On the second day of January One thousand Eight hundred and Two, Before me Peter Frailey, Register for the Probate of Wills and granting letters of administration, in and for the said county of Berks, personally appeared Stephen Kaufman, aged about 35 years and Daniel Hertzler, aged about 25 years both of Bern township of the aforesaid county, who being affirmed according to law, do declare and say, that in the twenty fifth day of December last past, they were sent for to the House of John Kelchner, late of Bern township in which the aforesaid John Kelchner then lived and resided for some years before. That they were both well aquainted with the aforesaid John Kelchner, and the aforesaid John Kelchner being then in his last sickness, from which he did not recover, but died on the 28th day of December, at which time to wit, on the Twenty fifth day of December aforesaid, the aforesaid John Kelchner told them the aforesaid Stephen Kaufman and Daniel Hertzler that if he should die in his present sickness, his will was that his wife should have and enjoy all his property which he did possess of, during her natural life, and after her decease, what shall be left or remain, of the aforesaid property should be equally divided to and among all his children, excepting his son, Henry who should have the sum of five pounds more than any of his other children. He also requested the said Stephen Kaufman and Daniel Hertzler, to bring his brother, Jacob, with whom he already spoke, who promised to take care of them. The aforesaid John Kelchner at the same time desired the aforesaid affirmants, Kaufman and Hertzler to take notice that such was his will, and these affirmants do severally on their affirmination declare that the said John Kelchner was at the time of the aforesaid conversation and when he pronounced his will aforesaid, of sound mind and in his perfect senses to the best of their knowledge and as they verily believe, and that he did not recover from the sickness, but died thereof on the day and time aforesaid.
Affirmed at Reading Berks County the second day of January A. D. 1802, before me Frailey, Register
Source; Berks County, PA wills, Vol 4, Pg 75
Submitted by: CHERRILUS@aol.com
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