1847: Windsor Township, Berks County, PA
In the name of God, Amen, I Conrad Strawser of the Township of Windsor in the County of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, Farmer, being in perfect health and of a sound disposing mind, memory and understanding, but considering the uncertainty of this transitory life, do make and publish this my last Will and Testament, in manner and form following, to wit.
First, it is my Will, and I do Order and direct, that all my just debts and funeral expenses be duly paid and satisfied as soon as conveniently can be after my decease.
Item. [I] give and bequeath unto my dear wife Rosina during her natural life, the use and Occupation of a part of my house, which I now Occupy, consisting of a room & a back room on the first Story, and room on the garret sufficient, to keep two beds & sundry other articles, being the part which she hath at present in use, together with a right and priviledge in the kitchen, cellar, bake oven, Spring house, one half of the room on the Spring House, and that part of the garden which she at present has in use, and also a right & priviledge to be in and about the yard at said house.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my said wife Rosina, for her use during her natural life, all my household furniture and kitchen utensil, and two cows, two hogs, two sheep, my Dearburn waggon & gears, my Clock & case and ten Chickens, all to be at her choice.
Item. I further give and bequeath unto my said wife Rosina, for and during her natural life, the interest arrising out of One thousand two hundred Dollars, to be paid to her annually by my two sons Jeremia and Jacob, as hereinafter directed; all which legacies to my said wife, I do hereby declare to be in lien and Stead of her dower at common Law.
Item. I give and devise my two Messuages, Tenements, Plant, Portion of Trust of Land, with the appurtenances, Situate in Windsor Township of County of Berks, bounded by Lands of Jacob Barr, George Heinly, Daniel Strawser, dec’d, Jacob Focht, Isaac Miller, Jacob Adam, and other, Containing Two hundred Acres, more or less, unto my two sons Jeremia and Jacob, and to their heirs and assigns for ever; they or them paying and allowing for the same the sum of Thirty Dollars per acre, the usual Allowance to be given in, and said land to be first surveyed, payable as follows, to wit: The sum of One thousand two hundred Dollars to be and remain a lien on the said premises during the natural life of my said wife, with interest, and the interest of said sum of One thousand two hundred Dollars, my said two sons, Jeremia & Jacob, or their heirs & assigns, shall pay the same unto my said wife annually, during her natural life as herein before to her bequeathed; And the remainder of the money what the said devised premises will amount to, is to be paid annually the sum of four hundred Dollars still? paid without interest, to my following Children, or to their heirs and assigns, to wit: the first four hundred Dollars to be paid in one year after my decease to my two daughters Sarah, and the heirs of my daugter Esther., dec’d; the second four hundred dollars to be paid in two years after my decease to my two daughters, Polly and Catharina; the third four hundred dollars to be paid in three years after my decease to my two daughters, Royel and Lea; the fourth four hundred dollars to be for my two Sons Jeremia & Jacob, which they shall and may retain for themselves, in four years after my decease; and then the fifth four hundred Dollars to be paid again to my two first above mentioned daughters, in six years after my decease, and thence annually to be paid the same sum, to the same children above named, and in rotation as above stated, and to retain and keep for themselves the same sum in rotation with the others as above stated, until the same is fully paid and retained, so that each hath received and retained alike and equal; and after the death of my said wife, the aforesaid sum of One thousand two hundred Dollars of which my said wife shall receive yearly the interest during life, shall be paid as follows, to wit: the sum of four hundred Dollars thereof, to be paid in one year after the last payment herein before mentioned is payable, and from thence to be paid annually the sum of Four hundred Dollars, until the same is fully paid, and to be paid and retained, to my following children without interest, and to be for their use; viz. To my Sons Jeremia, Jacob & Isaac, and to my daughters Sarah, Esther, Polly, Catharina, Royal, and Lea, and to their heirs and assigns for ever, Share & Share alike.
Item. I do further order and direct that my two Sons Jeremia & Jacob, their heirs & assigns or the possessor of the Land which I have given & divided to said Jeremia & Jacob, shall give and deliver yearly to my said wife during her natural life, one half an acre of land for Potatoes and to plough, harrow, and maneur said land as well as their own, to plough the potatoes & harrow them, to plough them in and out, to haul the potatoes out & home and to put them in her cellar, and to give and to deliver to her house, fire wood as much as necessary for her use during her life, ready cut for in the stove & to carry said wood into her room, and also to feed and pasture for my said wife during her natural life, as well as their own cows, two cows, two sheep and ten chickens, and Stubling good and sufficient for said cows, sheep, chickens and for two hogs & also apples for her family use, if any [ ? ]. All of which to be yet in addition of the consideration for the property aforesaid given to them.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my three grand children Sarah, Lea, and William Stevens, their heirs and assigns, the sum of One hundred and fifty Dollars, to be paid to them by my son Isaac as herein after directed, and the interest thereof I give and bequeath unto my daughter Rosina, and to commence; to be for her use during her life and to be paid to her as herein after directed.
