Last Will and Testament of Johannes Berger

Bern Township, Berks County, PA

File contributed by: Rege.

In the Name of God, Amen.

I, Johannes Berger, of Upper Bern Township, Berks County, and State of Pennsylvania, Farmer, am weak of body, yet of good understanding and thought, for this God be thanked. Having thought of the mortality of man, so do I make known, this, my last will and testament of the following bequests. That is to say:

First. I do commend my poor soul into the hands of the Almighty God, and my body to the Earth, to be buried according to the Christian Manner.

Second. I give and bequeath to my beloved wife, Catharina, the following articles. A bed and bedstead; the kitchen cupboard with all of its contents; the large iron kettle; two iron pots; a table, which ever she chooses; three chairs; a stove with pipe, which ever she wants to have; a cow; and, the spring house at her residence for as long as she retains my name and remains my widow; a right at the baking oven for baking; a quarter part of the garden. Pasture and feed sufficient for a cow, which the possessor of my plantation must give to her. The cow to be pastured with his, to be let in and out, to be dunged and heeded. A quarter acre of land for flax; a quarter acre of land for potatoes, both to be seeded and planted. The potatoes to be harvested if she can no longer do it. Apples, as many as she can use for her own needs, if it gives apples. Firewood to be chopped and made fine, as much as she can use. Four bushels of wheat; fifteen bushels of rye; five bushels of corn; a hundredweight of pork; a hundredweight of beef, which she shall receive yearly at time of slaughter. One bushel of salt; one barrel of cider, if it gives apples; two iron ladles and a pan which shall be left to her. All of the above items, such as grains, meats, cider, and so forth, shall be delivered yearly on time by the possessor of the plantation which I lately had in my possession.

Should it be the case that my beloved wife, Catharina, should remarry again, then it is my will that she shall lose her residence, and no longer receive the named items including the stove.

3. It is my will that my immovable estate shall be appraised by twelve men who shall be chosen by the children themselves, if they are agreeable. If not, then they shall, according to the law, have it appraised by a jury within the year after my death; after which my children can acquire at the established appraisement, when they have reached their lawful age. The oldest shall have the first choice, and so forth, until the youngest. Should none of my children choose to take over, then it shall be placed at public auction and be sold by my hereafter named executors; who, also, after my death, shall place all of my personal possessions at public auction and be sold, all of what I had not, beforehand, given to my beloved wife.

The monies realized from my immovable and personal estate shall be divided into equal shares among my children. Excepted is the share which was to be received by my deceased daughter, Catharina Marberger, and now is to come to her daughter, Carolina; for whom I name my son, Johannes, as guardian and custodian. He shall keep the money that is coming to her in trust; and in trust it shall be placed in the best of conditions until she becomes of sufficient age, when she, then, shall receive it.

Lastly. I name and ordain both of my sons, Johannes Berger and Solomon Berger, to be my executors and no other. I cast aside all wills and testaments made by me before this, and authorize this to be my last willl and testament and no other. I witness with my hand and seal the 24th day of March, in the year of Our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty Two.

Signed, sealed, authorized and made known by the testator as his last will and testament in the presence of us, who by his desire was undersigned by us.