1809: Tulpenhocken Township, >Berks County, PA
February 27, 1809
As God hath given me a natural Body and also a Soul so I commend my Body to the Earth as his Mothers Lap and my Soul I commend to God who hath given it to me and with my dear wife and with my children and with my Estate I will that it shall be holden as follows -
First I will that my beloved Wife Sophia Shall have a Right in the house to put her bed in the back Room in Summer time and in Winter time into the Stove Room and the Back Room upstairs Shall be hers to put her Goods In and on the fireplace to coock when She pleases and In the Seller to put her Goods where and when She pleases and In the Garden the fourth part in the lowest Corner and she or the whosoever lives on my land must put dung to her fourth part of the Garden and dug it for her, I will that My Wife Shall have two beds and all the flax and tow and all the linnin which I have and among my household furniture She has a Right to take as much as She has use for, and I will that all this before mentioned artickels my wife Shall have and Shall hold as long as She does not Marry
Second I will that he or the whosoever lives on my land must give unto my Wife Every Year Six Bushels of wheat and Six Bushels of Rye and put it to Mill and home again and Every Year Six bushels of potatoes and two bushels of Turnips and Every Year four bushels of Good winter apples and a good horse to Ride when She Riquires, and a good Milking cow of which She Shall have her Choise and Every Year a half bushel of fine Salt and half bushel of coarse Salt and Every Year twelve dollars of Money and I will that my wife Shall have for her use one fourth part of the land which lies betwin the Road and the Mill Race and Every Year one Good fat hog to weight 150 pounds and twenty pounds of Beef I will that whosoever lives on my land Shall give unto my wife all this beforementioned artickels as long as She does not marry - and In case my wife Should Get Sick that he or they whosoever lives on my land must nurse her and 4th of wool Every Year
Thirdly I will that after my deadth vendue Shall be made and all my debts Shall be paid and that my three Sons namely Jacob and Christian and John, with all my land shall hold vendue amongst themselves and whosoEver Shall Give the most for it Shall have it and that the Money Shall be divided amongst my three Sons into Equal Shears and after the death of my Wife my three Sons Shall have in Equal sheares all what She leaves behind
Fourthly I will that my son John Shall have beforehand the weaven loom with all what belongs to it
Fifthly I will that my Son John Shall have my plantation in possesson one Year after my death and he Shall give the half of the wheat and the half of the Rye what he Raises in that Year unto his brother Jacob and his brother Christian But he must Sow again as much about as he finds and Repair the fences as much as is necessary I will that my son John Shall have as many -paper ripped- and Sheep as I gave to his brother Jacob & Christian I will that after my death my Son John Shall have 40 Bushel of Rye and 3 Bushel of wheat & 300 pounds of meat and 20th lard & 20 Bushel of potatoes & Six Bushel of oats
Sixthly I will and ordain to be my Executors my Son Jacob and my Son Christian and this is thus my last Serious will and Testament where by I at the same time make void all former wills For the Ratefying all and Singular the abovementioned Artickels I Christian Zerbey have to this my Testament Set my hand and Seal the Day and Year abovementioned
Christian Zerby (his mark)
Signed and Sealed in presents of us
John Potteiger
Michael Miller
and I will that whosoever lives on my land must cut all the firewood and Carry it to My Wife Into the house as much as She wants
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Mihalcik.
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