Amity Township, Berks County, PA, May 29, 1772
In the name of God Amen I Peter Jones of Amity Township in the County Berks Yeoman am at present weak in body but of a sound and disposing mind and memory blessed be God therefore do this Twenty Ninth Day of May in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven hundred and seventy two make and publish this my Last Will and testament in manner and form following. First and principally I recommend my Soul to the almighty God who gave it and my body to the earth to be buried in a Decent and Christian like manner at the discretion of my executors herein after named. Item It is my will and I do hereby order that at the first place all my just debts as I shall owe at the time of my decease together with my funeral charges be duly paid and satisfied as soon as conveniently can be done after my decease.
Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved wife Ruth Jones the front room in my new dwelling for her one use to live in as long as she remains my widow and further I give and bequeath unto my said wife my bedsted and all the furniture thereunto belonging and my black walnut chest of drawers and one milch cow to be of her one choice out of all my cattle and by black walnut noble table and three of my best chears one iron pott of her choice two pewter dishes six pewter plates three small basens my tea kittle and my best tea pott an six spoons and her saddle and the fourth row of apple trees from the meadow to John Heulins field which is called the grafted row beginning to count at the east side of farmland and my said wife shall have liberty of part of the celler under my dwelling house of as much as she shall want for her one use.
Item I give and bequeath unto my eldest sone Peter Jones my tenement Plantation and tract of land whereon I now lived computer to be about one hundred and fifty acres with all the buildings and every of the appurtenances whatsoever thereunto belonging (executing the liberty and priviledges therein before given and bequeathed to my wife) to hold to him the said Peter Jones his heirs and assigned forever and I will and do hereby order that my said son Peter Jones his heirs executors administrators or assigns shall pay yearly and every year unto my said wife Ruth Jones the sum of seven pounds lawfull money and seven bushels of good clean wheat and shall keep her milch cow summers and winters as good as his and as need shall cut and haul her fire wood sufficient for her living all which he is to pay and perform yearly as long as she remains my widow but no longer.
Item I give bequeath and devise unto my youngest sone Ezeciel my back plantation where Leonhard Heilman now liveth to be cut square with my upper line the whole breath true to contain exactly eighty acres of land and twenty acres of clear land out of the back field of my plantation wherein I now live the whole to contain one hundred acres of land to hold to him the said Ezeciel Jones his heirs and assigns from the time as he arrives to the age of twenty one years and from thence forward forever buy my said wife shall have five pounds lawfull money and five bushels of food clear wheat from said Plantation yearly as long as she remains my widow as aforesaid.
Item I give and bequeath unto my said eldest son Peter all the remainder of my estate of what kindsoever it is together with my negro Masi and the rent of my Plantation which devised to my youngest son Ezeciel until he arrives to his age aforesaid but said son Peter Jones shall pay or cause to be paid until my daughter as shall n this my Last Will and Testament hereafter be mentioned and all other reserves as I shall make that is to say to my eldest daughter Catharine the sum of fifty five pounds lawfull money which he shall pay to her as followeth this is to say the sum of ten pounds on demand after my decease and the remainder one year after my decease and I shall give the case of drawers and black walnut noble table which I got made for her.
Item to daughter Elizabeth the sum of thirty five pounds lawfull money to be paid to her as soon as she arrives to her age of twenty one years with lawfull interest for the same.
Item to my daughter Perse the sum of fifty pounds lawfull money to be paid to her as soon as arrives to her age of twenty one years with lawfull interest for the same and a case of drawers which I got made for her.
Item to my daughter Judith the sum of fifty pounds lawfull money to be paid to her as soon as she arrives to her full age of twenty one years with lawfull interest for the same and a case of drawers which I got made for her.
And further I will and do hereby order that my said son Peter Jones shall give my son Ezeciel two years schooling and provide for him sufficient meat drink apparel washing and lodging.
And at the expiration of the two years schooling shall bind him to a trade as my said son Ezeciel shall chose and my said son Peter Jones shall plant of cause to be planted one hundred grafted apple trees fit to be planted and for an orchard on the land which I devised to my son Ezeciel one year after my decease if it is not done before and shall allow my wife to raise and keep yearly one swine on his premises as long as she remains my widow and three sheep he shall keep as his own during the time aforesaid and shall give unto my youngest son Ezeciel my big muskit gun when he lives to his age abovesd and shall allow my said wife the half part of the gardin before my house for her one use during the time as she remains my widow all the articles which I have given and bequeathed to my said wife Ruth Jones in this my last will and testament is in lue of her thirds and dower and lastly I make and ordain my said wife and my son Peter Jones executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking and making void all former and other wills by me at any time heretofore made declaring this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness whereof the said Peter Jones (Senior) have to this my Last will and Testament set my hand and seal the day and year first above written sealed and delivered by the said Peter Jones in the presence of us who where present at the signing and sealing thereof
John Hulin
Nicolas Bunn
Contributed by: Liz Harrison.
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