I  Samuel McDowell of Pymatuning township Mercer County and the State of Pennsylvania being weak of body but sound mind and memory knowing the certainty of death but not the time when it will take place and in oder that I may be the better prepared to leave this earth when it may please God to call me hence.
I do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament. In the first place I do hereby appoint Robert MCormick and Samuel McDowell to be my executors. My property I divide as follows: to my dear and loving wife Ann I will and bequeath the use of the house and all the furniture that we now live in and two cows and pasture for them (and at her death the property is to belong to my son Robert) and also the use of horse when she needs it, and six sheep and one third part of all that my be raised off of the land, the old improved part of the farm. To my loving son James McDowell I will and bequeath the land he now lives on as surveyed by Robert MCormick clear of any dower to his mother. But subject to the payment of hone hundred and fifty dollars to his sisters when Robert my youngest son comes of age. To my son John McDowell I bequeath fifty dollars and the notes I hold against him to be paid out of the personal property. To the heirs of my son Edward I will and bequeath the land the widow of the said Edward now lives on clear of all incumbrance, the widow of the said Edward to have the use of it as long as she remains a widow htte same as if Edward had had a deed for it in his life time. but if she should get married to any person her interest to cease but if she maintains the children she is to have the use of it until they become of age.
To my son Henry I bequeath the land he now lives on subject to the dower of his mother on what was improve or cleared before he went on it, and also to the payment of one hundred sixty six dollars and sixty six cents to his sisters when son Robert comes of age. To my son William McDowell I bequeath the land he now lives on clear of any dower to his mother but subject to the payment of one hundred and fifty dollars to his sisters when my son Robert comes of age. To my daughter Margaret I bequeath two hundred dollars to be paid when her brother Robert comes of age. To my daughter Mary I bequeath two hundred dollars to be paid when her brother Robert comes of age. To my son Samuel I bequeath the land he now occupies subject to the dower of his mother and to pay his sisters one hundred sixty six dollars and sixty six cents when my son Robert comes of age. To my daughter Jane I bequeath two hundred dollars to be paid when her brother Robert comes of age. To my daughter Juliann I bequeath two hundred dollars to be paid when her brother Robert comes of age. To my son Robert I bequeath the remainder of my land property subject to the dower of his mother and to the payment of one hundred sixty six dollars and sixty six cents to his sisters to be paid when he becomes twenty four years of age. All my personal property that I may have that is not provided for is to be sold and after the payment of all my just debts the remainder of the the money is to be divided equally among my daughters and to **********(?) as so much paid on their legacies of two hundred dollars each, by my sons Henry, Samuel, and Robert. The fifty dollars that is to be paid to my son John I allow my executors to loan it to one of my sons whichever the think needs it the worst for five years and if John does not claim it in that time, the money to be divided among the girls as an additional legacy. In witnes whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this twenty fifth day of November one thousand eight hundred & forty

Samuel McDowell

Robert MCormick
Samuel MDowell

Lest there should arise any difficulty about the division of land, I hereby anex a draft of the division of the land as made by myself and Robert MCormick

Samuel McDowell

 Robert MCormick
Samuel MDowell

[Recorded 23rd March 1841]

***April 15th 1847 has James McDowell, Henry McDowell, Samuel McDowell, & Robert McDowell paying the sum of $800 -- possibly the money to be paid to the sisters as the following names are listed:
James Thompson
Margaret Thompson
Wm M Thompson
Jane Thompson
Robert Downing
Julian Downing (her mark X)
Polly McDowell (mark / )

(Source: Submitted by Jan McDowell)