Item. I give and devide my Messuage Tenement and Piece of Land with the appurtenances, Situate in Windsor Township of County of Berks, bounded by lands of Jacob Adam, Jacob Heinly, Peter Fink, Peter Adam & others, Containing thirty one Acres, more or less, unto my Son Isaac, his heirs and assigns for ever; he or they allowing and paying for the same the sum of One thousand and fifty Dollars; to be paid as follows to wit: He shall and may first deduct, retain, and keep for himself and for his heirs & assigns, a sum equal to and as much as will come to, and be paid to my other children out of the Lands and Tenements, which I did herein before give and bequeath unto my two sons Jeremiah & Jacob and payable before the death of my wife; the sum of One hundred & fifty Dollars, to be paid to my three grandchildren, Sarah, Lea and William Stevens, at and immediately after the death of my daughter Rosina, as herein before to them bequeathed; and the interest thereof, and to commence as soon as all my other children have received each the sum of six hundred Dollars, from and out of the lands and Tenements given and devised to my sons Jeremia & Jacob, from thence to my daughter Rosina, yearly during her natural life time, as herein before to her bequeathed; And the remainder of the money whatever it may be, to be paid the sum of Fifty Dollars, in four years after my decease, and from thence the sum of Fifty Dollars annually, until the amount is fully paid and satisfied, and to be paid and retained to my following children without interest, and to be for their use; viz. to my sons Jeremia, Jacob & Isaac, and to my daughters Sarah, Esther, Polly, Catharina, Royal, and Lea, and to their heirs and assigns for ever, Share & Share alike.
Item. I give and devise my Tract or Piece of wood and sprout land, with the appurtenances, Situate in Windsor Township of County of Berks, bounded by lands of Joseph Smith, Fredrick Bailey, & Philip Burkey, Containing Thirteen Acres, more or less, unto my three sons, Jeremia, Jacob and Isaac, and to their heirs and assigns for ever; they or them allowing and paying for the same the sum of Four hundred and fifty five Dollars, and to be paid in one year after the last installment or payment is payable of the Lands and Tenements which I give and devise herein before unto Jeremiah and Jacob, and to be paid and retained to my following children, without interest, viz. To my sons Jeremia, Jacob and Isaac, and to my daughters Sarah, Esther, Polly, Catharina, Royal and Lea, and to their heirs and assigns, in equal Shares.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my Two Sons Jeremiah and Jacob and to their heirs and assigns for ever, all my Stillkettels, Stands and all the apparrattus belonging to my Destillery, and also my Applemill and trouph; they or them allowing and paying for the same, the sum of One hundred and forty Dollars, and to be paid in one year after the last installment and all the payments is payable of the Lands and Tenements which I have given and devised herein before unto my sons Jeremia, Jacob & Isaac, and to be paid to my following children; viz. To my sons Jeremia, Jacob and Isaac, and to my daughters Sarah, Esther, Polly, Catharina, Royal, and Lea, and to their heirs and assigns, in equal Shares.
Item. I do order and direct, that my Executor herein after named shall sell and dispose all my personal property, which my said wife doth not retain, or not otherwise herein before devise, by public Sale, and after the decease of my said wife, the residue of my personal property, to be sold by public Sale by my herein after named Executor, and the monies arising therefrom, and all the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, real and personal of what kind or nature so ever the same may be, not otherwise herein before devised, I give and devise the same unto my following children, and to their heirs & assigns for ever; viz. To my sons Jeremia, Jacob and Isaac, and to my daughters Sarah, Esther, Polly, Catharina, Royal and Lea, to be equally divided to and amongst them, Share and Share alike.
And lastly, I nominate, constitute and appoint my esteemed neighbour, Captain George Heinly to be the Executor of this my Will, hereby revoking all other Wills, Legacies and bequests by me heretofore made, and declaring this and no other to be my last Will and Testament.
In witness whereof, I the said Conrad Strawser, to this my last will and testament, contained on two sheets of paper sowed together, and of six pages, have on the last page set my hand and seal, and on every other page thereof, my hand only, the nineteenth day of June A. D. One thousand eight hundred and forty four.
Conrad X Strasser (his mark) (CS)
Signed, Sealed and delivered, by the said testater, as his last Will & Testament in the presence of us. S. B. The interlines of the lines struck out were made before signing.
Israel Derr
Geo. Miller
Berks County P. On the 6th day of October A. D. 1847, appeard Isaac Derr and Geo. Miller the subscribing Witnesses to the foregoing Will, who being duly sworn according to Law, did depose and say that they were present and saw and heard the Testator Conrad Strawser sign (by making his mark) seal, publish and declare the foregoing instrument of writing as and for his Last Will and testament, and that at the time of so doing he the said testator was of sound mind memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge and belief.
Isaac Ely, Register
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Brendan D. Strasser.
USGENWEB NOTICE Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents.
Last Modified