Nicholas G. Ridgely (son of Greenbury Ridgely and Lucy Stringer)
"I Nicholas Greenbury Ridgely, of the City and County of Baltimore in the
State of Maryland being in good health and of sound mind, do make this my last
will and testament in manner following that is to say. - I give and devise to my
Sister Sarah Ridgely during her life, the farm in Anne Arundel County which was
devised to me by my father, and all the Lands adjoining or contignous thereto
which may belong to me at the time of my decease together with all the personal
property of every description that may then be on said farm; and I do authorize
and empower my said Sister Sarah (should it be her desire so to do) to sell the
said farm and lands and the personal property on the same; and upon receipt of
the purchase money therefor, to convey the said farm lands and other property to
the purchasers therof and their heirs absolutely forever, and the proceeds of
the same to invest in Stocks or publick funds or otherwise place at interest in
such manner as my Executors may approve!
of, and in case of such sale my said sister shall, during her life, be enititled
to the interest accruing on the proceeds so as aforesaid directed to be invested
or placed at interest. - From and after the death of my said Sister Sarah, I
give and devise to my sister Elizabeth Griffith, should she then be living one
moiety or half part of the farm lands and other property aforesaid, or of the
interest accruing on the proceeds of the same in case a sale thereof shall have
been made as above authorized, to hold the moiety of the specific property
itself, or the interest thereof, as the case may be to receive, during her life
and after the death of the survivor or longest liver of them my said Sisters I
give and devise the aforesaid farm lands and other property or the interest on
the whole proceeds thereof in case of sale as aforesaid to my daughter Eliza
during her life, and at her decease to her issue and descendants and their heirs
in fee, if such issue or descendants she !
shall have who may survive her: But in case of her decease without leaving a
child or the descendant of a child then living, I give and devise the aforesaid
farm, lands and other property or the proceeds of the same as the case may be,
to Edward Ridgely the son of my late brother Richard, and his heirs and assigns
forever. I will and direct that my executors pay out of my Estate, to Charles
Burrall late of Baltimore aforesaid, but now of Goshen in the State of New York
the sum of twenty five hundred dollars, to be disposed of by him according to
instructions which I have given him in a letter written to him by me. I will,
order, and direct that the accounts in the Books of Macdonald and Ridgely
against my late brothers Richard and Henry and my sister - in law Matilda
Ridgely, respectively, be charged in said Books to me and that acquittances be
given to them and their representatives for the respective amounts of said
accounts. Subject to the foregoing devises and disposi!
tions, I give and devise all the rest and residue of my Estate and property of
every description to Alexander Macdonald J----- and their heirs forever. In
trust and confidence nevertheless, and to the uses ends intents and purposes and
under and subject to the powers provisos and limitations following that is to
say. In trust for the exclusive use and benefit of my daughter Eliza during the
term of her natural life, so that she be suffered and permitted to receive and
take the clear rents, issues and income of the said Estate and property, and the
same to apply to her separate use, whether she be sole or covert, so that the
same shall not at any time be subject to the disposition power or control of any
husband that she may have nor be in any wise liable or bound for his debts
contracts or engagements, and from and after her decease, then in trust for the
children and descendants of my said daughter and their heirs for ever, if any
child or descendant she may have that sha!
ll survive her; the issue of any deceased child of my said daughter to have and
take the part share or portion which its or their parent would if living be
entitled to. But in case my said daughter Eliza shall depart this life without
leaving a child or the descendant of a child living at the time of her death,
then in trust as to two third parts of the same Estate and property for the use
of such of my blood relations, and their heirs as my said daughter Eliza shall
by her last will and testament (which last will and testament she is declared
competent, and is hereby authorized and empowered to make and execute, her
coverture not withstanding, or whether she be sole or covert) name and appoint
to receive and be entitled thereto; But in default of such nomination and
appointment then in trust for such of my blood relations as would by the now
existing laws of the State Maryland, be entitled to take free hold lands by
descent from me. - And as to the other third part of the !
same Estate and property, In trust for such of the relatives of my said daughter
on the part of her mother and their heirs, as she by her last will and testament
may name and appoint to receive and be entitled thereto. but in default of such
last mentioned nomination and appointment, then in trust for the four sisters of
my late wife, namely, Maria, Julianna, Eleanora and Henrietta, the daughters of
Martin Eichelberger, and their heirs to be equally divided between them: With
power nevertheless to the said trustees or the survivor of them, or the heirs of
the survivor, with the consent of my said daughter, to make and execute leases,
for any term or terms of years, renewable or not renewable, for any unimproved
lands or grounds owned by me in the City of Baltimore, for the best and most
approved rents that can be obtained for the same; And I authorize and empower my
said trustees or the survivor of them to appropriate and apply such portion of
my monies and property as may !
in their Judgement be necessary. to the improvement of the wharf, heretofore
known by the name of Chasis Wharf, situate on the West side of Jones Falls in
the city of Baltimore, so as to render the same production. I moreover authorize
and empower my said trustees with the consent of my said daughter if it shall be
considered beneficial for her, to sell dispose or and convey the whole or such
parts as may be thought proper, of my portion of the real Estate acquired by
Alexander Macdonald and myself during our partnership and the proceeds thereof
to invest in other real Estate or in stocks or publick funds; and in case any
such leases or sales be made; the rents reserved by such leases and the Estate
and property stcoks funds in which the proceeds of sale may have been invested,
shall be to the several and same uses, and subject to the like limitations as
are herein before expressed in relation to the specific Estate and property
itself out of which such rents or proceeds ma!
y arise. - And I do nominate constitute and appoint my aforesaid friends
Alexander Macdonald and ____ Executors of this my last will and testament hereby
declaring it to be my last. In witness whereof I the said Nicholas Greenberry
Ridgely have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal on the thirtieth
day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand and eight hundred and twenty
four.
Signed sealed published and declared by Nicholas Greenberry Ridgely the above
named testator to be 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 hereto
subscribed our names as witnesses thereto
Jno. Henderson
Jacob Small
Thos. B. Grundy"
(probate 18 Jan 1830)