Alsace Twp 1782
In the Name of God Amen, I Conrad Keller of Alsace Township in the County of Berks and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, yeoman, being weak of Body, but of sound mind, and understanding, thanks be to the Almighty, therefore, and having taken consideration, the Mortality of mankind, thought proper to make and ordain this my last will and testament. That is to say, I give unto God my Immortal soul who gave it to be by him received through the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Savior, and my Body to be buried into the Earth in a Decent Christian Manner according to the direction of my Executors hereafter named. And as touching this Worldly Estate, where with, it has pleased God to bless me with, after, my just debts and funeral charges be paid. I give and devise in Manner and Form Following.
Imprimis. I give and devise unto my beloved wife Barbara to keep and hold all and singular my real and Personal Estate in her Hands and Possession during her widowhood, and if she shall again become intermarried to have one full third part and portion of all and singular my Personal Estate and no more.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my son John George Keller my mansion house I now dwell in with all and singular one half and moisty of my Land and tenement as shall hereafter be directed to be divided. To have and to hold to him my said son John George his Heirs and Assigns forever he paying therefore to my other children and grandchildren the sum of one hundred and twenty three pounds in gold and silver rating a Portugal half Johannes weighing nine penny weight at three pounds and Spanish silver milled dollars weighing seventeen penny weight and six grains at seven Shillings and six pence each.
Item. I give and devise unto my son Conrad Keller my other half and moisty of my Plantation aforesaid to have and to hold unto him my son Conrad his heirs and assigns forever, he also paying to my other children and grandchildren the sum of one hundred and twenty three pounds money as above described.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughters Catharina, Maria, Christina, Margaret, Magdalina and Elizabeth the sum of forty pounds like money each to be paid in equal sums by my said sons, John George & Conrad to wit to my daughter Catharine her said portion of forty pounds with in the term and expiration of three years after my decease, then in one year after to the next of my daughters her forty pounds and so on yearly, until the whole six be paid off and I also bequeath thereof the consideration money hereby them assigned five pounds to my grandchildren Christina and Eva Baker the said sum of five pounds like money to be paid them at the expiration of eight years after my decease being over and above the portion I have above given to my daughter Gerdrude late the wife of Godfrey Baker.
Item. I also give and bequeath to my son in law Godfrey Baker the sum of one pound like money to be paid him in one year after y decease in full for the past and portion my daughter Gerdrude might yet have to claim against all my estate. Item. I will and devise that if any of my sons should mean to part with his share and portion of land that then his brother shall always have the refusal of the land for fifty pounds, cheaper than a stranger or other person should be willing to give for the same. And I order that my lands be divided amongst my said two sons that shall have the one half of meadow ground. Arable and wood land and that y son John George helps build as good a house and barn on his brother Conrad's moisty as those he inherited from me and also clear fit for the scythe as much meadow as shall fall to his share, for his said brother Conrad, and that they choose two direct neighborly freeholders to adjust to divide my said lands amongst them to the best advantage concerning the whole.
Item. it is my will that if any of my children die without heirs of their body that then and in such case my beloved wife Barbara shall be its sole Heir, except in case of one of my said sons should die without Heirs of his body his other brother shall and is hereby declared his only and sole heir, and after the death of my said wife or after her intermarrying again I give all and singular my personal estate except her one full third unto my said sons John George and Conrad. Allowing there out unto my son John George, 10 pounds to be first paid him for his birthright. And I hereby nominate ordain and appoint my beloved wife Barbara to be sole executor of this my last will and testament hereby declaringthis to be my last will and testament revoking made will and void all former will and testaments by me have to afore made and executed. I testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal this twenty ninth day of April the year of our Lord One thousand and seven hundred & eighty two.
Conrad Keller |SEAL|
Signed sealed published declared and pronounced by the said Conrad Keller as his last will and testament in the presence of us the subscribers, who in his presence and at his request subscribed our names thereto.
Henry Derst
John X (his mark) Goodman
Christian Kraus
Registers Office at Reading in Berks County June the fifth 1782 there appeared personally Henry Derst, John Goodman & Christian Kraus the subscribing witnesses to the above written will and upon the solemn oath on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty Good did... [remainder of statement is lost]
Submitted by Michelle.
Last Modified