Will of Thomas Ford 1748

Last Will and Testament of Thomas Ford, Sr. of Baltimore Co., Dated 18 Nov 1748

In the name of God, Amen, I Thomas Ford, Senr. of Baltimore County, being a lowstate of health but being of perfect mind and memory and calling to mind and duly considering the uncertainty of human life, make this my last will and testament. First and principally, I commit my soul into the Lord; of my blessed Maker, for the (remission) of all my sins; my body, I commit to the earth to be ( ). As to my temporal estate, I bequeath and dispose of it in the following manner.

Imprimas to my son Stephen Ford I bequeath, to him, my negro boy, Danny, and one hundred acres of land, being part of my dwelling plantation where I now live on, to him and his heirs forever, but in case of death, leaving no heirs, lawfully begotten, of his body, to fault to my son Mordica Ford and no more of my estate. Item: to my daughter Mary Barney, one negro named (Hager) and to her daughter (Nancy) our negro boy named Harrey, which they are now possessed with and no more of my estate.

Item: to my son John Ford one negro named George which he is now possessed with and no more of my estate.

Item: to my son Mordica, one negro named (Jason) and no more of my estate.

To my son Thomas Forda, whom I constitute and appoint the sole and sole executor of this my last will and testament, bequeath unto him one negro man named Jim and one hundred and one acres of land, to him and his heirs forever. The (reserves) and remainder of my estate to be equally divided. Confirming this to be my last will and testament; in witness whereof I have put my hand and seal this eighteenth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty eight.

Tho fford sen

Signed sealed published and declared by ( ) Testator Thomas FordTo be his last will & testament inpresence of us who inscribe our names in presence of the
D.B.Partridge
John Taylor Senr (his mark)
Ralph Flowers (his mark)

On the cover of this document:
Then came D.Bucklar, ( ) Partridge, Jno Tipton Senior and Ralph Flowers three of the subscribing witnesses to the within mentioned will and each of them made oath on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God they all saw the testator Thomas Ford sign the within will and heard him publish and declare the same to be his last will and testament and at the time of his so doing he was to the best of their apprehensions of sound and ( ) memory and that they all subscribed their names and marks as witnesses to the said will in the presence of the testator and at his request.
Sworn before W.Young

Transcribed and contributed by Stephen Ford
From the collections of the Maryland State Archives, Annapolis. Punctuation and spelling modernized, uncertain and unknown words enclosed in brackets.