Last Will & Testament and Estate Settlement
George and Margaret
In the Name of God Amen, I George Plott
of Lincoln County and State of North Carolina
being very weak but of perfect mind and memory
thanks be to Almighty God, calling to mind the
Mortality of body and knowledge that it is allowed
Once for all men to Die, do make and ordain this my
Last will and Testament in the following manner
and form -----
First, I give and Bequeath unto Margaret my Dearly
Beloved wife the plantation that we live on such
Containing of two hundred acres, and the little heisler (Hysler) place
Containing of one hundred fifty Acres of land, and dwelling
House to work cultivate or Rent as she thinks best as
Long as she liveth, and the Dresser and furniture belonging
Thereto, and to have all my horses Cattle Sheep hogs and every
Thing in my possessions at my Decease to have free liberty
of the aforesaid Lands Dwellings goods and Chattels
Above mentioned as long as she liveth a natural
Life and,
And lastly, I made and ordain John Plott and Elias
Plott my sons Executors of this my last will and testament.
After the Decease of my wife, Margaret Plott and
I do hereby utterly Disallow and Disannul all and
Every other form Testaments Wills Legatees Bequeaths
And Executors by me in any way fore named.
Willed or bequeathed Ratifying and confirming this
And no other to be my last will
and Testament in witness whereof I have hereunto
Set my hand and sell this March the 27th day in the
Year of our Lord one thousand Eight Hundred and fifteen.
And at the Death of Margaret my wife my sons
and Daughters are all to have an Equal Share of lands
Houses and goods and Chattels of the Remaining property
At Margaret my wife’s Death.
George his X mark Plott, Seal
Signed Sealed & published pronounced
And declared by the said George
Plott as his Last Will and
Testament in the presents
Of us who in the present
Of Each other have hereunto
Published our names
Wm. Garrett or Jarrett
Peter his X mark Finger, Jurat
State of North Carolina
Lincoln County
July Session 1815
The as then will was proved in open
Court by the Oath of Peter Finger see before being
witness thereto & admitted to record.
Witness Vardry McBee__
____
X
1815
Geo Plott's last
Will & Testament
Ex_____ sworn ___ copy
so be given
of Lincoln County and State of North Carolina
being very weak but of perfect mind and memory
thanks be to Almighty God, calling to mind the
Mortality of body and knowledge that it is allowed
Once for all men to Die, do make and ordain this my
Last will and Testament in the following manner
and form -----
First, I give and Bequeath unto Margaret my Dearly
Beloved wife the plantation that we live on such
Containing of two hundred acres, and the little heisler (Hysler) place
Containing of one hundred fifty Acres of land, and dwelling
House to work cultivate or Rent as she thinks best as
Long as she liveth, and the Dresser and furniture belonging
Thereto, and to have all my horses Cattle Sheep hogs and every
Thing in my possessions at my Decease to have free liberty
of the aforesaid Lands Dwellings goods and Chattels
Above mentioned as long as she liveth a natural
Life and,
And lastly, I made and ordain John Plott and Elias
Plott my sons Executors of this my last will and testament.
After the Decease of my wife, Margaret Plott and
I do hereby utterly Disallow and Disannul all and
Every other form Testaments Wills Legatees Bequeaths
And Executors by me in any way fore named.
Willed or bequeathed Ratifying and confirming this
And no other to be my last will
and Testament in witness whereof I have hereunto
Set my hand and sell this March the 27th day in the
Year of our Lord one thousand Eight Hundred and fifteen.
And at the Death of Margaret my wife my sons
and Daughters are all to have an Equal Share of lands
Houses and goods and Chattels of the Remaining property
At Margaret my wife’s Death.
George his X mark Plott, Seal
Signed Sealed & published pronounced
And declared by the said George
Plott as his Last Will and
Testament in the presents
Of us who in the present
Of Each other have hereunto
Published our names
Wm. Garrett or Jarrett
Peter his X mark Finger, Jurat
State of North Carolina
Lincoln County
July Session 1815
The as then will was proved in open
Court by the Oath of Peter Finger see before being
witness thereto & admitted to record.
