Estate Record of Elizabeth Siegfried

( ? - Sep 1767)

On file at Berks County Court House Typed by Leon F. Borst
Glenmoore, Pa.
4 May 2000

Anthony Fisher's letter to the Register General's Office, Berks County

The will of Elizabeth Siegfried, widow of Johannes Siegfried of Maxatawny, appears in the records of depositions taken as a result of the following letter to the “Register General's Office Berks County”:

Anthony Fisher of Maxatawny Township in Berks County, Yeoman, Son in Law of Elizabeth Sigfridt late of the same Township, Widow – hereby enters a Caveat against Proving any Will or Testament that may be produced in the said Office as and for the Testament and Last Will of the said Elizabeth Sigfridt, who is lately deceased; but desires that he the said Anthony may be heard upon the Producing the same, as he has Cause to suspect Fraud in obtaining of the said Will.

Reading, October 7th 1767.

To James Read Esquire

It is in these depositions that we learn that Elizabeth died in September 1767.

Last Will and Testament of Elizabeth Siegfried

In the Name of God, Amen / I Elizabeth Ziegfried of Maxatawny Township in the County of Berks in the Province of Pennsylvania Widow being advanced in Years & in all human Appearance the Time of my Dissolution near at hand, have thought fit to settle my temporal Affairs in such a Sort that what I shall die possessed of may be distributed among my Children to my own good Liking and Satisfaction; To that End therefor – I do make this my Last Will & Testament / being, praised be God, of Sound Mind, Memory & Understanding in Manner following, that is to say, First it is my Will that all my just debts and funeral Expenses be duly paid And I do nominate and appoint my well beloved Son Joseph together with my trusty and much esteemed Friend Sebastian Zimmerman to be the Executors of this my Last Will and Testament – And I do give & bequeath unto my well beloved Daughter Margaret, the Wife of Jacob Moess of Lynn Township in the County of Northampton Blacksmith, all my Wearing Apparel, with my Bed, Bedsted, and Furniture thereunto belonging And it is my Mind and Desire that my said Executors, Having collected my Debts and turned all my Effects, not herein before given and disposed of, into Money, that they do put out at Interest the Sum of Fifty Pounds lawful Money of Pennsylvania, Part thereof upon good Security, at the Risque of the Legatees, thereof hereafter named And as far & concerning the Interest Monies thence rising I do will and direct that the same shall be annually paid unto my before named Daughter Margaret Moess during all the Time of her natural Life – And I do will that her Receipts shall be sufficient Discharged to my said Executors for the same, not withstanding her Coverture. And upon the Decease of my said Daughter Margaret I do give & devise the aforesaid Principal Sum of Fifty Pounds unto such Child or Children of her my said Daughter Margaret Moess as shall survive her in equal Parts or Shares And as far and concerning all the Rest & Residue of the Monies arising by such Sale as aforesd I do give devise & bequeath the same unto & amongst all my Daughters, namely, Catherine, the Wife of Frederick Roemich, Susanna, the Wife of Daniel Levan, Elizabeth, the Wife of John Rothoermel, Magdalena, the Wife of Anthony Fisher, Anna, the Wife of Jacob Teischer, and the said Margaret , the Wife of Jacob Moess, in equal Parts & Shares. And I do hereby acquit release & discharge my before named Son Joseph & the Heirs of my late deceased Son John of and from the Payment of any Sum or Sums of Money or other Matter or Thing of right appertaining or payable unto me by the Last Will & Testament of my Husband Johannes Ziegfried late of Maxatawny Yeoman deceased They having fully settled with, satisfied, contended & paid the same unto me in my Life time And I do declare this only to be my Last Will & Testament hereby revoking all former Wills by me heretofore made In Witness whereof I the said Elizabeth Ziegfried, the Testatrix have hereunto set my Hand & Seal the seventeenth Day of June in the Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred & sixty six.

Elizabeth [Her # Mark] Ziegfried

The annexed Writing was signed, sealed published & declared by the therein named Elizabeth Ziegfried the Testatrix for & as her Last Will & Testament in the Presence of Us, who , in her Presence & at her Request have hereunder subscribed our Names as Witnesses to the same ---

Abraham Zimmerman
Antonÿ Altman

Notes:

• Elizabeth's husband, Johannes Siegfried, died in December 1747 on his farm in Maxatawny and left his home and half his farm to his son John and made provisions for his widow to continue to live in said home.
• Elizabeth's son, John Siegfried, died in May of 1766 at age 43 and left a widow and eight children.
• Elizabeth's Will was written by John Oakley, a member of the Moravian Church, of Bethlehem, Northampton County and was signed (her mark) and sealed by Elizabeth Ziegfried (Siegfried) on 17 June 1766. According to the depositions, the will was written in English but was read to her in German.
• September 1767 -- Elizabeth died while living in the home of her deceased son John's family. John had inherited the home from his father, Johannes Siegfried, who provided in his will that Elizabeth remain in her home.
• 7 October 1767 -- Elizabeth's son-in-law, Anthony Fischer, entered a Caveat against proving any Will or Testament that may be produced as that of the said Elizabeth Sigfridt.
• 13 October 1767 – James Read, Deputy Register of Wills for Berks County, writes a letter requesting the presence of people to appear at the Court House in Reading on 27 October 1767.
• 19 October 1767 – James Read changed the 27 October date to 9 November 1767.
• 9 November 1767 – Depositions are taken from Abraham Zimmerman and Antonÿ Altman, Witnesses. Both said they saw Elizabeth make her mark and that she was of sound mind and understanding.
• 13 November 1767 – Deposition of Nicholas Hermany, who stated that he knew Elizabeth well for about 28 years and for about the last four years she was very weak in her memory and understanding and was very childish.
• I found no record regarding the outcome of these hearings.

Submitted by Leon.