Last Will and Testament of Bernhart Adam Sr.

Berks County

Book B-570, April 4, 1809

Contributed by: Greg Lasley.

Transcribed by Greg Lasley from a photocopy of the original, October 28, 2001; spelling, punctuation and capitalization are as in the original.

In the Name of God, Amen. I, Bernhart Adam Sr. of Cumru Township in the County of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, Yoeman, Considering the Uncertainty of this mortal Life, and being of sound and Perfect mind and memory, Thanks be to Almighty God for the same, do make publish and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following; That is to say Principally and first of all I Recommend my Immortal Soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave me the same to be in mercy Received through the merits of my Redeemer Jesus Christ; And my body I give to the earth to be buried in a Christian and decent like manner; And touching those worldly estates wherewith it has pleased God to bless me with, after my Just debts and funeral charges are paid, I give devise and bequeath in manner and form following.

1st I give devise & bequeath unto my two beloved daughters namely Juliana & Margaret, of my lands in Cumru Township aforesaid the Tract or piece known by the name of Church Land; to extend through my other land by the line of land now of John Garber to the Road leading from Daniel Messersmiths Mill through my Lands and lands of others to George Gernants Mill; and to extend by the said Road the full breadth of said church Land, thence from said Road in a straight line to and with the line on the Southerly side of said Church land and other lands, Containing about four Acres be the same more or less; Together with all and Singular the Rights, Privileges, Hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever thereunto belonging or in anywise Appertaining, To have and to hold the same for their only Proper Use and Behoof for and during their natural lives and the natural life of the Survivor of them (It is to be understood that the above bequeath is in Consideration of the Services Rendered me by the said Juliana and Margaret Since they have arrived at the age of twenty one Years and that they are not to make any other charges nor Receive any other Compensation for their Services Rendered unto me) And after their decease or after decease of the Survivor of them I give and order the devised Land to be sold for the highest and best Price that may gotten (sic) for the same, and the moneys arising out of the sale thereof I give and devise to be equally divided to and among my nine Children Share and Share alike or to their Respective Heirs Share and Share alike, But in case my said two daughters Juliana and Margaret should die without lawful issue of their bodys, or either of their bodys I then order the moneys arising out of the said sale to be equally divided to and among my other Children namely my three Sons, John, Nicholas, and Barney, and my four daughters, Anna Maria the wife of John Garber, Leah the wife of John Reaser, Rachael late wife of John Swartz deceased, and Salome the wife of David Moyer, Share and Share alike to them or to their Respective Heirs or Representatives: And I further give and bequeath unto my said two daughters Juliana & Margaret, the free Right and liberty to live in my House in such parts where I now with them live and now possess with the free and unmolested liberty to pass and repass to and from the same until the sale of my plantation hereinafter mentioned and no longer.

2nd I do order that my herein after named Executors as soon as Conveniently may be after my decease shall sell at Public Venue all my Moveable or Personal Property, and also in two years after my decease shall at public sale, sell my Plantation and whole Real estate, (excepting only such part heretofore by me devised unto my two daughters Juliana and Margaret,) for its full value or higher price that can be gotten, so that the same be not sold Under value by any Urging necessity of any of my Children whereby any loss may be sustained in the sale thereof, And it is my Will that my Executors shall act in the premises with their mutual consent whilst living and not the one without the consent of the other; And the moneys arising out of my Real and Personal estate I give devise & bequeath to be equally divided to and among my nine Children, namely my three Sons John, Nicholas, & Barnet, and my six daughters, Juliana, Annamaria, Margaret, Leah, Rachel, and Salome, share and share alike, or to their Respective Heirs or Representatives, excepting only Salome out of her share I give and devise One hundred pounds in Gold or Silver money to be paid unto Dina, the Illegitimate daughter born of the body of my said daughter Salome; And in making the division to and among my Children, I do order that my Executors Refer my Books etc. to see the amount of what I have in my lifetime advanced to each of my Children Respectively, in order that the division be made equally share and share alike as aforesaid; And it is my Will that a division of my personal estate may take place as soon as conveniently may be before the sale of my Real Estate.

And lastly I nominate Constitute and appoint my 3 sons, John Adam, Nicholas Adam, and Barnet Adam, Executors of this my last Will & Testament, with full power to execute any Conveyance or Conveyances, Deed or Deeds, for the shure Conveyance of my estate unto the purchasor or purchasors thereof, in as good and ample manner as I myself in my lifetime could have done and execute the same. I hereby revoking and making null and Void all former Wills and Testaments by me heretofore made, allowing, ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the fourth day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and nine. Signed, Sealed, and published, declared and pronounced by Barnhart Adam Sr. to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who, at his request, and in his presence, and in the presence of each other signed our names.

Signed, Sealed, published and pronounced by Bernhart Adam Sr. to be his last Will and Testament, in the presence of Us, who at his request and in his presence & in the presence of each other signed our names.

Registers Office, Reading, Berks Co., Sept. 10, 1810. Then appeared Henry Wolf, Joseph Bright and Jacob Bright, attesting to the within written Will, Who, after they were duly sworn and affirmed, according to Law, did declare and say: That they were present and did see and hear Bernhart Adam, the Testator, sign, publish, pronounce & declare the same, 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 Henry Wolf, Joseph Bright, and Jacob Bright are the deponents own handwriting thereto subscribed as witnesses, in the presence of each other and in the presence and at the request of the Testator.

Coram Me
Jacob Schneider, Reg.