Oley 1755
In the Name of God Amen, the Sixteenth Day of July Amo 1745. I Maximilian Shiffer of Oley in the County of Philadelphia; yeomen being old, but of perfect mind and memory; Thanks be given unto God therefore calling into mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all Men once to die, do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament. This is so say principally and first of all – I give and recommend my soul into the Hands of God that gave it and for my body, I recommend it to the Earth, to be buried in a Christian Like and decent manner, at the direction of my Executors nothing doubting but if the General Resurrection, I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God. And as such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life, I give devise and dispose the same in following manner and form.
In primus It is my will and I do so order that in the first place all my just debts and funeral charges be paid and satisfied.
Item I give and bequeath to Ann Margreth my well beloved wife the sixth part of my estate according to Law. I give and bequeath unto my well beloved Son Henry Shiffer, whom I (????) constitute and ordain to be my only and sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament, my land, plantation, houses, chattels and all the (?????) tools, husbandry and anything belonging to this place for him, his heirs and assigns forever, except to satisfy his mother, being the sixth part to her.
Item My son Henry shall pay unto his two sisters eighty pounds currant lawful money to each of them and to each of them one cow.
Item My son in law John Smeck is to have eight pounds currant money paid by Henry Sheeper in cash. And I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke, denounce all and every other former Testaments Will and Legacies by me in any ways before named Wills and bequests, Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament In witness whereof I have hereto set my Hand and Seal, the Day and year above written.
Maximilian X (his mark) Shiffer
Signed, Sealed, published, pronounce and declared by the (?) Maximilian Shiffer as his Last Will and Testament in the presence of us the subscribers.
Abraham Ishman
Samuel Guldin
Isaac Levan
Reading Berks County the 13th July 1755 there personally appeared Samuel Guldin of the Township of Oley on the County aforesaid yeoman & Isaac Levan of the Township of Exeter in the same County Yeoman, two of the witnesses to the above written will and upon their solemn oaths on the Holy Evangelist did severely dispose and say that they saw and heard Maximilian Shiffer the Testator therein named Sign Seal pronounce publish declare the same Will to be his last Will and Testament and that at the doing thereof he the said Maximilian was of sound Mind Memory and Understanding to the best og their Knowledge and Belief and also that Abraham Isham the other Witness to the said Will did subscribe his Name thereto (together with them the said Samuel and Isaac the Depoment{?}) in the presence and at the Request of the said Testator.
Coram Me
James (unreadable) Dep Reg
*Note Shiffer was substituted for Sheeper in the above document. As that is what appears to be the correct spelling of this surname.
Submitted by Michelle.
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