Albany Twp -1781
In the name of God amen, I, Barbara Ritter of Albany Township in Berks County in Pennsylvania, am very weak at present but yet of good memory and understanding, thanks be to God for it. Having considered the mortality of all men that they were taken from the earth and must go to the earth again, I recommend my soul in the hands of God and my body to the earth. And dispose of my worldly estate among my heirs in the following manner:
Imprimis: I give and bequeath my land over Blue Mountain in Penn Township in Northampton County with one mose-- of the saw mill with all my rights and title as I did hath the same to my children as they follow by their names- the said land is adjoining the lines of Leonhard Zimmerman, Michael Ehro and George Gilbert. The said land shall not be sold within six years, except my executors hereafter named shall find it good and more beneficial- then it shall be in their power to sell the said land above mentioned. And my son Ferdinand Ritter and my son John Ritter and my daughters Catharina, formerly Catharina Ritter, and my daughters Anna Mary, Eva Rosina, Elizabeth, Juliana, formerly Juliana Ritter, and my grand child Elizabeth Wagner shall have the above mentioned land, and all my personal estate for their hereditary portions for ever. But my executors shall give in -- out of my personal estate to my daughter Elizabeth Ritter and to my daughter Juliana Ritter to each of them one hundred pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania. They have received nothing from me of their father's personal estate. And I order that my executors shall make an allowance to my daughters Eva Rosina, formerly Eva Rosina RItter as she had received of me the sum of one hundred pounds in Continental money so that she may have an equal share with her sisters. And when my daughters Eva Rosina and my daughter Elizabeth and my daughter Juliana each of them hath received their hundred pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania so as my children have received of me, then the remainder of the money shall be divided to my son Ferdinand Ritter and my son John Ritter and my daughters Catharina, Anna Mary, Eva Rosina, Elizabeth and Juliana Ritter and my granddaughter Elizabeth Wagner. The above mentioned land when it is sold by my executors, divide in equal shares. But my grandchild Elizabeth shall be excluded of any share out of my personal estate.
Secondly: I give and bequeath my grand child Elizabeth Wagner forever two cows, four sheep, bed and bedstead such as I at present have in my possession and my chest and spinning wheel and six pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania.
Thirdly: I order that my personal estate shall be sold at public auction and to be divided in equal shares among my own children.
Fourthly: I order that my above mentioned land shall not be divided nor sold by pieces.
Fifthly: I order that my son Jacob Ritter shall have no more than one English shilling for his share and of all my estate
Lastly: I order and appoint for my executors William Stump and John Ritter and they shall administer my testament and last will. In witness of what is above mention to be well and truely absolute, I set my hand and soul. Dated September the 25, 1781
Barbara "X" (her mark) Ritter
witnesses:
Jacob Donat
John Probst
Registers Office at Reading in Berks County the 17th day of November 1781 then appeared personally Jacob Donat and John Probst, witnesses to the within written will and the said Jacob Donat upon his oath and the said John Probst on his solemn affirmation did severally depose and say that they were present and saw and heard Barbara Ritter, the testator, therein named, sign seal pronounce publish and declare the within writing to be her last will and testament and that at the time of doing thereof she was of sound mind memory and understanding as they verily believe and that the said witnesses together in the presence of each other subscribed their names thereto as witnesses to the request and in the presence of the said testator.
Inventory of her estate was taken on 11/13/1781, by Jacob Donat and John Probst. William Stump was acting executor of her estate.
In the final accounting, submitted 4/3/1787, it was shown that 1/2 interest in the sawmill with the land agreeable was sold to Leonhard Zimmerman as per her will of 9/25/1781. She had directed the land not be sold for 6 years.
NOTE: Leonerd Zimmerman had 30 acres and a saw mill in Penn Twp., Northampton Co. in 1786 tax list and paid tax of 1.8.0.
In 1796 Mathias Waggoner, wife of dau Catharine, filed papers:
In 2/3/1796, Mathias Wagner(Waggoner) and his wife Catherine, dau of Henry RITTER, who died Albany Twp, yeoman, intestate, leaving widow Barbara, now deceased, and 8 children and a tract of land containing 400 acres now in possession of Matthias Wagner, asked for a valuation and partition, and the 12 honest men, who evaluated the property, determined it could not be partitioned, was ordered appraised and valued. The 8 children of deceased named are: Jacob, Ferdinand, John, Catharine m to Matthias Wagner, Mary, since intermarried with George Kremer, Effracine (Eva Rosina), since married to George Kestler(Kistler) , Anna since married with Sebastian Faust, and Juliana since intermarried with Wm. Stumb, Jr.
The 12 men went to the property and determined that the land could not be divided, and therefore valued and appraised the farm, as per the writ as commanded, signed by S. Frailey, sheriff.
NOTES: land info mentioned in Barbara and Henry RITTER's files:
On 10/21/1765, William Farmer had 25 acres surveyed in Albany Twp adjoining Barbara Rutter[RITTER] and Jacob Gardner. D-60-103.
On 12/10/1765, Conrad Bowman had 60 acres surveyed in Northampton, now East Penn, Carbon Co, adjoining Jacob Ritter, Christian Bowman and John Bailer. C-19-158 (this was probably the land mentioned in Henry's will, over Blue Mtn, which was conveyed to Jacob, oldest son, on behalf of his estate.
Northampton Co. Pa:
Mortgage 26 April 1769 (pages 218-219 in Deed Book B1, Northampton County PA;
Mortgager; Barbara Ritter, Albany township, Berks County, widow (loan of
21 pounds), Ferdinand Ritter, Albany township, yeoman (Loan of 100 pounds).
Mortgagee Valentine Probst, Albany township, Berks County, innkeeper.
Property, messuage, tenement, sawmill, two tracts, tail race on Lizard
Creek beyond the Blue Hills:
1] 352 acres by land of Ulrich MOYER and vacant land;
2) 58 acres by land of Ulrich Moyer and vacant land (both tracts were
granted to Jacob Ritter, 5 Nov 1767] to Barbara and Ferdinand Ritter
(3) tail race to sawmill (which was granted to Jacob RITTER by George
GILBERT and wife on 18 May 1765, then by Jacob RITTER to Barbara and
Ferdinand RITTER);
Witnesses: Timothy HORSFIELD & J. OKELY;
Acknowledgment of mortgagors 27 Apr 1769 before George TAYLOR, esquire,
Justice of Peace;
Recorded: 11 May 1769;
Mortgage satisfied 26 Oct 1790, recorded by John ARNDT.
Mortgage 1 Aug 1769, pp. 242-243 N'ampton Co Deed Book B1 shows:
Mortgagors Matthias (Mattes) WAGNER, Town of Northampton, blacksmith,
and wf Katherine (Catarin);
Mortgagees: George Adam KRAMER, yeoman (loaned 100 pds) & Barbara
RITTER, widow (loaned 156 pds), both of Albany Tp Berks Co.
Property: messuage and lot in Town of Northampton....etc.
Recorded 15 Aug 1769.
Mortgage satisfied 6 July 1773 as reported by attorney Lewis GORDON.
Submitted by Diana.
Last Modified