Will - Joshua WATTS

Dated 10 Oct 1779; Proved 23 May 1782

In the Name of God, Amen. I Joshua Watts of Ann Arundel County being very Sick and weak in Body but of Perfect mind and Memory, thanks be given Unto God, calling into mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all Men once to die, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament, that is to say, principally and first of all, I give and renounce my Soul into ^the hand of Almighty God, that gave it, and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be Buried in decent Christian Burial, at the Discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but at general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God, and as touching such Worldly Estate where with it has pleased God to bless me in this Life after my Lawful Debts are paid. I give, demise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form ~

First I give and bequeath to Rachel my dearly Beloved Wife, whom I likewise constitute make and ordain the Sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament the Sum of Thirteen hundred Dollars with the Interest, which I have in the Loan Office Also I give to my Son Joshua a Bay Mare and Aljun [Sic] ~ Likewise I give unto my son Joshua and my Son Nathan, to them and there heirs for ever all and Singular my Lands Meusages, and Tenaments by them freely to be prossessed and enjoyed in manner and form following Vizc. my son Joshua to have two hundred Acres; and my Son Nathan One hundred Acres. Nathan to have Thirty Acres out of the upper end of Bold Venture and the remaining Seventy Acres out of the upper end of the Tract call'd Worthingtons Beginning ~ Likewise, The rest of my Estate I give to be equally divided among my Children Vizc. Samuel, Betsy, Anne, Mary, Susanna, Joshua, Rachel, Henry, and Nathan and I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke, and disannul all and every other former Testa= ments, Wills, Legacies, Bequests and Executors, by me in any ways before Named, Willed and bequeathed, ratifying and Confirming this and no other, to be my last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have set my hand and Seal, this thenth day of October One thousand seven hundred and Seventy Nine ~

Signed, Sealed, published pronounced and
declared, by the said Joshua Watts as his last
Will and Testament in the presence of us who
in his presence, and in the presence of each
other have hereunto subscribe our names

William Forrest
William Barry
William Bateman

On the back of the aforegoing
Will was the following endorsement to wit

Anne Arundel County ssc. Then came William Forrest one of the subscribing Witneses the 23d, May 1782 ~ ~ to the within Will and made Oath on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God that he did see the Testator therein named sign and Seal this Will and that he heard him publish pronounce and declare the same to be his last Will and testa ment, that at the time of his so doing he was to the Best of his Apprehension of sound And disposing mind memory and understanding and that he together with William Barry and William Bateman respectively subscribed their names as Witnesses to this Will in the presence and at the request of the Testator and in the presence of each other
Sworn before Thos. Gassaway Regn. Wills for AA Coty
(MB for further probate to this Will see page 349)

Contributed by Danny Watts