Letters Testamentary granted to John KERST and John NEYKIRCH, executors November 6, 1807; source: Berks County Register of Wills
In the name of God amen, I, George KARST[sic KERST] of Union Township in the county of Berks, am at present weak in body but of a sound disposing mind and memory, blessed be God, therefore do this twenty ninth day of May one thousand eight hundred and seven, make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and forme following,
First I recommend my sole to Almighty God who gave it and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent and Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors, hereinafter named.
Item: It is my will and I do order it so that at the first place all my just debts as I shall owe at the time of my decease together with my funeral charges be duly paid and satisfied as soon as conveniently can be done after my decease.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Elizabeth KARST, one thousand pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania which the same to be left in the hands of my three sons John, Samuel and Daniel KARST, equally alike which they are to pay to her lawful interest for the same, yearly, and every year so long as she liveth and if in case that is not sufficient, she shall receive as much of the principle as she needeth and to have liberty in my house where I liveth as much as she needeth but if in case chooses to move from said place, she is not to put any person in her room and to have liberty to make herself a good bed and bedding out of all my beds and bedstead and one other bed of her choice bedding and bedstead and to have all the yarn at the weavers of mine and also some tow yarn when wove to receive the linning well, whitened and my executors to pay the weaving and whitening out of my estate and to have her choice to keep Eliza or not and to have her choice of some sheets not exceeding six and her choice of 3 blankets, six chany cups and saucers, tea pot, tea kettle, coffee pot, my breakfast table now in my new house, six puter plates 3 dishes six spoons, all her choice six knives and forks, my chest and my arm chair and three others of her choice and six pillow cases of her choice and if in case this interest is not sufficient, she is to take as much of the principle as she needeth for her support and after her decease this thousand pounds or what should remain shall be divided equally between my three sons John, Samuel and Daniel KARST for theare one youse and benefit and further I do order it so that all these household furniture I have bequeathed to my beloved wife shall be at her disposal to do with it as she thinks proper and further she is to have her saddle and bridle and I order it so that my son John is to find his mother a horse to ride at any time she wants so long as she remains with my son John and be it remembered that my three sons John, Samuel and Daniel is not to receive the thousand pounds but to pay the interest of the same for I have allowed them that in my settlement.
ITEM: I give and bequeath unto my son John KARST, my plantation I now liveth on, supposed to be two hundred and thirty-six acres be the same more or less, with all the improvements thereon and one third of my land on Brushe Hill taken of from the line near the furnace road toward the frog ponds and I do hereby order it so that my son John shall pay out to my executors the sum of seven hundred and twenty pounds, six shillings and eight pence two years after my decease and my son John is to have all the stoves with the flues on said plantation I have bequeathed to him and further I do order it so that my son John shall provide for his mother every necessary she stands in need of if it can be got conveniently and to be paid a reasonable price out of her interest money and it is my will that my son John shall assist his brother Samuel in hauling necessarys for his barn and assist in putting up.
ITEM: I give and bequeath unto my son Samuel KARST the plantation where Joseph LORD now liveth supposed to be two hundred acres be the same more or less and one third of my land on Brushe Hill adjoining his brother John's part and it is my will and I do order it so that my son Samuel is to receive of my executors one hundred and fifty pounds lawful money of this state three months after my decease which sum I bequeath to him and further I do order it so that my son Samuel shall pay out to my Executors the sum of three hundred and forty-four pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania and sixteen shillings and eight pence two years after my decease and all my stoves with the flues on said tract of land I gave to my son Samuel and further all the timber that is cut for the youse of building on my son Samuel plantation is excepted for his youse.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my son Daniel my plantation where my son George now liveth supposed to be one hundred and eight five acres land be the same more or less and also one third of my land on Brushe Hill adjoining his brother Samuel and all my stoves and flues on said tract of land and further I do order it so that my son Daniel shall pay to my Executors the sum of three hundred and twenty five pounds lawful money two years after my decease and a further sum of three hundred and sixty nine pounds thirteen shilling and four pence, four years after my decease and further I give my son Daniel my riding mare and colt, saddle and bridle.
