Wiley Rountree's 1847 Will and the Division of Enslaved People in Wilson County
In 1847, Wiley Rountree of Wilson County, North Carolina, drafted his will, dictating the distribution of his enslaved people among his heirs. The will specified that his 'girl children' would receive a full share of his enslaved property, while his sons and granddaughter would receive half a share. Following his death weeks later, his executors published a notice in the Tarboro Press. By January 1, 1850, 23 enslaved individuals from Rountree's estate were divided among his surviving heirs by Larry Dew, L.D. Farmer, and Joshua Barnes. This division resulted in the separation of families, as exemplified by Bob and Temperance, a married couple, who were separated from each other and their older children, Marion and David, when they were sold to different individuals. The enslaved individuals were valued and distributed in lots, with specific individuals assigned to different heirs or sold to others, highlighting the economic and social realities of slavery in the antebellum South.