Witness Vardry McBee__
____
X
1815
Geo Plott's last
Will & Testament
Ex_____ sworn ___ copy
so be given
When did George Plott die? George Plott's Last Will and Testament is recorded in the State of North Carolina, Lincoln County, July Session 1815. Within the document he states, “I have hereunto set my hand seal this March the 27th day in the year of our Lord one thousand eight Hundred and fifteen”. As the Will was recorded in the July Session 1815 and he completed his Will on March 27, 1815, it is accurate to state that George Plott died between March 27, 1815 and July 1815. Ergo, George Plott c. 1735-1745 to between March 27, 1815 and July 1815 is presumed.
Where is George Plott buried? The honest truth is that no one knows. Unfortunately, as a marker has not been found, it is apparent that he lies in an unmarked grave. His burial could be on his Lincoln County farm, a church cemetery; perhaps, Troutman Family Cemetery, also known as, Troutman Historical Cemetery, as alluded to by Pastor Luther Knauff in his May 10, 1973 letter, “...near Troutman, N.C. There is an historical schoolhouse museum and graveyard ...“ Pastor Knauff, also mentioned Rudolph Conrad Plott in his letter. Rudolph Conrad Plott was/is buried in Troutman Cemetery. In Rudolph’s Last Will and Testament, he also remarked about his parents, Elias Plott and Margaret “Charity” Conrad - Plott, “Second, I hereby direct my executors to have placed a suitable slabs at the graves of my Father, Mother and My two daughters’ graves, who are buried at Troutman’s.” As we know where Elias was buried and that he took care of Margaret during her last years, did Elias bury his mother and, perhaps, George in Troutman Cemetery, Iredell County, North Carolina? We do not know until information is found and/or released.
According to the list of children, Mary was to have died before George; ergo, I wonder if the family buried George next to Mary, his daughter in Lincoln (unknown cemetery suggestions); however, Margaret moved to Elias' home and, perhaps, she was buried where Elias was buried (perhaps, Troutman Cemetery). Margaret lived another 15 years after George died. I have no proof, just my thought ramblings of where they may be buried. I do not believe that George and Margaret would have been buried in Cabarrus County, where they first lived in North Carolina. I believe that they would have been buried close to where they lived during their final years; that is, Lincoln County or Iredell County, North Carolina.
Even though we know that George Plott was able to sign his name by the evidence of his signature on the Petition to the North Carolina Assembly, the marriage record for his daughter Catherine Plott to Robert Lee, and the two land deeds granting property to his sons, John and Henry, he did not sign his Last Will and Testament. The Petition and the two land deeds do not have “his X mark” notations; however, his Last Will and Testament has “his X mark”. An “X mark” means that for some reason the said person is unable to sign. The Petition recorded in the N.C. Archives is a microfilm copy of the original document; ergo, the signatures are from the hands of the men, who signed the paper unless an X mark is seen. The two deeds, one to John and one to Henry, are courthouse clerk copies of the original deeds, which John and Henry presumably took home the original deeds. As modern electronic printers had not been invented, clerks at the courthouse would manually copy and record the deeds, including signatures, into deed books with page numbers. If the person had signed an original signature, the clerk would write the word “seal” with a looping swirl around the word next to the person’s name. Now back to his Last Will and Testament, George acknowledges that he is “very weak”; thus, he makes a mark for his signature. “George (his X mark) Plott.”
In George Plott's Last Will and Testament, he expressed his love, loyalty, respect, trust and honor to his wife Margaret, by bequeathing all his real and personal properties to her upon his death. He states, “to work, Cultivate or Rent as she thinks best as she liveth, ...” George Plott further expresses his fair parenting and love to all of his children, both sons and daughters, “And at the Death of Margaret my wife, my sons and Daughters are all to have an Equal Shear of lands, houses, and goods and Chattles of the Remaining property at Margaret, my wife's Death.”
Where is George Plott buried? The honest truth is that no one knows. Unfortunately, as a marker has not been found, it is apparent that he lies in an unmarked grave. His burial could be on his Lincoln County farm, a church cemetery; perhaps, Troutman Family Cemetery, also known as, Troutman Historical Cemetery, as alluded to by Pastor Luther Knauff in his May 10, 1973 letter, “...near Troutman, N.C. There is an historical schoolhouse museum and graveyard ...“ Pastor Knauff, also mentioned Rudolph Conrad Plott in his letter. Rudolph Conrad Plott was/is buried in Troutman Cemetery. In Rudolph’s Last Will and Testament, he also remarked about his parents, Elias Plott and Margaret “Charity” Conrad - Plott, “Second, I hereby direct my executors to have placed a suitable slabs at the graves of my Father, Mother and My two daughters’ graves, who are buried at Troutman’s.” As we know where Elias was buried and that he took care of Margaret during her last years, did Elias bury his mother and, perhaps, George in Troutman Cemetery, Iredell County, North Carolina? We do not know until information is found and/or released.
