comments in square brackets [ ]. I've formatted the names of enslaved individuals in bold.

In the name of God Amen! I, Susan Jones, of New Bern, State of North Carolina, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make, publish and declare my last Will and testament in manner and form following.

Imprimis: I give unto [illegible-Pensy?] Jones, (formerly [Pensy?] Galloway) widow of Henry Jones, of Tennessee, and her executors and administrators four hundred dollars in cash.

Item  I give unto Susan, the infant daughter of Malvina Dimock of Washington [refers to Washington, NC], and her executors and administrators two hundred dollars in cash.

Item  Should I survive Mrs. [Pensy?] Jones above named to prevent the lapsing of her legacy, I give said four hundred dollars to her children in absolute property.  

Item  I lend unto Mrs. Mary Brown, who has resided many years in my family the lot, brick dwelling house and other improvements situate on the east sides of Handcock Street, and near South front Street, in the town of New Bern, with all the household and kitchen furniture for and during the term of her natural life.  

Item  I give unto Mrs. Mary Brown, her executors and administrators two hundred dollars to furnish her one years provisions.  

Item  After the death of Mrs. Mary Brown, I give and devise unto the following children of my deceased sisters Nancy Isler, and Betsey Isler, viz Eliza the wife of Council Wooten, Rebecca, the wife of William Herring, Eveline the wife of William Fort, Susan the wife of Levi Dawson, Rebecca the wife of John Wooten, and John Isler, to be equally divided between them, and their heirs and assigns the lot, brick dwelling house and improvements in New Bern on Hancock Street, and near Trent river, and household and Kitchen furniture loaned to Mrs. Brown.  [Illegible--It is?] is further my will that the married ladies above named viz: Eliza Wooten, Rebecca Herring, Eveline Fort, Susan Dawson, and Rebecca Wooten, [illegible] [illegible-severally?] and each of these have and hold their respective shares of the property [illegible--divided?] in this clause to their sole and separate use so as not to be liable or subject to the debts contracts or engagements of their said several husbands.  

Item  I give to my Executors three hundred dollars, and desire them to apply the sums immediately after my decease to inclose with a permanent and substantial brick wall my husband’s grave, and the place near said grave where I desire to be buried, and to put a slab of marble or other tomb stones on my grave. 

Item  I give unto my brother Simon Becton my old negro man George who is one of my house servants, and direct him to apply one hundred dollars for his comfortable maintenance and support, and to permit him to reside wherever he may think himself most comfortable.  

Item  I am anxious to reward the meritorious service of the following named slaves, with the boon of freedom, namely Phillis, Esther, Nancy, Patsey, Scot, John, Amey, Pleasant, and Fortune, West, Mary and Sarah, which four last named are the children of Amey and all their future issue and increase, and I request and direct my Executors to apply a sum not exceeding three hundred dollars to pay their safe passage and settle said slaves in some one of the free states. 

Item  All the rest and residue of my estate I give and devise in the following manner, that is to say, to my brother Simon S. Becton, his executors and administrators one fourth part of said residue to my nephew John E Becton, son of my deceased brother Frederick E. Becton, and his executors and administration one fourth of said residue, to the children of my sister Nancy Isler, deceased one fourth of said residue, in absolute property, and to the children of my deceased sister Betsey Isler, in absolute property the remaining one fourth of said residue.  

Item  I appoint my brother Simon S. Becton, and Council Wooten, my Executors.  Item I ratify and confirm to my nephew John E. Becton, the gifts of my negro George and Bridget formerly given verbally.

In Testimony whereof I hereto set my hand and seal this 26th day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty seven.

Susan Jones (seal)

Signed, sealed and declared by the testatrix and published as her last will and testament in our presence.

Jeremiah H Allen

J. G. Stanly

Source of handwritten document used for this transcription: 

Ancestry.com. North Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.