In the name of God amen: I, Jacob Basnight of Tyrrell County being in sound mind and memory thanks be to God knowing that its appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last will & testament. First I recommend my soul to God and my body to be buried at the discretion of my executors and as my worldly estate goods I give as follows----

I leave to my well beloved wife Sara Basnight the use of all my estate real and personal during her widowhood to raise my small children and young negres on not making any waste and at her marriage or death to be divided & disposed of as follows.

I give to my beloved son John Basnight one bed and furniture which is now in his possession.

I give to my daughter Phillis Twedy one shilling sterling----

I give to my son Jacob Basnight one bed & furniture.

I give to my son James Basnight one bed & furniture.

I give to my daughter Sara Basnight on bed & furniture

I give to my daughter Margaret Basnight one bed and furniture.

I give my son Jonathan Basnight one half of the land called the old pattern lying in the body where he now lives to be divided from North to South & his half to be on the westward side including the plantation & fifty acres of land called the new survey lying in the North of aforesaid land to be layed off to him on the westward side of the said survey joining him & heirs forever.

I give to my two sons Randel and James Basnight all the land belonging to me at my creek plantation whereon I now live to be equally divided between them by a line from the creek to the head of the land making an equal number of acres to each of them and to the other half of my old pattern land in the body & the remaining part of my new survey adjoining it to be equally divided between them and their heirs forever.

I give to my three sons and two daughters Jonathan Randel James Sara & Margaret all the remainder of my estate both real & personal to be equally divided between them, if either of them should die before the division does take place then to be equally divided between them that is alive to them & their heirs forever.

I hereby make and ordain my wife Sara Basnight & my son Jonathan Basnight & my friend Thos. Hopkins executors of this my last will & testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this tenth day of November in the year 1796. Signed Sealed Published & Declared by sd. J. Basnight to be his last will & testament in presence of us.

Jacob (his -x- mark) Basnight (SEAL)

Test: Cornelius (his -x- mark) Morris
Solomon (his -x- mark) Davis
Benjamin Smith
John Brickhouse

State of North Carolina
Tyrrell County
April Term 1800

This will was proved agreeable to law in open court by the oath Soloman Davis Benj. Smith & John Brickhouse.

Test. C. Spruill