Will of William Pearce 1835

Last Will & Testament of William Pearce of Baltimore County, Dated 2 July 1835, Proved 26 September 1835

In the name of God, Amen! I William Pearce of Baltimore County in the 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 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 hands of Almighty God, and my body to the earth, to be decently buried at the discretion of my executrix herein after named, I devise and bequeath as follows: I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Ruth Pearce all and singularly both my landed and personal property during her widowhood or natural life and if in case she should marry then it is my will that she should relinquish all her claim to my estate both real and personal and after her death it is further my will that each of my eight children shall have an equal share of my real and personal property share and share alike whatever kind I may have in possession or own at the time of my death, viz.: David Pearce, William Pearce, Thomas Pearce, Rachel Pearce, Elizabeth Pearce, Joshua Frances Pearce, Josiah Sparks Pearce, Mary Pearce, and to their heirs and assigns forever, and further it is my will that my three daughters Rachel Pearce, Elizabeth Pearce, and Mary Pearce should have a home with their mother so long as they keep single or wish to stay with her but in case either of them marries or leaves her without cause then they have no further claim on their mother nor my estate until after their mother's death and then to come in for an equal share and share alike with the rest of my children as above named. And Lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint my dear wife Ruth Pearce to be sole executrix of this my last will and testament.__ In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this second day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty five.
William (his mark) Pearce {seal}

Signed, sealed, published and declared by William Pearce the above named Testator as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence, and in the presence of each other, have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.
Jonathan Plowman Junr
John Nelson
Dixon Stansbury

Baltimore County, So: On the 26th day of September 1835, came Jonathan Plowman Junr and John Nelson two of the subscribing witnesses to the aforegoing last Will and Testament of William Pearce 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 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 apprehensions of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding and that they together with Dixon Stansbury 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. Sworn to before the Subscriber
Register of Wills for Baltimore County. D. M. Perine

Baltimore County, So: On the 9th day of October 1835, came Dixon Stansbury one of the subscribing witnesses to the aforegoing last Will and Testament of William Pearce late of said County deceased and made Oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God that he did see the Testator sign and seal this Will that he 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 his apprehension of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding and that he together with Jonathan Plowman Junr and John Nelson the other subscribing witnesses thereto subscribed their names as witnesses to this will in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other. Sworn to in open Court.
Test: D.M. Perine, Register of Wills for Baltimore County

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Contributed by Bill Pearce
Source: Baltimore County Wills (MSA: Microfilm CR72,247-1; pp.389-390)

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