Will - James FORD

Dated 20 Jul 1702; Proved 16 Dec 1702

In the name of God (Almighty) I James Ford of Herring Creek in the County of Anne Arundel and Province of Maryland though being weak in body but of sound memory, praised be God, calling to mind the uncertainty of this life do hereforth make this my last will and testament in (manner) following.

First and principally, I command my soul into the hand of Almighty God my heavenly Father ( ) hoping of salvation in & through the spirit of my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and my body to be buried at descretion of my executrix hereafter named, for my worldly estate whereas it hath pleased God to bless and (impose) ( ) as followeth.

I (give) to my (loving) wife Eliza(beth) that house, garden, orchard (house) lands and ( ) hereunto belonging and whereon I now live commonly called or known by the name of the upper plantation, with all its appurtenances for and during the term of the natural life without impeachment of (waste) and also the rest of my ( ) land and plantation in Herring Creek as commonly called (lower? or middle?) plantation with all its appurtenances. I also give and devise to my loving wife and her assigns for and during & until such (time)( ) as my son Thomas Ford attained the age of one and twenty years or marry which shall happen first without (impeachment) of waste and ( ). I give and devise and bequeath also ( ) the plantation house land and ( ) aforementioned and also my plantation land and ( ) in Herring Creek to my son Thomas Ford his heirs and assigns forever. Item: I hereby give devise and bequeath unto my loving brother Jno Ford and my loving (sister) Eliza (Baring) also the tract of ( acres) land lying or (going) onthe south side of Susquehannah in the County of Baltimore and Province of Maryland, commonly called or known by the name of Reputter ( ) three hundred acres (of the land to be) equally divided between them and their heirs and assigns forever without any advantage of survivorship by either of them.

Item: I give devise and bequeath unto my two younger sons John and James their heirs and assigns forever all that tract or piece of land lying or going on the south side of Susquehannah commonly called or known by the name of Rockford containing by estimation three hundred acres (of land) more or less, to be equally divded between them and their heirs without and advantage of survivorship of either of them.

Item: I give to my daughter Mary our negro girl called (Bess) and to my daughter Eliza our negro boy called Caezar when my two daughters hath attained the age of sixteen years. And if either of my daughters before their two respective ages shall happen to die then the survivor of them to have both of the negroes.

Also my will (intent) is that if my wife shall happen to marry again or die before any of my two sons attain the age of one and twenty years then they (transcriber's note: this appears to say that they may inherit at 16 if they are married and James' wife is remarried or dead).

Item: I hearby give and bequeath all the use of my goods, cattle, chattels (whatever) after my death and funeral charges first paid to my executrix hereafter named (transcriber's note: this appears to say that division should be made equally between his (10?) children as they reach 17 years of age). And lastly I hereby nominate and constitute and approve my ( ) wife Eliza to be my sole executrix of my last will and testament hereby revoking all (former and) other wills whatsoever in (witness) whereof I have hereto put my hand and seal this (20) day of July anno dom 1702.

James Ford

Signed (sealed) and published
in the presence of
Wm W.Smith
Corn White
Andrew Norton

Dec 16, 1702
Then came William Smith, Cornelius White and And.Norton and made oath that they saw the within named James Ford signed, seal, published ( ) as within written to be his last will and testament and that at the said time he was of sound ( ) mind and memory. Registrar

Contributed by Stephen Ford
Source: From the collections of the Maryland State Archives, Annapolis. Punctuation and spelling modernized, uncertain and unknown words enclosed in brackets.