Obadiah Britt Jr. was born on March 15, 1763.[1]
Obadiah received a land grant of 20 acres located on Raccoon Creek in Barren County, surveyed on May 16, 1818. [2] This is around the period that the Britts, Powells, and Houchens made their way westward from Virginia.
In 1838, Obadiah donated land to contruct Peters Creek Baptist Church.[3] By 1839, the new meeting house is being referred to.
On April 12, 1849, Obadiah wrote up a will.
In the name of God amen: I, Obadiah Britt of the county of Barren and state of Kentucky being of sound mind and memory, do make this my last will and testament, revoking all others heretofore made by me. To my wife, Sarah Britt, I give during her natural life the farm on which I live, also one of my negro men, Wilson, Obourne, or Carrol, whichever she may choose, also two negro women, Caroline or Jane, also three head of horses to be selected by her, my wagon and gear, also as many cattle & sheep and hogs as she may need, also as much of my household kitchen furniture as she may need, and as many farming tools and provisions and grain as my executore think she may require. And at her death, that all the property given my wife be sold and the money to be equally divided among my children as herein after directed.
To the heirs of my daughter, Sarah Woods, they ranking as one legatee, and to my children, Patsy Wheeler, Susannah Gregson[sic], Eliza Powell, Mary Ann Matthews, Frances Houchens, Obadiah Britt, John Britt, and Joel W. N. Britt, I give and bequeath my estate both real and personal after deducting what I have heretofore given, some of them so as to make their portions equal, as is here in after mentioned. To the heirs of my daughter Sarah Woods, I have heretofore given a negro girl, Grace, worth two hundred and fifty dollars. To Susannah Grayson, I have heretofore given a negro girl Mary worth three hundred dollars. To Patsy Wheeler, I hae heretofore given one hundred and twenty acres of land, worth four hundred and eighty dollars. To Eliza Powell, I hae heretoforegiven a negro girl Angelene, worth five hundred dollars. To Frances Houchens I have heretofore given a girl Ellen, worth two hundred and fifty dollar. To my son Obadiah Britt I have heretofore given fifty acres of land worth two hundred dollars, and a boy George wroth five hundred dollars. To John Britt I have heretofore given two hundred and ten acres of land worth six hundred and thirty dollars and to Joel W. N. Britt I have heretofore given a negro boy Louis (?), worth four hundred and fifty dollars and I also give him half of the tract of land on which I now live and the other half to Eliza Powell, to be equally divided between them according to quantity and quality for which they are to be charged each four hundred dollars in the division of my estate. If I give to my grand daughter Sarah Barrack a negro boy in my life time it is all I intend for her and if I do not give her a negro boy, I give and bequeath her three hundred dollars. If I give to my daughter Mary A. Matthews a negro in my life time, I will a take a receipt for it expressing how much she is to be charged therefor. It is my will that my estate be equally divided as above mentioned, each one being charged in the division with what they have heretofore received, so as to make their portions all equal and that at the death of any wife that they receive an equal portion of what I have given her during her natural life except the land, which I have specifically divided; and it is further my will that if any of my children attempt to set aside the disposition that I have made of the negro woman Susan that they are to receive only their subtractable part of Susan and her children, and that they refund back all that they have received of my estate to my executors and that they are not to have any portion of my estate, but their portion of Susan and her children. I nominate and appoint Obadiah Britt, John Britt, and Joel W. N. Britt the executors of this, my last will and testament. Obadiah Britt
Signed, sealed, and acknowledged in the presence of J. F. Rogers, A. P. Lewis., Olivia Rogers. April 12, 1849.
December 7, 1852, Obadiah's will is delivered to Peters Creek Baptist Church. [4]
Sarah (Wheeler) Britt dies on July 15, 1855.
On January 4, 1858, Obadiah altered his will:
I, Obadiah Britt Senior, being of sound mind make this codiced (?) to the foregoing will and testament. It is my will that the hears of my daughter Sarah Woods receive nothing more of my estate, and that the negro girl Grace heretofore given be all they ever receive from me except the wife of Jesse Bewley to whom my executors are to give one hundred dollars, provided I do not give it to her in my life time. January 4th, 1858, Obadiah Britt.[5]
Signed and sealed in the presence of Jno. F. Rogers, James W. Green, James M Green.
On September 3, 1862, Obadiah Britt was listed as father or owner of a pair of black twins, one was a female, unnamed, who died at birth, and a Jeff Davis. [6] (This could be his son, as his father died shortly before this was listed. However the estate had not yet been settled and no Jeff was listed when the will was executed.)
Obadiah Britt Jr.'s will was executed on March 8, 1865. [7][8]
"United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1850 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6SX7-HG8?cc=1420440&wc=MJC8-1X2%3A1042937101%2C1042941101%2C1042941102 : 22 May 2014), Kentucky > Barren > Barren county > image 19 of 56; citing NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
Obediah Britt Birth: 15 Mar 1763 Virginia, USA Death: 2 Aug 1862 (aged 99) Barren County, Kentucky, USA Burial: Powell-Britt Cemetery, Lucas, Barren County, Kentucky, USA Memorial #: 202226649 Bio: Home in 1850: Division 1, Barren, KentuckyObediah Britt 87Sarah Britt 86Eliza A Powell 47James A Powell 15Huldah A Powell 13Robert Powell 12Nelson T Powell 10Wm J Powell 7John V Powell 5Home in 1860: District 2, Barren, KentuckyObadiah Britt 97 Family Members Spouse Sarah Wheeler Britt 1763-1855 Children Joel Williamson Nelson Britt 1807-1887 Created by: Laura J. Stewart (47412616) Added: 17 Aug 2019 URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/202226649/obediah-britt Citation: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 23 May 2020), memorial page for Obediah Britt (15 Mar 1763–2 Aug 1862), Find a Grave Memorial no. 202226649, citing Powell-Britt Cemetery, Lucas, Barren County, Kentucky, USA ; Maintained by Laura J. Stewart (contributor 47412616) .
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