WILL OF THOMAS GREEN OF WARREN COUNTY, NC, DIED 1850

Thomas Green was listed in the 1850 Census of Warren County, North Carolina, as Mulatto, age 69,(b. abt 1781) along with his wife Priscilla, daughters Polly, Elizabeth, Lucy, and Nancy, however, it has been determined that he was actually much older and was likely born about 1760 since he & his mother, Creasy, were mentioned in a deed record in 1765.  He also had children Allen,  Charity, Breny, William, Creecy, Samuel, & Priscilla most of whom were already married at the time of his death. Thomas Green and his family were former slaves of Samuel Williams, d. 1791, who were all freed in Williams' will, and later enacted upon by the General Assembly in 1798 upon the request of the Williams and Alston families who were following the wishes of Samuel Williams.   Thomas Green also shows in the Warren County census for the years 1800 – 1840 as the head of a large household first showing with 13 free and 2 slaves in 1800.  The following is a transcription of his will which is referred to  in Warren Co. Original Wills, 1780- 1931, CR 100.801.8. I have copied it the way it was written, but have added brackets [] with what I think the interpretation should be where needed:

I, Thomas Green of the County of Warren, in the State of North Carolina, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, but in a feeble state of health, do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following –

     Item 1^st.  I give to my daughter Creecy Evans (10) ten acres of land whereon she now lives, so as to include the houses to be laid off in such manner as she may desire.  It is my intention, however, that she should have the land during her life, and at her death, it should descend to the children my son William now has or may hereafter have.

     Item 2.  I give to my wife Priscilla during her lifetime, all my land (except the ten acres before lent to my daughter Creecy Evans).  Also all of my stock of every description, my household and kitchen furniture, plantation utensils – crop of corn fodder, wheat oats cotton & tobo [tobacco].

     Item 3^rd.  After the death of my wife Priscilla, I give to my four daughters, Polly, Betsey, Lucy, and Nancy Green one hundred and ten (110) acres of the land I have given my wife during her life.  Beginning on the Wolf Pit Branch some four hundred yards below my spring, and running in any direction my four daughters may think proper so as to include my dwelling house, and leave out my son William’s house – It is further my wish and desire that my four daughters Polly, Betsey, Lucy, and Nancy should have all the perishable property I have given my wife after her death, to be equally divided between them, share and share alike –

The land I have given to my four daughters in case either of them should die without ifsue [issue], it is my wish that the surviving daughters should have the portions given to the one dying, and so on to the last, which last surviving one shall have it in forsimple [?]-

     Item 4^th.  After the death of my wife, it is my desire that the land not given to my four daughters, shall be given to the children my son William now has or may hereafter have to them and their heirs –

I acknowledge this to be my last will and testament, in witnefs [witness] hereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the 15^th day of August A.D. 1848.

[Signed] Thomas Green   [his mark = X]    [SEAL]

Witness: J. Buxton Williams

               Geo. W. Alston