Below I have transcribed the will of my 6th great-grandfather David AVERITT. In it he mentions some, but not all of his children. In the will he says he wants all of his land divided between his eight children after their mother’s widowhood or after her death — which would suggest that he was married before and his other two children were from a previous wife.
Children mentioned in the will are:
- Dempsey AVERITT
- Charity AVERITT
- Nancy AVERITT
- Sary AVERITT
There is also a deed between some of the heirs of David Sr. and Jordan AVERITT in 1825 in Pitt County. (Deed book CC, p 517):
- Sterling AVERITT
- Arpy AVERITT
- Clary AVERITT
- Seley AVERITT
That makes eight all together.
Through deed references, it also seems likely that the following are also his children::
- David AVERITT, Jr.
- William AVERITT
On the 1790 Census, David AVERITT, Sr. has in his household:
- 1 white male under 16
- 1 white male over 16
- 6 white females
Since three daughters are mentioned above, three could obviously be his daughters and one would be his wife, but it’s also possible the other two are also daughters in which case David AVERITT Sr’s only other son is David and the daughters are as yet unindentified.
Here is the text of his will.
In the name of God Amen, I David Averett of the State of North Carolina & County of Pitt being affected in Body & low in health but in sound mind and memery thanks be to God for it Calling unto mind the mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last Will & Testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul unto the hands of Almighty God that gave it and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be laid in a decent Christian … (torn ) of my Executor nothing doubting that at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and ackowledging such was my Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life I give dismiss and dispose of the same in the following manner aform first I order that my Just debts may be discharged & ? I give to my son Demcy Averitt five shillings also I lend I give to my Daughter Charity Averitt five shillings also I lend to my wife all my living long and all during her Widowhood. I lends I give and bequeath to my Daughter Nancy Averitt Twenty five acres of land with my House and plantation whereon I live beginning at the mouth of the medow branch. I lends I give to my Daughter Sary Twenty five acres joining Nancey’s Twenty five turning with the beaver dam Swamp and with the medow branch and I desire if other of them die with out hier that the others should purses both Twenty five acres also I desire that the rest of my Land be equally devided amongst my other six children after the widowhood of their mother or her decease. [next page]
Also I desire that if the Mill should be put up that the one part that the mill is on should be valued and what that part is valued to more than the others parts should be equally devided amongst the rest also I desire that all my mark[et]able property be equally devided amongst my Eight Children after the widowhood of their mother or decease which Land is bounded as follows Runing with the beaver dam swamp to Sterling Averetts and with said Averetts line to the medow branch and with branch to the beaver dam swamp of this my last Will and Testament in Witness whereof I have set my hand and set my seal June the ? 1807.David ( his X mark ) Averitt { Seal }
and acknowledged
William Nickols
Witney Nichols
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