According to the list of children, Mary was to have died before George; ergo, I wonder if the family buried George next to Mary, his daughter in Lincoln (unknown cemetery suggestions); however, Margaret moved to Elias' home and, perhaps, she was buried where Elias was buried (perhaps, Troutman Cemetery). Margaret lived another 15 years after George died. I have no proof, just my thought ramblings of where they may be buried. I do not believe that George and Margaret would have been buried in Cabarrus County, where they first lived in North Carolina. I believe that they would have been buried close to where they lived during their final years; that is, Lincoln County or Iredell County, North Carolina.
Even though we know that George Plott was able to sign his name by the evidence of his signature on the Petition to the North Carolina Assembly, the marriage record for his daughter Catherine Plott to Robert Lee, and the two land deeds granting property to his sons, John and Henry, he did not sign his Last Will and Testament. The Petition and the two land deeds do not have “his X mark” notations; however, his Last Will and Testament has “his X mark”. An “X mark” means that for some reason the said person is unable to sign. The Petition recorded in the N.C. Archives is a microfilm copy of the original document; ergo, the signatures are from the hands of the men, who signed the paper unless an X mark is seen. The two deeds, one to John and one to Henry, are courthouse clerk copies of the original deeds, which John and Henry presumably took home the original deeds. As modern electronic printers had not been invented, clerks at the courthouse would manually copy and record the deeds, including signatures, into deed books with page numbers. If the person had signed an original signature, the clerk would write the word “seal” with a looping swirl around the word next to the person’s name. Now back to his Last Will and Testament, George acknowledges that he is “very weak”; thus, he makes a mark for his signature. “George (his X mark) Plott.”
In George Plott's Last Will and Testament, he expressed his love, loyalty, respect, trust and honor to his wife Margaret, by bequeathing all his real and personal properties to her upon his death. He states, “to work, Cultivate or Rent as she thinks best as she liveth, ...” George Plott further expresses his fair parenting and love to all of his children, both sons and daughters, “And at the Death of Margaret my wife, my sons and Daughters are all to have an Equal Shear of lands, houses, and goods and Chattles of the Remaining property at Margaret, my wife's Death.”
After George Plott's death Margaret Plott was recorded on the Lincoln County 1820 census by herself. A research of the 1830 census does not record Margaret as living by herself or living with one of her nine children. The official enumeration day of the 1830 census was June 1, 1830; ergo, Margaret was deceased prior to June 1, 1830. Sometime after the 1820 census Margaret moved to Iredell County and lived with their son, Elias Plott, until her death. As just stated, she is not found on an 1830 census, even as living with Elias. Margaret's estate settlement papers are filed in Iredell County, N.C.
As the Estate Settlement for Margaret Plott is recorded in the N.C. Archives, Iredell County Estates 1790 – 1970 C.R.054.508.180 f. Margaret Plott, 1830, it is presumed that she died in 1830, while living with her son, Elias Plott in Iredell County, N.C. Within the documents, there is a listing of items sold “on the 10th day of Septr. 1830”. Some of the items sold at the sale include: half bushel (basket), meat tub, 2 side saddles, a shot gun, hilling hoes, leather, a branding iron, various irons, bell and sheep shears, 2 pair cards am 1 bole (cards for combing out wool), a hackle, a spinning wheel, crocks, lot of yearn (yarn), sleeve buttons, various baskets, coffee mill, basket and books, churn, window glass, set of seals, fur hat, cow and bell, small bull, muley cow, brandy, pewter dishes, earthen dishes, dinnerware, various furniture, various kitchen items, etc. There is no Last Will and Testament for Margaret found in the N.C. Archives, which seems reasonable, as George Plott made property distribution direction in his Will. We have no proof how old Margaret was at her death; however, using the birth of her children, she is presumed to have been born c. 1745 and lived to be about 85 years old. Ergo, Margaret Wagner-Plott c.1745 to c. January 1, 1830 to June 1, 1830 is presumed. It is noted within her estate settlement documents that Elias Plott was paid $75.00 for keeping Margaret Plott, his mother. Where is Margaret Wagner-Plott buried? The honest truth is that no one knows. Unfortunately, as a marker has not been found, it is apparent that she lies in an unmarked grave. Her burial could be on their Lincoln County farm, a church cemetery; perhaps, Troutman Family Cemetery, also known as, Troutman Historical Cemetery, as alluded to by Pastor Luther Knauff in his May 10, 1973 letter, “...near Troutman, N.C. There is an historical schoolhouse museum and graveyard ...“ Pastor Knauff, also mentioned Rudolph Conrad Plott in his letter. Rudolph Conrad Plott was/is buried in Troutman Cemetery. In Rudolph’s Last Will and Testament, he also remarked about his parents, Elias Plott and Margaret “Charity” Conrad - Plott, “Second, I hereby direct my executors to have placed a suitable slabs at the graves of my Father, Mother and My two daughters’ graves, who are buried at Troutman’s.” As we know where Elias was buried and that he took care of Margaret during her last years, did Elias bury his mother and, perhaps, George in Troutman Cemetery, Iredell County, North Carolina? We do not know until information is found and/or released.
