Will of Edward Matthews 1829

Will of Edward MATTHEWS of Baltimore County, dated September 6, 1829, Probated October 6, 1829

In the name of God, I, Edward Matthews of Baltimore County, and state of Maryland, being sick and weak in body but of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding considering the certainty of death, and the uncertainty of the time thereof, and being desirous to settle my worldly affairs, and be the better prepared to leave this world when it shall please God to call me hence, do make and establish this to be my last will and testament and manner and form following first and principally, I commit my soul in the hands of Almighty God and look to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executors herein after named and upon my debts and funeral charges are paid, I devise and bequeath as follows.

Item, I give and devise unto my loving wife one third part of my present personal estate. I also give unto my wife my dwelling house with five acres of land contiguous of said house during her natural life, if she continues my widow, but if she marries again she not to have said house and land any longer than she continues my widow. My will further is that my two daughters, namely Agness, and Rachel, may live is said house with their mother as long as they live single. My will further is that my wife have a reasonable supply of fuel off my other land during the period aforesaid.

I give and bequeath unto my son, William Matthews his heirs and assigns forever eighty acres of my land lying in Baltimore County. Beginning for the same mark the northernmost corner of my buckwheat patch on a line if Philip Krow's land and running thence including the meadow with the straight line through the Cone home field still including the Branch until it intersects John N. Shalk's land with the dwelling house he now lives in the said eighty acres of land is to join the lands of John N. Shalk and Philip Krow's land.

Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Agness Matthews thirty dollars, my will further is that all such household furniture as she bought is known to be her property that she is to have it and not be reckoned in my estate as I do not claim it. I give to my daughter Rachel Matthews thirty dollars, my will further is that all such household furniture as she bought is known to be her property that she is to have it and not be reckoned in my estate as I do not claim it.

Item, I give and devise all the rest and residue of my personal and real estate unto my children namely Agness Matthews, Rachel Matthews, Deborah Stabler, Sarah Biggs, Charlotte Tracey, and Comfort Wantland, and my three grandchildren namely Mary Wantland, Wesley Wantland, and Jane Wantland, to have one seventh part or share of the said residue to wit Agness Matthews one seventh part, Rachel Matthews one seventh part, Deborah Stabler one seventh part, Sarah Biggs one seventh part, Charlotte Tracy one seventh part, Comfort Wantland one seventh part, and one seventh part to be divided among my three grandchildren namely Mary, Wesley, and Jane Wantland. My will is whereas the land I give to my son, William Matthews, is of more value than what I have to give to the rest of my children, that before my executors hereafter named, one hundred dollars in the manner, fifty dollars to be paid in one year after my death and the other fifty dollars to be paid two years after my death, said money to be applied in the paying of my debts. My will further is that my executors hereafter named, shall have full power to sell at future sale all the rest and residue of my estate both real and personal to enable them to pay my debts, and make distribution as before mentioned, and execute and acknowledge deeds for the land subject to the encumbrance aforesaid of my wife.

And lastly, I do constitute and appoint, Thomas Wantland and my son William Matthews sole executors of this my last will and testament working and annulling all former wills hereto made by me, and ratifying and conforming this and none other to be my last and testament.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this third day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty nine

Edward (his X mark) Matthews (seal)

Signed sealed and acknowledged and published by Edward Matthews the testator as and for his last will and testament who in his presence and in the presence of each other, at his request hath subscribed our names as witnesses therein William Dorsey, Theodous Masemore, Enoch Dorsey

Baltimore County S.S. on the 6^th day of October 1829 came William Dorsey and on the 8^th day of the same month in the year aforesaid came Theodous Masemore, two of the subscribing witnesses to the aforegoing last will and testament of Edward Matthews late of said County, deceased and made oath on the holy evangels of Almighty God 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 comprehension, sound and disposing mind memory and understanding and they together with Enoch Dorsey the other subscribing witness thereto subscribed their names as witnesses to this will in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other.

Contributed 2001 Mar 25 by Steve Pearce
Note: Edward and Sarah Matthews are buried at Gunpowder Baptist Church, Middletown Maryland.