Will - Samuel WATTS

Dated 14 Feb 1890; Proved 8 Apr 1890

In the name of God; Amen. I Samuel Watts of Anne Arundel County in the state of Maryland being in feeble health but of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding Con- sidering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof being desirous to settle my worldly affairs and thereby be the better prepared to leave this world when it shall please God to call me hence, do therefore make and publish this my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say. First and Principally I commit my soul into the hand of Almighty God and my body to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor herein after named and after my debts and funeral charges are paid I devise and bequeath as follows

Item 1st I give and bequeath to my son James P Watts the sum of Ten dollars and no more.

Item 2nd I give and bequeath to my son William J Watts the sum of Ten dollars and no more.

Item 3rd I give and bequeath to my son George D Watts the sum of Five dollars and no more.

Item 4th I give and bequeath to James P Watts my oldest son in trust for the use of William Lewis Clark my grand son the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty dollars to be paid to the said grand son without interest at the age of twenty one the said James P Watts to have the privilege of use- ing so much of said sum of money for Educational or other purposes for the benefit of said minor before he is Twen- ty one years of age as is in his Judgement may seem best for his interest but if the said minor should die before he arrives at the age of Twenty one. I will and bequeath that the said sum of money shall be equally divided between all of my then surviving children.

Item 5th I give and devise to my son Benjamin F Watts part of a tract of land called "Ridgleys Chance" beginning at a stone set in the Tenth line of land I conveyed to George D. Watts and bounding on said line S 47 W 84 ps to the road from Odenton to Patuxent thence bounding on said road and conveyance reverse N 38 W 21 ps S 80 W 8 ps to the Seventh line of the land conveyed by Jarrett Watts to Samuel Watts bounding on the same S 7 E 6 S 19 N 10 ps S 9 E 14 ps thence leaving said line running N 62 E 25 to the aforesaid road thence with said road S 43 E 11 ps S 54 E 7 ps leaving the road running N 47 E 83 ps N 43 W 19 ps to the beginning containing 12 acres 2 rd 36 ps of land more or less to him the said Benjamin F Watts his heirs and assigns in fee sim- ple. Item 6th I give and devise to Sarah C Watts my wife part of a tract of land called "Ridgleys Chance." Beginning in the road from Odenton to Patuxent at the end of the seventh line of the land devise to my son Benjamin F Watts thence reverse the said line to the out lines of my land and with the out lines to a bounding chestnut tree thence N 69 E 33 ps to the aforesaid road thence with the lines of the land I convey to James P Watts N 47 05 min E 88 ps to a stone N 56 E 30? ps to the first line of land conveyed by Ruth Watts and others to me thence bounding on the lines thereof N 32 E 22 ps to a stone N 22 W 80 ps S 47 W 66 ps to a stone thence with the lines of the part devised to my son Benjamin F Watts to the beginning containing 51 A 2 rd 24 ps of land more or less to her the said Sarah C Watts during her life and at her death I give and devise said land to Mary V Disney my daughter and Wife of Philip Disney in fee simple.

Item 7th I give and devise unto my daughter Eliza C Chaney and wife of James Chaney part of a tract of land called "Ridgleys Chance" beginning at a bounded chestnut tree of the part devised to my wife and bounded on the land conveyed by me to William ? Wheeler thence with my out line and the road to Patuxent to my wifes part of said land and with her line to the beginning containing 25 A 30 ps of land more or less to her the said Eliza C Chaney during her life at her death to her children.

Item 8th I give and devise to my daughter Achsah R Phelps wife of Walter Phelps all that part of tract of land called Bold Venture being that part of the land lying to the West of the road from Odenton to Jessups Cut that was conveyed by Allen Warfield Trustee to Jarrett Watts containing About 27 A of land more or less to her the said Achsah R Phelps her heirs and assignees in fee simple.

Item 9th I give and devise unto my son Arthur A Watts all that part of the Farm on which I now live and called the Trusty Friend lying on the west side if the road from Odenton to Jessups Cut containing about 47 A of land more or less to him the said Arthur A Watts his heirs and assigns in fee simple.

Item 10th I give and devise unto my wife Sarah C Watts all that part of the farm where I now live on the East side of the road from Odenton to Jessups Cut Being part a tract of land called "Trusty Friend" Containing about 34 A of land more or less to her the said Sarah C Watts during her life and that at her death I will and devise that all that part of said land lying North & East of the following lines shall be the property of my daughter Ella C. Watts beginning for the same at a stone S 23/4 W 31 ps from a stone marked B. and running across the tract S 77 W 23 ps to a stone N 13 W 64 ps to a stone S 84 W 33 ps to a stone on the road from Odenton to Jessups Cut containing 17 acres of land more or less to her the said Ella C Watts her heirs and assigns in fee simple and at the death of my wife Sarah C Watts all that part of said land devise to her by me which lies South & West of said lines con- taining 17 acres of land shall be the property of my daughter Bertha A B Watts her heirs and assigns in fee simple.

Item 11th I will and bequeath to my dear wife Sarah C Watts all of my personal property during her life at her death I will and bequeath my household furniture to my two daughters Ella C Watts and Bertha AB Watts jointly and the ballance [sic] of my property I will and beq- ueath to all of my then surviving children to be equally de- vided between them.

And lastly I do constitute and appoint my son James P Watts to be my sole executor of this my last will and Testament revoking and annulling all former wills by me heretofore made conforming this to be my last will and Testament. In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal this 14th day of February eighteen hundred and ninety.

Samuel Watts {Seal}

Signed, Sealed published and declared by Samuel Watts above named testator in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto
John W Disney
J J Elliott
J.R. Woodward

Anne Arundel County SS
On the 8th day of April 1890 came James P Watts and made oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God that he does know of any will or codicil of Samuel Watts late of said County deceased other than the above instrument of writing and that he received the same from JR Woodward and have retained possession of same until delivered to the Register of Wills that the deceased departed this life on the 30th day of March 1890.
Sworn to before the Subscriber
W.F. Petherbridge
Register of wills for Anne Arundel County

Anne Arundel County SS
On the 8th day of April 1890 came John W. Disney and JJ Elliott two of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing last Will and Testament of Samuel Watts late of said County deceased and made oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God that they did see the Testator sign and seal this will that they did see the Testator sign and seal this will that they heard him publish, pronounce and declare the same to be his Last Will and Testament that at the time of his so doing he was to the best of their apprehension of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding: and that they together with JR Woodward now detained at home on account of ill health subscribed their name as witnesses to this will in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other.
Sworn to before the Subscriber
W. F. Petherbridge
Register of wills

In the orphans court of Anne Arundel County
the court after having carefully examined the above Last Will and Testament of Samuel Watts late of Anne Arundel County deceased together with the evidence adduced as to its validity orders and decrees this 8th day of April AD 1890 that the same be admitted in this Court as the true and genuine Last Will and Testament of the said Samuel Watts deceased.
John H Sellman
Wm H Downs
Charles H Russell

Contributed by Danny Watts
Source: MSA Anne Arundel County Prerogative Court (Wills) book JWB 43, folios 419-424, year 1890