1808, Bern Township, Berks County, PA
Died before September 23, 1816
Translated from the German by Frederic Robitzer of Reichshoffen, France.
Submitted by: Bonnie Blau.
I Johannes Bucks in Bern Township. Berks County, State of Pennsylvania, make yet my Last will and Testament in the following order. At first my children, have God before your eyes and heart. Watch that you don't do a pledge. Do the best you can to lead your life to please God in this time of mercy in God's name, and don't wait until it is too late to rescue your soul so you can die in peace. So being of sound mind before I die I decided to make all my demands in this testament to keep things in perfect order and (make known) how I'd like to leave my goods behind. And so, it is as follows:
First, it is my will that my son Johannes Bucks should have the plantation in Bern Township, Berks County, adjacent to Johannes Matt and Johannes Christ and other land. All my land which is in my property he must have. All the carriage, plow, harrow with all accessories, windmill and sledge. All my blacksmith tools, all my cattle, horses (except my old Gaul belongs to me). All the grills, utensils. The oven pipe downstairs, table, clock, copper kettles: these four pieces we shall use together as long as we live. Afterwards it all belongs to him. Also the clothes closet downstairs belongs to him, the sieve, the half of the tuft, the spinning wheel, two bed frames, the steel rings-links, all the axles, all the picks, hooks, strawbench and tools. All the barrels which contain more than one barrel, pitchforks, hay and dung, and drills, the Manorforks, and chisels, sickle, hooks, all the blankets and shelves, all the carts, and hammer iron, products to lubricate and sharpen tools and traps; And hammertool for the scythe, also the gun. From the household, I'll keep the dishes as long as we'll need them. The plantation as I mentioned and all those above items. Further, I lend my son Johannes Bucks 1800 pounds, but out of this sum, my son Johannes Bucks will inherit 1450 pounds, he will have to pay me back 350 pounds. Should my 3 daughters pave part of the land, they will be paid a yearly sum without interest unless I change my mind. But our son Johannes or whoever will be living in the house will have to pay me and my wife the cost living every year as long as we live; also 10 bushels of wheat, 16 bushels of Rye, 6 bushels buckwheat, 2 bushels corn, 10 bushels of potatoes, 1 fat pig that weighs no less than 200 pounds and everything eatable from the pig; 80 pounds of beef in the fall when it is the good time to be slaughtered, 20 pounds of flax and 20 pounds of (?). 6 pounds of wool, one gallon Dram (whiskey?) and one gallon Brandy, 2 cows and one ox he will have to keep for us and feed them well all through summer and winter one half ton of hay given according to good sense; wood for fire, a cord of logs and one half cord cut wood. The garden has to be well take care of, and at the time of the apple harvest, he has to let us have 10 pounds of apples, 2 barrels of cider if we ask for it and let us use the apple press any time we would need it; and put in the house flour and bran; bring us wood for fire into the house; and in case we cannot bake, he will have to bake for us as much as we need. And give each of us one pair of shoes per year, a room with a stove in the Keller [cellar?] , and in the kitchen. He has to give us, me and my wife, supplies in good health. If one of us or both becomes ill or weak, we'll need a nurse or keeper.
It is my will that when my wife survives, she has to receive from my possession interest from three hundred pounds per year so long as she will live, but only so long as she bears my name, and she will inherit all that we possess as furniture in accordance to her will. My son Johannes Bucks has to lend after my death, from my money which will remain, 300 pounds to my wife and the interest when she needs it and to take some money from the main sum, but no more than 100 pounds.
Concerning the cow, summer and winter well fed, and when she is 6 years old he has to give her a young cow and she has the right to sell the old, and if she has an accident, he has to give her another, and so long as the cow doesn't give milk, he has to bring one quart of milk, excellent milk like she obtained from her cow. And when my wife is dead, my son Johannes Bucks and my three daughters have to split up the 100 pounds or what remains. The remaining money, bonds, and bank notes that I have as Father in my hands, any amount over 300 pounds, is to be given to my three daughters, Catherina and Elisabeth and Sara, each one to receive the same share. My son is to inherit anything else, the other remaining which will be left to my wife such as Gold or furniture, and all this to be used according to her will. But when my wife remarries after my death, my son Johannes has to give her 100 pounds and to put anything we need to cook in the kitchen, and also a closet in the kitchen. Give us as many apples as we want to eat. He has to give us money to ride or when we need it so that we can go in the summer to Township and in winter to Berks. When it is difficult to live upstairs, he has to build by hand a new house made on order at the place we choose. All these things mentioned there and need for us to have a good life, we have to receive them each year so long as we are alive. But when one of us is dead, one half will be less, and only the half is to be given. But our son or the one who has the plantation is all used in according to her will. But when my wife remarries after my death, my son Johannes has to give her 100 pounds and 50 from his inheritance, and then her right to the plantation will be finished. But so long as she has my name, she must be treated well. My son has to pay for the plantation like I order. To her fifty pounds. To the first girl he has to pay the first of may 1807 and each year during 6 years 75 pounds until the sum of 350 pounds is paid. And this will be the inheritance of the three sisters. The 450 pounds remaining is for my son Johannes with the plantation, but from the 350 pounds he has to give to me the bonds expected for the daughters, and as for the way my daughters will receive this money and divide it, it is as follows" My eldest daughter Catherina will receive the first lot and then my daughter Elisabeth, the second girl, and the third girl, my daughter Sara. Then it will begin again with my daughter Catherina in accordance with the age, so often until the sum of 350 pounds is paid. Each of them shall receive one lot and when it is so (done) or will be so, they will have the inheritance of my possessions.
But because my son has to give me all the bonds, and perhaps after death, I am not able to divide to my daughters, the executor or my son Johannes has to do it. The plantation cannot be sold out of my will, and if one of my children dies and hasn't an heir, his part is to be divided between [my remaining children.] But if one dies with heirs, the children have to receive that share which remains, and further I order that my son is to receive my clothes and my daughters the mother's clothes after our deaths. Further, my son or the property owner, after our death, has to bury us according to the Christian custom, and he has to pay all the costs alone. And so, I promise, me, Johannes Bucks as father to give to my son Johannes Bucks concerning the plantation already inherited, with all my rights and hereditaments, promise to my son or his heir or descendants for ever so it is absolutely certain that my three children [daughters] are prevented to have any demand of the plantation, and finally I handed down to my son Johannes Bucks the property on the first day of April 1806 and what we need for a good life from the plantation began the first of October, 1806 and then until the first of October 1807, all must be installed like we need it from time to time. Further my son Johannes is to executor, as well as my wife as executor. All the things have to be respected like I order it.
Signed with my hand in 1808 with witnesses, the 15th of December.
Johannes Bucks
Witnesses:
Johannes Haas
Adam Reber
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