Will of John Stifler 1858

Last Will and Testament of John STIFLER of Baltimore county, Dated 1 Nov 1858

In the name of God Amen. I, John, Stifler, of Senior, of Baltimore County and State of Maryland, being weak and infirm 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 [illegible] and form following, that is to say:

First and principally, I commit my soul unto the hands 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 __ [note: there is a space, with this underline written in], I devise and bequeath as follows,

Item, I give and bequeath unto my loving wife Elizabeth Stifler during her natural life, all my Estate, both real and personal, excepting one Cow, which is now in the possession of my daughter, Barbery Tracey, which cow I give unto the said Barbery, and one horse and wagon, which is now in the possession of my son Jacob Stifler, which I give unto the said Jacob Stifler; and one wheat fan which I give unto my sons John Stifler and Jacob Stifler, and that my daughter Barbery Tracey have the use of the house she now lives in and one and a half acres of land around said house including the garden and the use of water out of the Spring near said House, and the privilege of traveling the present road through my land, until one year after the death of my wife, and then said Lot to be sold with my Real Estate.

Item, my will is that my Exeter [sp] ater [sp] the death of my wife sell my personal Estate and in one year from her death the real estate, and have full power to collect all moneys coming to me in any way, and to make to the purchaser a good and lawful right for the same, subject to my son Jacob Stifler have the privilege of passing through said land in present bed of a road as now used.

The said lands being a part of a tract called nothing Venture, Nothing Venture [note: underlining in original] nothing win , and part of a Tract called Walker luck, and a part of a tract called Pleasant Garden , and part tract Hardfare all of which is lying contiguous to each other, and is lying in Baltimore County, and State of Maryland, and if my wife shall not like to live in my dwelling after my death, my Executor shall rent the farm and give the rent to my wife, during her life, and the interest of all moneys coming to me if any ater [sp] my debts are paid shall be given to my wife annually for her support by my Executor, whom may collect all moneys due me and settle all the affairs of my Estate.

My Will further is that when my Estate personal and real is collected, that my son Jacob Stifler have one ninth of the same, and my son John Stifler have one ninth part of the same, and my son George Stifler have one ninth part of the same and my daughter Elizabeth have one ninth part of the same, and my daughter Barbery Tracey one ninth part of the same, and Harriet Boblitz one ninth part of the same, and that my daughter Miranda Stifler one ninth part of the same and that my grandchildren, heirs of my daughter Ann Riley deceased, have one ninth share of the same, to share and share alike. And lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint my son John Stifler to be sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament, revoking and annulling all former Wills by me heretofore made, ratifying and confirming this and none other to be my Last Will and Testament. In testimony thereof, I have hereunto set my name and affixed my seal this first day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty eight.

his X mark
John Stifler, senior

Signed sealed, published and declared by John Stifler, 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 witness hereto
Elisa Jones
John S Jones
Alfred S. Cooper

Contributed by Jean Belt