ITEM: I give and bequeath to my son George my oil mill plantation and a other tract I bought of Matthew BROOKE near adjoining the hole, supposed to be 120 acres be the same more or less and an other tract of land supposed to be 27 acres be the same more or less adjoining Matthew BROOKE and others and I further give to my son George all my stoves on said tracts of land and further I except and it is my will and I order it so that the water running threw is to have its free course and passage without any interruption from Saturday twelve o'clock to Munday morning sunrise and from Wednesday next at 12 o'clock to Thursday morning sunrise for the youse of my son Samuel plantation and it is my will and I do order it so that my son Samuel is to have liberty on the tracts of land to cut and haul as much timber as he should want to finish his barn without any interruption and it is my will that my son George shall assist his brother Samuel in hauling necessarys for his barn and to assist in putting up the same.
ITEM: I give and bequeath unto my son Jacob, eight hundred pounds lawful money to be paid to him four year after my decease by my executors and I order it so that my Executors shall give up my 2 last bonds I have against him as soon as conveniently can be done which amount to one hundred and twenty five pounds, this to be deducted of the eight hundred pounds I will to him and I order it so that my son Jacob is to assist his brother Samuel in hauling all the necessarys for building his barn and to assist in putting it up.
ITEM: I give and bequeath unto my daughter Catharine DeTURK, seven hundred and twenty five pounds and all the movables I gave her in my life-time, that is to say four hundred pounds in one year, after my decease to be paid by my Executors and also further sum of one hundred and sixty-two pounds ten shillings two years after my decease and also the further sum of one hundred pounds and sixy-two pounds ten shillings four years after my decease.
ITEM: I give and bequeath unto my four daughters Magdalena RHOADS and Christina KIGER(GEIGER), Hannah ROBERSON and Mary NIKERAH(NEUKIRCH/NEYKIRK), each and every one alike, the sum of seven hundred and twenty five pounds each to receive from my Executors as followeth: four hundred pounds in one year after my decease and the further sum of one hundred sixty-two pounds ten shillings two years after my decease and the further sum of one hundred sixty-two pounds ten shillings four years after my decease and all the movables I gave each of them in my life time I give to them.
ITEM: I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth STONER, three hundred and twenty five pounds and all the movables I gave her in my life time which she is to receive from my Executors one year after my decease.
ITEM: I give and bequeath unto my five grandchildren of John STONER the sum of four hundred pounds to be divided equally alike, that is to say, shear and shear alike, which they are to receive of my Executors two years after my decease.
ITEM: I give and bequeath unto my granddaughter, Hannah DeTURK, the sum of twenty-five pounds which she is to receive one year after my decease from my Executors.
ITEM: I give and bequeath all the remainder of my estate to be equally divided amongst all my children, shear and shear alike, as soon as it can conveniently be done and further it is my will and I do order it so that all my accompts be it what kind soever I have against my son George KARST I give unto him and my Executors to have no demand against him.
And lastly I make and ordain my son John KARST and my son-in-law John NICARIH(NEUKIRCH/NEYKIRK) Executors of my last will and testament hereby revoking and making void all manner and former other will by me at any time heretofore made, declaring this and no other to be my last will and testament. For witness whereof I the said George KARST Sr have to this my last will and testament set my hand and seal this first above written. Be it remembered before signing I have not discharge my son George of the bond I have against him dated April 1, 1798 for 115 pounds the same to be paid to my executors.
George KARST
Sealed and Delivered by the said George KARST Sr in the presence of us who where present at the signing sealing hereof.
Mordecai MILLARD
Peter JONES, (SEAL) (signature)
Registers Office Reading in Berks County Nov 6, 1807. Then appeared Mordecai MILLARD and Peter JONES witnesses to the afore written will, who being respectively sworn, did depose and say that they were present together, and did see and know George KERST, the testator or therein named, sign, seal, publish, pronounce and declare the same writing as and for his last will and testament and, that at the time of the doing thereof, he the said testator, was of sound mind, memory and understanding, to the best of their knowledge and as they verily believe. And further that the names Mordecai MILLARD and Peter JONES, then do subscribe as witnesses, are of the fact deponents own hand writing respectively subscribed in the presence of each other and in the presence and at, is of the testator.
signed: Register of Wills Chris Barranstin.
Submitted by Diana.
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