Note: On 5 Feb 1846, Henry Ledbetter deeded the slaves Cornelius, Mint, and Caroline and her children to Edmund DeBerry 
to hold in trust for his daughter Frances McRae, wife of Duncan McRae.  This was for the "purpose of providing to some 
extent for the maintenance of said Frances McRae during her life and securing some estate to her children."  Any monies 
earned by hiring out these slaves were to be given to Frances. On the same day he did the same for his daughter Ann Robinson, 
wife of Charles M. Robinson, and deeded the slaves Mack, Goodwin, Nuty, Aggy and child, Frances, and Peter to Wm. J. Ledbetter 
and Stephen W. Cole to hold in trust for her.  (Henry Ledbetter, Estate Records, NC Archives)  Ruth Duncan

This will was written and amended 1846	Proved April 1852

I Henry Ledbetter of the County of Anson 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 Testament in the manner and form following, 
that is to say:

Item 1st  I give and devise unto the Heirs of my son James Ledbetter dec'd [deceased] in addition to advancements heretofore 
made the following negro slaves, to wit Ransom & Jim.  I also give them One Hundred & Thirty Dollars & fifty cents, which is 
to be paid by Stephen W. Cole and loaned out at interest until the youngest child becomes of age, and is then to be equally 
divided between all of said James Ledbetter's children, then living share and share alike.

Item 2nd  I give and devise unto my daughter Martha Tillman wife of David Tillman in addition to advancements heretofore made 
the following negro slaves to wit Laura, Granville and Elisha, upon the payment by them of Eleven Dollars and Twenty Eight Cents 
to Wm J Ledbetter with interest from the 16th Jany 1846.

Item 3rd  I give and devise unto my daughter Frances McRae wife of Duncan McRae Fifty Cents in addition to advancements heretofore 
made, besides having secured by a Deed of Gift to Edmund Deberry the negroes now in her possession for her separate use & benefit 
free from the contracts or disposition of her Husband, as will more fully appear by reference to said deed bearing date the 5th 
Feby 1846.

Item 4th  I give and devise unto my son Wm J. Ledbetter in addition to advancements heretofore made, the following negro slaves 
to wit, Fred, Louis, Clary and her children Walter, & Hannah, Hubbard, Gaston, Derrick & Willis.

Item 5th  I give and devise unto my son Henry W. Ledbetter in addition to advancements heretofore made, the following negro slaves 
to wit Claiborne Terry George Elvey & Susan.

Item  6th  I give and devise unto my son Charles W Ledbetter in addition to the advancements heretofore made him the tract of Land 
on which he now resides containing 207 Acres adjoining W. J. Ledbetter Thos J Lockhart & Louis Parker and the following negro slaves 
to wit Ely Wiley & Primus, upon the payment by him to Stephen W Cole of Eighty Nine Dollars & fifty cents with interest from the 
16th January 1846.

Item 7th  I give and devise unto my daughter Mary Smith wife of Thos J Smith, in addition to advancements heretofore made, the 
following negro slaves to wit Cameron, Henderson, Martha, Jane, Patience, Henry & Mary.

Item 8th  I give and devise unto my daughter Ann A Robinson wife of Chas M Robinson Fifty cents in addition to advancements heretofore 
made besides having secured by a deed of gift to W. J. Ledbetter & S. W. Cole the negroes now in her possession for her separate use 
& benefit free from the control of her Husband, as will more fully appear by reference to said deed dated 5th July 1846.

Item 9th  I give and devise unto my Daughter Tabitha R Cole wife of Stephen W Cole in addition to advancements heretofore made, the 
following negro slaves, Jordan, Martha, Adeline, Cyrus, Patience, Harriet Eliza Caroline William & Sarah upon the payment by him of 
Nineteen Dollars & fifty cents to W. J. Ledbetter and to the children of Jas Ledbetter of One Hundred & Thirty Dollars & fifty cents 
with interest from the [5?] May 1846

Item 10th  I give and devise unto my daughter Sarah Little wife of Wm. Little Jr in addition to advancements heretofore made the 
following negro slaves to wit Jim, Dick, Dascas, Julia, Sealy, Ely, Jerry & Jim upon the payment of one Hundred Dollars & fifty cents 
to Wm J. Ledbetter & S W Cole trustees of Ann A Robinson and the further payment of Four Dollars to R S, J F & T B Ledbetter

Item 11th  I give and devise unto my son Robt S Ledbetter in addition to advancements heretofore made the following negro slaves 
to wit Calvin, Ben, Hercules, [Nincy?], & child-Sandy, Patience & Betty.

