Will - William IIAMS

Dated 28 Jun 1734; Proved 17 May 1736

In the name of God Amen I William Iiams of Ann Arundell County in the Province of Maryland Planter being of perfect mind and memory & calling to mind the mortality of my Body knowing tis appointed for all men to Die Do make Constitute & ordain this my last Will and Testament in the following manner & form.

Imprimus I bequeath my Soul into the hands of God that Gave it me, and my Body to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like & Decent manner at the Discretion of my Executors hereafter named and touching such worldly Goods as it hath pleased God to Bestow upon me, after my just debts being paid, I Give, Divise & Dispose of them as following --

I give & bequeath to my Beloved Wife Elizabeth Iiams during her natural life, all my personal Estate whatsoever except the following Legacies Provided my said Wife lives Single & remains unmarried, But in case she thinks proper to marry again, then I Bequeath all the Personal Estate aforesaid (Except as before Excepted) to be equally divided (immediately after such Marriage) Between my Son John Iiams and my Son Plummer Iiams & my Daughter Ann Iiams--

Item I Give & Bequeath to my Son William Iiams & his Heirs for ever a certain Tract or parcell of Land called Cheney's Resolution Containing One Hundred Acres Lying in Ann Arundel County aforesaid, Also the sum of five Shillings current money.

Item I Give & Bequeath to my Sons Richard & Thomas, also to my Daughters Elizabeth, Mary & Charity each of them the sum of five Shillings current money aforesaid.

Item I Give & Bequeath unto my Son John Iiams & his Heirs for ever after his mother's Decease a certain Tract or parcell of Land lying in Ann Arundel County called Bridge hill Containing One Hundred Acres being the greater part of my dwelling Plantation and if my Son John die without Issue Lawfully begotten of his Body Then I Bequeath the aforesaid Land called Bridge Hill to my Son Plummer & his Heirs for ever And further if my son Plummer die without lawfull Heirs begotten of his Body Then I Give & Bequeath the aforesaid Land unto my Son Thomas & his Heirs for ever.

Item I Give & Bequeath unto my Son Plummer & his Heirs for ever (after his mother Decease) a certain parcell of Land adjoining to Bridge Hill aforesaid Containing Sixty four Acres called Doden lying in Ann Arundell County aforesaid Now if my son Plummer die without Heirs lawfully begotten of his Body Then I Give the said parcell of Land called Doden to my Son John Iiams & his Heirs foe ever And if my Son John die without Heirs lawfully begotten of his body Then I Give the said Land unto my Son Thomas & his Heirs for ever.

Item I Give & Bequeath to my Daughter Ann one Negro girl named Bean & her Increase And in case my Daughter Ann die without lawfull Heirs Then I Give the said Negro Girl & her Increase to my Son John Iiams aforesaid.

Item Lastly I Constitute & ordain my Sons Thomas & John Executors of this my last Will & Testament & I do utterly Disallow Revoke & Disanull all & every other former Testaments Wills Legacies Executors by me in any wise named Willed & Bequeathed Ratifying this and no other to be my last Will & Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto Sett my hand & Seal this Twenty eight day of June Anno Dom. 1734

William Iiams (seal)

Sign'd Seal'd Publish'd Prnounc'd & Declar'd
to be the last Will & Testament of the said William
Iiams In Presence of us
Richard Williams
Richard Welsh
John Nicholson, junr.
Richard Williams, junr.

On the back of the aforegoing Will was thus written Viz --
May 17: 1736. Richard Williams John Nicholson, junr. & Richard Williams junr being duly Sworn Severally depose & Swear That they saw the Testator William Iiams Sign & Seal the foregoing Instrument & heard him Publish & Declare the same to be his last Will & Testament that at the time of his so doing he was to the best of their Judgement of sound & disposing mind & memory And that they Severally Subscribed their names to the said Will in the Presence of the Testator as Witnesses. Sworn to before me D. Dulaney Comry.

Contributed by Kathleen Bowen