1799: Union Township, Berks County, PA
In the Name of God Amen. I John Dehaven of the Township of Union in the County of Berks and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Yeoman being weak in body but of Sound mind and Memory Blessed be god for his Mercies, do this Twenty first Day of December in the Year of our Lord one thousand Seven Hundred & Ninety Eight, Make and ordain this my Last will and Testament, in manner and form following, that is to say First, I Recommend my Soul unto Almighty God who Gave it and my body to the Earth, to be buried in a Decent and Christian Like Manner by my Executors Hereafter Named, And as touching my worldly Estate wherein it hath Pleased god to bless me with, I Give and Dispose of them in the following manner Imprimis that is to say first of all it is my will and I do order that all my Just Debts and funeral Expenses be Duly Paid and Satisfied by my Executors, Item I give and bequeath to my beloved Wife Rachael my Case and Draws, Together with one Bed Bedstead, and Nessesary furniture Belonging thereto, Likewise I give to my wife the Negro wench Heny to be disposed of by her as Shee Sees Cause, I Likewise Give to my Daughter Elizabeth one bed bedstead and Nessesary furniture Part of the Materials which is already there, and what is wanting Shee Shall Have the Privilege of Making, out of Materials on my place such as Feathers etc. Item I give and bequeath to my Daughter Margaret one Bed bedstead and Nessesary Furniture, with the Same Privilege as afford to Elizabeth, and if it should be more Convenient to Purchase Some Articles to Compleat the above Beding I do order that my Executors Shall Procure the Same, I do Further order that my Executors Shall Send my Son John to School [ink spot] Proper Masters and that he be Learned to Read write and Cypher as far as thrugh the Rule of three, and I do further order that my other two Sons Edward & Abraham Shall have alike Education with my Son John, all which I do order that my Executors Shall See Performed to the Utmost of their Endeavours, and further my will is that my Executors Shall Be Put in full Possesion of all my Personal Estate to be Enjoyed by them in Compenstion for the Trouble abovesaid Laid on them, and I do hereby give and Bequeath to them all my Personable Estate not before Bequeathed to be Enjoyed by them together with the Profits thereof they Performing the above Injunctions and I do order and my will is that my Exrs. Hereafter Named Shall have the use of my Plantion whereon I now live untill my youngest Son Abraham arives to the age of Sixteen Years but if he Should Die before that Period then & in that Case untill my Son Edward arives to the age of sixteen years, after which Time I do allow my Exrs to Sell my Real Estate Together with all the Remaining Personal Estate, and my will is that my Exrs. shall make a good and Sufficient title for the same as if I my self had Been here Present Five Hundred Pounds of which Purchase I do order to Lay in the Land the Interest of which I do order to be Paid to my wife yearly and Every year for her Support During her life, and I do also Give the Remainder of all my Estate Both Real and Personal, Between my Children that is my Son William and my Daughters Elizabeth & Margaret and my Sons John Edward & Abraham To be Equally Divided Share and Share alike, and after my wifes Decease the foregoing five Hundred Pounds I order to be Equally Divided Between my afforsd Children or Survivers of them, and, I do Likewse Recommend and Beseech My Dear Children to be obedient to their Mother and Brother as I have Left all my Small Estate amoghst them without letting Strangers Interfar[ink spot] therein Making No Doubt but my Exrs will act according to to the true Intent and Meaning hereof Lastly I make and ordain My Loving wife Rachael Dehaven My Executrix and My Son William My Exr of this My Last Will and Testament, In Witness whereof I the Said John Dehaven have to this my Last will and Testament Set My Hand and Seal the Day and year first above Written.
| John Dehaven [Seal] |
Signed Sealed and ackowleged by the Said John Dehaven as his Last will and Testament in the Presence of Us
| John Wightman Peter Umstid Thomas Parry |
Registers Office, Reading, in Berks County, the 28th, March Anno Domini 1799. Then appeared John Wightman & Peter Umstid (on their Affirmation) and Thomas Parry (on his Oath) Witnesses to the afore written Will did __?__ and depose and say that they were present together and did see and hear John Dehaven the Testator therein named, sign seal publish pronounce and declare the same writing to be his last Will and Testament and that at the time of the doing thereof was of sound Mind Memory & Understanding to the best of their knowledge and as they verily believe And further that the names John Wightman Peter Umstid & Thomas Parry are of the proper hand writing of the Affirmants & Deponant, respectively, thereto subscribed as witnesses in the presence of each other & in presence & at the request of the Testator.
Coram Me
Chrisn. Barranstine, Regr.
[NOTE: John DeHaven is the son of Edward DeHaven whose will also appears in these archives.]
Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Heape.
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