Windsor Township, Berks County
Written and recorded in 1845
Heirs: Grett, Baver, Dum, Gibson, Gilgert, Balthaser, Heinrich, Schwoyer, Shade
Others: Becker, Long, Pearson, Rothermel, Ely, Reber, Stetzler, Hoffman
In the name of God Amen. I Nicholas Grett of the Township of Windsor in the County of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, Yeoman, am far advanced in years and of a feeble body, but of sound mind memory and understanding, thanks be to God for it, but considering the uncertainty of this transitory life Do make and Publish this my last will and Testament in manor and form following, to wit
First of all I command my immortal Soul into the hands of God and my body to the earth be buried in a decent and Christian like manner, at the discretion of my Executors herein after named, and concerning my estate, real personal and mixed whatsoever, I device, bequeath and dispose thereof in the manner following.
First it is my will and I do order that all my just debts and funeral expenses be duly paid and satisfied as soon, after my decease, as conveniently can be.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Susanna the six share of stock which I hold in the Farmers Bank of Reading together with the dividents due thereon at my decease, and two cows and so much of my household and kitchen furniture as she shall want and choose to have selected for her by my daughter Barbara Baver widow of John Baver, dec'd. all the rest and residue of my personal estate shall be valued and appraised by two respectable neighbors, citizens named by my hereafter named executors, and sold by the said executors at public sale under such terms and conditions as the shall deem best, and the proceeds thereof to be applied as hereafter mentioned.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my two daughters, namely the aforesaid Susanna Grett and Barbara Baver, as tenants in common and not as joint tenants, all that certain Messuage tenements and tract of land situate lying and being in Windsor Township, Berks County, adjoining land of John Becker, Christian Long, Thomas Pearson, Jacob Rothermel, Isaac Ely, and one other of my plantations, containing about one hundred and sixty seven acres, more of less, and also a tract of woodland situate lying and being in said Windsor Township, adjoining lands of Samuel Reber, Adam Reber, John Stetzler, George Hoffman & others, containing about eleven acres, more or less, as their full share portion and part in and to all my estates, by me hereafter to be disposed of, and under the following regulation. My said daughter Barbara shall keep, maintain, provide for in health and in sickness all the necessaries of life reasonable and comfortably for my said daughter Susanna, during her natural life, and after her decease a decent Christian burial, when all the real and personal estate of Susanna shall descend and come to her surviving sister Barbara and to the her heirs and assigns. But if the said Susanna shall survive her sister Barbara, the heirs and representatives of Barbara, shall be bound to perform all the duties enjoined on my said Barbara and after the decease of Susanna the whole of her estate shall descend and come to the heirs and representatives of my said daughter Barbara.
Item. The rest of my real estate shall be valued and appraised by three disinterested respectable neighbors, under oath or affirmation, citizens named by my hereafter named executors, in such parcels as my Executors may deem best, and my remaining four children or either of them may accept by the valuation under such rules and regulations as the law provides by intestate estates, and whatever is not so accepted my Executors shall expose to public sale and sell the same under such terms and conditions as the deem fit and best. And I hereby authorize and empower my said executors, or the survivor of them, to sign, seal, execute and acknowledge requisite deeds of conveyance in fee simple to the acceptor or purchaser, or to either, in due form of law. And the aggregate amount of all my estate not bequeathed heretofore, shall be divided after first deducting the costs and charges, and a fair true and just accompt of all filed, to and among my other heirs share and share alike as follows. To my daughter Hanna formerly the widow of Thomas Dum deceased now the wife of Henry Gibson I have advanced two hundred and forty dollars and sixty one cents; therefore my son John Grett and my daughters Molly Balthaser and Eve Gilbert shall each receive an equal advance of two hundred and forty dollars and sixty one cents. The rest shall be made in four equal shares one thereof to be paid to John Grett, one to Molly Balthaser (wife of Jacob Balthaser) and one to Eve Gilgert (wife of Jonas Gilgert), or their proper Heirs or assigns. But the share of my daughter Hanna Gibson shall be paid over by my executors unto her three children, to wit Elizabeth wife of Solomon Heinrich, Susanna wife of Solomon Schwoyer, and Hanna, wife of Daniel Shade, in three equal shares. They collectively or separately securing to their mother the legal interest thereof to be paid annually to their said mother Hanna during her natural life, if she wants and demands the same, but no claim shall be made thereof by Gibson at any time, and the security so to be given shall be at the choice of my said daughter Hanna. On the bonds which I hold against my son John Grett he shall only pay five percent interest per annum.
And lastly I nominate, constitute and appoint my son John Grett and my son-in-law Jacob Balthaser to be the executors of this my will, and in the case of the refusal renunciation or decease of the said Jacob Balthaser then I appoint Michael Hoffman as one of my executors in his place, and declare this to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I Nicholas Grett have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty seventh day of January in the year of our lord one thousand eight hundred and forty five.
Nicholas Grett.
Signed sealed and declared by the said testator as his last will and testament in the presence of us.
Samuel Hoffman
Johannes Becker
Berks County ss. On the 21st day of June A.D. 1845. Appeared Samuel Hoffman Esq. and John Becker, witnesses to the foregoing will, and being duly sworn & affirmed according to Law, did depose and say that they were both present, and did see and hear the Testator Nicholas Grett sign seal, publish, pronounce and declare the foregoing instrument of 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 observation and belief.
Michael Kraemer, Depy Regr
Submitted by: Kathy.
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