The settlement of George Plott's estate can be located in the N.C. Archives, Lincoln County Estates 1779 – 1925 C.R.060.508.101 f. Plott George, 1834. (Note: 1834 would be the year that the estate was finalized, not the year of George’s death.) Within these recorded documents, in fact, the very first page of the file is an Official List of George and Margaret Plott's nine children; five sons and four daughters. These names are to be used as written and in the order that they were written (first born to last born); to do otherwise is an insult to the person and the Plott Family Line. The list appears to be written after Margaret's death in 1830 at the authorization and information supplied by the executors of George Plott's Last Will and Testament; “I make and ordain John Plott and Elias Plott my sons Executors of this my last will and testament...” As George directed John and Elias to execute his Last Will and Testament, he is faithfully trusting them after his death to carry out his wishes. In George’s Estate Settlement Papers, both John Plott and Elias Plott signed original signatures confirming “one ninth”; meaning that there were nine children of George and Margaret. We are to give John Plott and Elias Plott credence to knowing the order that their siblings were born, the names of their siblings; including, nieces and nephews listed.
Why were John and Elias selected to be the executors for George's Will? Let's review the list of nine children. The four girls would not have been selected, as they were females. So, we look at the boys. Daniel Plott moves to Arkansas. Henry Plott moves to Haywood County. Isaac Plott was in Cabarrus County and his wife is deceased; he has a full load as a widower. So, the two sons remaining were John and Elias. John’s wife, Sarah Gilliam-Plott would be accidentally shot by their son, John Jr. in 1830, fifteen years after George wrote his Will and died.
The author of this report is very adamant to the reader, please do not use any list of children composed and published from 1900 to present, unless such information is validated with an Archival Level Document and would supersede the list of children authorized by John Plott and Elias Plott, which there is not such a document. I have seen blatantly wrong information on the internet and published in community books. Please note that none of George and Margaret’s children had middle names. We are to use the list of children as written and authorized by John and Elias Plott. Period!
Why were John and Elias selected to be the executors for George's Will? Let's review the list of nine children. The four girls would not have been selected, as they were females. So, we look at the boys. Daniel Plott moves to Arkansas. Henry Plott moves to Haywood County. Isaac Plott was in Cabarrus County and his wife is deceased; he has a full load as a widower. So, the two sons remaining were John and Elias. John’s wife, Sarah Gilliam-Plott would be accidentally shot by their son, John Jr. in 1830, fifteen years after George wrote his Will and died.
The author of this report is very adamant to the reader, please do not use any list of children composed and published from 1900 to present, unless such information is validated with an Archival Level Document and would supersede the list of children authorized by John Plott and Elias Plott, which there is not such a document. I have seen blatantly wrong information on the internet and published in community books. Please note that none of George and Margaret’s children had middle names. We are to use the list of children as written and authorized by John and Elias Plott. Period!
Settlement Estate Files for George and Margaret Plott
The below file is the Last Will and Testament for George Plott; Lincoln County, NC.
The below file is the Settlement Estate records for George Plott; Lincoln County, NC.
The below file is the Settlement Estate records for Margaret Plott; Iredell County, NC.