Will - Richard JAMES

Dated 12 Jan 1684 Proved 18 Apr 1685

"In Nomine Dei the Twelvth day of Janry An Dom 1684/5 I Richard James of Annarundall County in ye province of Maryland Plant. being sick and weak in body, but of perfect mind & memory (praise be to ye Almighty God do make this my last Will & Testament in manner and forme following-Simple

I give and bequeath unto Elenor my beloved wife all the plantation I dwell on being Land for one hundred acres be it more or less during her natural life and after my said wifes decease it is my mind & will that my eldest daughter Mary, and to her heirs Execs and assigns for ever but if it shall my said eldest daughter Mary shall depart this natural life before she shall attaine to ye age of sixteene years or dye without heirs lawfully begotten of her body, that then it is my will and mind yt my said land and houses shall redowne unto my second daughter Sarah and her heirs for evr but if it shall that my second daughter decease be she attaine to age of sixteene years or without issue lawfully begotten of her body, thus it shall redowne unto my third daughter Martha and her heirs for ever, but if she shall dye before she shall attaine to ye full age of Sixteene years or without issue lawfully begotten of her body, for want of such issue it shall redowne and fall to my fourth daughter Rachel and her heirs, but for want of issue lawfully begotten of her body, then it shall fall and be right of my fifth daughter Deborah and her heirs for evr but for want of issue lawfully begotten of her body then to redowne unto my sixth daughter-

Item I give and bequeath unto my eldest daughter Mary, one cow called by the name of whiteface with her increase of such cow calves as she shall bring during the time of her minority but all ye increase of ye male cowes shall be for maintainance of her & ye family untill she attaine to the age of sixteene years then they and their female increase to be delivered to her. Item I give and bequeath unto my second daughter Sarah my brown cow called by the name of Stagg and her female increase to be delivered unto her at ye age of Sixteene years but the increase in male calves to be for ye maintainance of my wife and children Item I give and bequeath unto my third daughter Martha my cow called by the name of beauty and her female increase to be delivered unto her att ye age of sixteene years buy ye male increase to be for ye maintainance of ye family. Item I give and bequeath unto my fourth daughter Rachell my two cows cally Cherry and the other called Tandy and their increase of cow calves to be delivered unto her att ye age of sixteene years but their male increase to be for ye maintainance of ye family-

Item I give and bequeath unto my fifth daughter Deborah my cow called pye and her female increase to be delivered unto her at ye age of Sixteene years, but ye male increase to be for ye maintainance of ye family

Item I give unto Mary Symons one browne heifer called by ye name of Dow

Item I give unto Robert Orme one young Horse called Rock to be delivered unto them within three months after my decease.

Item I desire yt all debts which of right I owe to any person be truly and honestly satisfied and paid by my Exec* hereafter named. I desire that Nehemiah Brickhead and Robert Orme to be vz overseers of this my will desiring heartily to take care to see my Legacies pformed according to this my last will and Testamt Item I give and bequeath unto my loving wife Elinor all ye rest and residue of my Estate psonall andtemporall Goods Chattles, Chattetts, household stuff and Implemts of household stuff wheresoevr they shall be found to belong of right to me and I make Exec* of this my last wi;; and Testamt In Witness my hand and Seale this day and year first above written the mark of

Richard (R) James

Sealed and Delivered in ye presence of:
William (S) Symons }
the mark of
Jno Elsey }
James (E) Milner }
the mark of
}
Sarah (A) Orme }

The Same will thus endorsed/ These whose names within mentioned the 18th day of April Anno Dom 1685 came and made oath before me that this is ye Act and Deed of Richard James dce.

William Symons
James Milner
Sarah Orme
Jno Elsey

Given from unde my hand and Seale as above mentioned

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Contributed by Anonymous

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