In the name of God, Amen. I John Deffebach of tulpehocken Township, Berks County and state of Pennsylvania, being sick and weak in body, but of sound mind memory and understanding (Praise be God for it) and considering the certainty of Death and the uncertainty of the time thereof and to the end I may be better prepaired to leave this World whenever it shall please God to call me hence do therefor make and declare this my last will and testament in manner following that is to say first and principally I comment my soul into the hands of the Almight God my Creator, hoping for free pardon and remission of all my sin and to enjoy everlasting happiness in the heavenly kingdom through Jesus Christ my Savior, my body I commit to the earth at the discretion of my hereinafter named executor.
Item. I will that all my just debts as shall be by me owing at my death together with my funeral expenses and all charges touching the prooving or otherwise concerning this my will shall be paid out of the first moneys that may come into the hands of my hereinafter named executor.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife MARIA DEFFENBACH the house and three lots of ground where I now live for her use and occupation for the term of ten years imideately following my deat provided she remains my widow. I further give and bequeath unto my said wife Maria and to her use of Ever Two Hundred Dollars Lawfull Money one cow three beds and bedsteads 1 bureau two dining tables one kitchen dresser one stove one carpet three iron pots one tea kettle and such other kitchen utensils as she may want to keep and also all the grain meat as that I may have left at my decease. My corner cubbord shall remain in the house for the time it shall be occupied by my said wife and I give and bequeath unto her one half of the tea ware and such other articles of crockery which the said cubbord containing in lew of her dower. I give and bequeath unto my sons JEREMIAH and WILLIAM one bed and bedstead to each.
Item. I give unto my sons GEORGE WASHINGTON, JEREMIAH, WILLIAM & ANDREW JACKSON all my wearing apparel to be equally divided among them. All the rest and residue of my personal estate I order and direct my executor to sell at public sale collect my outstanding debts and after deducting from the same the amounts due to my sons JEREMIAH and WILLIAM there share of there mothers estate I order and direct that the balance remaining to be divided amongst my six children that is to say unto my daughter ANTOINNET one share unto my son GEORGE WASHINGTON one share, unto my son JEREMIES one share unto my son WILLIAM one share unto my son ANDREW JACKSON one share.
Item. I order and direct that after the expiration of the ten years as aforesaid or in case my said wife shall again be mariet in either case I order and direct my hereinafter named executor to see the aforesaid house and three lots of fround at public sale and execute a deed to the purchasser for the same and in case that I should not live to execute the deeds for the premises I sold to PETER D. WALBON I aughorize and impower my executor to execute the said deeds according to the agreement between us. The proceeds of the sale of the said house and three lots of ground I order and direct to bedivided as follows: fifty dollars to each of my sons, Jeremiah & William and to the remainder to be equally divided amongst my six children heretofore named share & share alike and if any of my said children shall died in there minority such share shall be equally divided among the survivors or there legal representatives (item the charges in my book against my son Geo Washington shall not be deducted from his share provided he shall be sattisfied with this my will) --And the charges in my said book against my daughter Antoinette untermaried with ANDREW DUTTER shall neith be deducted out of her share provided she shall be sattisfied. But in case my said daughter or her husband shall pretent to bring a claim against me or my estate for services after she was of age, then the said charge in my books shall be deducted from the share falling to her according to this my will and lastly I nominate and appoint my son Jeremiah to be the executor of this my last will hereby revoking all over wills legacies and bequests by me heretofore made and declaring this and no other to be my last will and testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this nineteenth day of December one thousand and eight hundred and thirty eight.
John Deffenbach
(this will was probated 12 Feb 1839 Vol 8, page 112.)
Contributed by Joanne.
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