To all people to whom these presents shall come, Samuel KERST, of Alsace Township and Susan his wife, Jacob KERST of Union Township, Samuel MILLAR[D] and Elinor his wife, John MILLAR[D] and Ann his wife, Robert STRATTON and his wife Elizabeth, send greeting:
WHEREAS George KERST (Sr.), late of Union Township Berks County deceased, by his last will and testament in writing bearing the date the twenty-ninth day of May AD one thousand eight hundred and seven (1807) did, among other things, give and bequeath unto his son, George KERST (Jr), late of Chester County, deceased, and to his heirs and assigns a certain tract of wood land situate in Union Township, Berks County, aforesaid containing twenty seven (27) acres more or less.
Said will, since his decease, duly recorded and proven in the Register's Office at Reading, relation being thereunto, had will more fully appear, by force and virtue of which said recited will, or of some other good conveyance or assurances in the law, duly had executed and exacted, the said George KERST(Jr) became in his lifetime, lawfully seized in his desmesne, as of fee, of and in the said tract of land and, with the appurtenances and being so thereof seized, died intestate, leaving issue five children to wit: Samuel KERST, Jacob KERST, Elinor, the wife of said Samuel MILLAR[D], Ann the wife of the said John MILLAR[D], and Elizabeth, the wife of the said Robert STRATTON, to whom the same by the law of Pennsylvania relating to intestates did descend and come.
Now know all that the said Samuel KERST and Susan his wife, Jacob KERST, Samuel MILLER[D] and Elinor his wife, John MILLAR[D] and Ann his wife, and Robert STRATTON and Elizabeth his wife, for and in consideration of the sum of three hundred and forty-eight dollars ($348.00), to them in had paid by Jonathan JONES of Union Twp in said county at and before the ensealing and delivery thereof, the receipt whereof they hereby acknowledge, and thereof acquit and forever discharge the said Jonathan JONES, his heirs executors administrators, by these presents have and each and every of them hath revised, released, and forever quit claim, and by these presents do, and each and every of them, doth revise, release and forever quit claim unto the said Jonathan JONES and to his heirs and assigns, all the estate and estates shared, purparts and dividends, right, title, interest, property, claim and demand whatsoever, of them the said Samuel KERST and Susan his wife, Jacob KERST, Samuel MILLAR[D] and Elinor his wife, John MILLER[D] and Ann his wife and Robert STRATTON and Elizabeth his wife, in law or equity, or otherwise howsoever of in, to or out of all that messuage tenement and tract of land of wood land situate lying and being in the Township of Union and County of Berks aforesaid and limited as follows to wit:
Beginning at a stone a corner of Brook and Company's land thence by land of the same and F BOYER deceased, North thirty six degrees East one hundred and forty four perches and one half to a stone, thence by land and of said Brooke and Co North fifty three degrees and one quarter thirty four perches and one half to a stone thence by land of Matthew BROOKE, deceased, south thirty-six degrees west one hundred and twenty six perches and one half to a stone thence by land of said Brookes and Co south thirteen degrees and three quarters east fourteen perches and three tenths to the place of beginning, containing twenty- nine (29) acres the same more or less.
Together with all and singular other the buildings improvements rights members appurtenances whatsoever thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining and the reversions and remainders, rents, issues and profits thereof.
To have and to hold all and singular the premises hereby revised and released, or mentioned and intended so to be, with the appurtenances unto the said Jonathan JONES his heirs and assigns to the only proper use and behoof of the said Jonathan JONES his heirs and assigns forever so that neither the said Samuel KERST and Susan his wife, Jacob KERST, Samuel MILLAR[D] and Elinor his wife, John MILLAR[D] and Ann his wife and Robert STRATTON and Elizabeth his wife, nor their heirs nor any other persons or persons whosoever lawfully, claiming or to claim by from or under them or any of them , shall or may at any time or times hereafter, have claim, challenge or defend any estate, right, title or interest, of in to or out of the said messuage tenement and tract of twenty nine (29) acres of wood land as above described, hereditaments and premises hereby revised and released or mentioned or intended so to be with the appurtenances, or any part or parcel thereof, but thereof and therefrom, shall and will be utterly excluded and forever debarred by these presents. In witness where of the said parties to these presents have hereunto interchangeably set their hands and seals the ninth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty seven (4/9/1827).
Samuel KERST (SEAL) Susan (X her mark) KERST (seal) Jacob KERST (Seal) Samuel MILLARD (Seal) Elinor MILLARD (Seal) John MILLARD (Seal) An MILLARD (seal)
Signed sealed and delivered in the presence of
Lott EVANS and Evan EVANS
Received the day of the date of the above written indenture of and from the above named Jonathan JONES the sum of three hundred and forty eight ($348.00) dollars in full of the above mentioned consideration money.
Samuel KERST, Jacob KERST, Samuel MILLARD and John MILLARD
Signed and delivered in the presence of
Lott EVANS
Evan EVAN
Berks County SS
Be it known that on the ninth day of April 1827 The said Susan, Elinor, Ann and Elizabeth, being of full age and by me duly examined separate and apart of their said husbands and the contents thereof being first made known to them, declared that they did voluntarily and of their own free will and accord seal, and as their act and deed, deliver the said indenture without any coersion or compulsion of their said husbands.
In testimony whereof I have set my hand and seal the day and year above written.
Evan EVANS (Seal)
NOTE: George KERST Jr was married to Mary ERGOOD, dau. of Jacob ERGOOD and Anna RETGE, of Union Twp., Berks Co PA. He died intestate abt. 6/9/1808. He is buried in St Gabriel's Cemetery 6/13/1808, age 35 years, 4 days.
His estate was admininstered by brother Samuel KERST and father-in-law Jacob ERGOOD on 7/12/1808. He had 5 minor children: Elizabeth b. bet 1790-1800 m Robert STRATTON; Samuel KERST b.2/13/1799 m Susan; Jacob KERST b. 6/20/1800; Eleanor/Elinor KERST b. 10/11/1801 m. Samuel MILLARD; and Hannah/Anna KERST b. 9/1803 m John MILLARD. His widow Mary remarried Frederick HOUCK sometime after 1808.
On 4/9/1827 George KERST Jr's property was sold by his children and heirs, per the above deed, to Jonathan JONES. The widow, Mary ERGOOD KERST HOUCK and her second husband, Frederick HOUCK, signed a quit claim to release her of her dower in the said property on the same date.
This deed of sale was recorded on 'this day 7th of March AD 1875....James W Sponagle, Recorder'.
Frederick HOUCK died bef 2/5/1862 in Union Twp. His property was sold for debts. Mary had pre-deceased him as she is not shown in the sale of his property in Union Twp. in 4/1862. They were shown in the 1850 Census in Union Twp:
1850 Census, Union Twp., Berks Co
Frederick HOUK age 68 PA
Mary wife age 69
Hannah Shickter/Slickter age 8
I could not locate them in 1860CR in Union Twp, but the land described in the sale of Frederick HOUCK's property was shown in the Umstead Post Office area of Union Twp on the Census as Jacob WAMSHER, who bordered on the property, was shown there.
Submitted by Diana.
Last Modified