Item 12th  I give and devise unto my son John F Ledbetter in addition to advancements heretofore made, the following negro slaves 
to wit Washington, Jacob, Hannah, Grace, Mary, Louis & Nicey.

Item 13th  I give and devise unto my son Thomas B Ledbetter in addition to advancements heretofore made the following negro slaves 
to wit, Wesley, Wincey, Frances, Jim, Emeline & child, Dilcey, Mathew, Sarah & her child Ann, upon the payment by the said T B Ledbetter 
of Fifteen Dollars to Henry W Ledbetter with interest from the 16th Jany 1846.

tem 14th  I do hereby constitute and appoint my sons W J Ledbetter & Robt S Ledbetter my lawful Executors to all intents & purposes 
to execute this my last will and testament, according to the true intent & meaning of the same, and every part & clause thereof-hereby 
revoking & declaring utterly void all other wills & testaments by me heretofore made.  In witness whereof I the said Henry Ledbetter, 
do hereunto set my hand & seal this the 20th Apl 1846

Witnesses							Henry Ledbetter  (Seal)
A B Smith
W. Smith

Whereas I H. Ledbetter have made my last Will and Testament in Writing bearing date the 20th April 1846 and have thereby made Sundry 
devises and bequests according to the then existing circumstances of my estate, but which circumstances now render necessary to alter, 
I do by this writing which I do hereby declare to be a codicil to my said Will, to be taken and construed as a part thereof will and 
direct, That my Executors (W J Ledbetter & Robt S Ledbetter) may sell either at public Sale or by private contract on such terms as may 
seem best in their wisdom all the lands or real estate of which I may own or possess at my death, lying in the County of Richmond 
& Montgomery known as the Green Place and the plantation I bought of W J Ledbetter & a small entry on Cheek's Creek
			
In the 7th Item of my will, I therein gave among other negroes, to my daughter Mary Smith wife of Thos J Smith a certain negro boy named 
Henderson.  Since that time I have thought it best to change the disposition of said boy and have accordingly deeded him away to Henry W 
Ledbetter.
			
In the 5th Item of my will I gave by that instrument with other negroes to Henry W Ledbetter a certain negro woman named Elvey & her child 
Susan Since that time I have at the request of H W Ledbetter deeded her & her child to Wm Little Jr.
			
In the 9th Item of my will I gave to Tabitha R Cole in addition to other negroes which I had before given to her & her husband Stephen W Cole 
a certain negro woman named Sarah & that he should pay to W J Ledbetter & the Heirs of Jas Ledbetter dec'd the sum of One Hundred & Fifty 
Dollars for said negro, according to the proportion in said Item with Interest from the 1st May 1846.  But inasmuch as Said Cole will not get 
said negro in possession until the 1st January next, He is therefore released from the payments of any interest until that time.
			In Testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal This the 26th day of Decr 1846

Witnesses								Henry Ledbetter	(Seal)
W R Leak
M. W. Wilkings

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF 
REV. HENRY LEDBETTER,
a native of the State of Virginia,
but from early childhood a resident
of the State which gives him a grave.
He was born in the month of Jan. 1769
Departed this Life April 1852.
He sought and obtained converting
grace at the age of 13, and attached
himself to the M. E. Church.  In his 19th
year he became a Minister of said Church
and employed 8 years of his useful life as
a traveling Preacher in the South Carolina
Conference.  When local he was not inactive
but on all proper occasions, when health would
permit, he gladly published the Gospel of Peace
and urged the necessity of reconciliation with God
through Christ.  Years of acute bodily suffering
were endured by this devoted and eminent
servant of God, before he was released from his toil,
and tho' his mind often suffered great anguish
by reason of its sympathy with the body, yet
he was strong in faith, giving glory to God.
The much desired hour at length arrived
and after a life of usefulness, having
preached the gospel in power and in 
demonstration of the Spirit for more
than 64 years, he fell sweetly asleep
on the bosom of his Redeemer.

Blessed are the dead who
die in the Lord.