Will - William PEARCE

Dated 12 Sep 1719; Proved 19 Oct 1719

In the name of God, Amen! I William Pearce of Anne Arundell County being Sick & Weak in Body but of sound mind & Judgement (Blessed be God) do make contstitute & appoint this my last Will & testament thereby revoking all Former Wills by me heretoforemade. In Manner & form following that is to say~~Firstly before all things I recommend my Soul into the hands of Allmighty God believing Remission of Sins & Everlasting Life through the Meritts Death & Passion of Jesus Christ my Lord; and only Saviour. And for the better disposal of my Worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me I dispose thereof as followeth. I do give & bequeath all my Land to be equally divided between my two Sons William & John Pearce and to their Heirs forever, and in Case either of them shall die before the Said Lands be divided and Leave Issue, then the Heirs of the body of the deceased shall have an equal Right in the Said Lands with my Surviving Son. And it is my Will & Mind that my Said Sons be at age to work for themselves as they shall arrive to the Age of Sixteen Years Successfully. And I do make constitute & appoint my Loving Wife Elisabeth Pearce full & whole Executrix of this my Last Will & Testament desiring her to bring up my Children in the Fear of God, and to let them have such Part of my Personall estate as by Law shall belong to them as they shall arrive to the age of twenty one Years Successfully. Lastly I do make & contstitute my two Loving Nephews Thomas & William Tipton Trustees of this my Last Will & Testament, desiring them to See the same duly executed, by me made this twelfth day of September In the Year of our Lord God One Thousand Seven hundred and Nineteen.
Signed Sealed Published
and Declared to be his Last

Wm Pearce (Seal)
Will & Testament by the
Abovementioned Testator.
In the presence of
Henry Hall
John Stevens
Susanna Wanill.

On the back of the aforegoing Will was thus endorst (first) Oct. 19th~~ Then came the Reverend Henry Hall and John Stevens Subscribing Evidences to the within Will & made oath on the holy Evangelists that they Saw the Testator Sign Seal and Deliver the within Instrument of Writing as his Last Will & testament & that he published & Declared the Same so to be. And at the time of his So doing he was of Sound and perfect mind & Memory to the best of their knowledge. Sworn before me. Phil. Hammond D.C.A.

Contributed by Bill Pearce
Source: Prerogative Court (Wills) 1718-1719; 15, p.217, MSA: Microfilm SR4409; pp.389-390