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WILL of ABRAHAM COLLINS, 27 November 1811

Caroline County, Maryland, Liber JR #C, Folio 339
Wit: William Chaffinch, John Morgan, Frederick Holbrook
Submitted by E J German, transcribed 3/12/99, edited to add punctuation for convenience in reading, 4/01.
In the name of God Amen. I, Abraham Collins, farmer of Caroline County in the State of Maryland, being reasonably in health and of perfect sound disposing mind memory and understanding, blessed be God, amen, but calling to mind the Mortality of my Body and Knowing that it is appointed unto all men once to die, do therefore make, ordain, and publish this, my last Will and Testament, in form and manner following. to wit: first and principally of all, I Give and recommend my Soul into the hands of that God who gave it, and my Body which must go to the Earth, to be buried in a decent and Christian like manner at the discretion of my executor, herein after named and appointed - and as to such Worldly property it hath pleased the Lord to bless me with in this life, I Give and bequeath and dispose of the same in form and manner following, that I hereby Give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Jane Collins and my children all the crops of Corn, Wheat and fodder and other crops and provender and meat and all other provisions and such as I have laid up for my families use at my demise, sufficient for the support of herself and family for one year, and not to be accountable for by her in the administration of my Estate. Also, my Dwelling House where I now live, during her natural life, Exclusive and above her lawful dower of my Estate both real and personal.
Item. I Give and bequeath unto my three sons Samuel Collins, George Collins and Jessee Collins all my lands together with all and singular Emoluments and appurtinances thereon or thereunto belonging, to be equally divided between them as they may agree, but if they cannot agree in the division of the same amongst themselves, then they shall choose three disinterested persons (Men of sound judgement) to divide it for them, equally in Value as near as they can, and allot to each one his share, to have and to hold unto them, their heirs and assigns forever.

Item. I Give and bequeath unto Peggy Lucas, Daughter of William Lucas and Stephen Lucas, son of William Lucas, and Kitty Collins daughter of Mary Hubbard, wife of Peter Hubbard, the sum of five pounds current money each; to be paid to them by my Executors when then arrive at a Lawful age to receive the same.

Item, after my just debts and Funeral Expenses are paid and the legacies taken out, I leave all the rest of my Personal Estate to be equally divided between my two Daughters, Mary Hubbard, wife of Peter Hubbard, and Peggy Lord, wife of Andrew Lord, share and share alike; and whereas I have lately seen several Sorrowful Instances of Children Quarreling, rangling, and disputing about the little property their Parents have labored to get and leave to them for their good, and even squander it away on Lavishness, I do therefore order and direct, and it is my Will and devise, that if any of my Children shall after my death raise any Quarrels, Contentions or disputes about what is left them, and especially so as to delay them, and in such Cases is my Will and desire and I do here direct that the Persons so offending shall be forever bared of any part of my estate, and that the part willed to him her or any of them so offending shall be equally divided between my other children who with solemnity and gratitude receive what little their poor dec’d father have left them without any murmuring.

and lastly I have nominated, Constituted, and appointed my two sons, Samuel Collins and George Collins, whole and sole Executors of this, my last Will and Testament, well and truly to attend to, Execute, do, and perform all things so herein written, according to the whole intent and meaning of the same. In witness whereof I, the said Abraham Collins, have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand and affixed my seal, this twenty seventh day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Eleven.

(Signed) Abraham Collins

Signed sealed and Acknowledged by the same Abraham Collins as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses to the same: William Chaffinch, John X (his mark) Morgan, Frederick Holbrook.

Codicil to the Will of Abraham Collins.

Whereas I, Abraham Collins, Jr. of Caroline County in the State of Maryland have made and duly executed in Writing, bearing the date the twenty seventh day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred Eleven, which said last Will and Testament and every clause, bequest, and devise therein Contained, I do hereby ratify and confirm (saving and excepting such clauses bequests and devises therein mentioned as and by me herein after revoked and made Void) and being desirous to alter such parts thereof, and of making some additions, thereto, do therefore hereby make this my Codicil, which I Will and direct shall be taken and held as a part of my said Will and Testament in manner and form following:

that is to say whereas my Eldest son Samuel Collins has Died since the making of my said Will, and whereas I did in my said Will give to my said son Samuel Collins one third part of all my land, now I do hereby revoke that part of my said Will and give and devise all my land unto my sons George Collins and Jessee Collins, to be equally divided between them to have and to hold to them and their heirs in fee simple, Provided that the said George Collins and Jessee Collins shall pay to each of the children of the said Samuel Collins that is living, or their heirs
(if any), the sum of forty dollars current money to each of them, to be paid within two years after my decease, to all that is of lawful age to receive the same, and to all that might be under Age, when they shall arrive to lawful age to receive the same, Clear of interest until the time it might be to be paid. The said George and Jessee Collins each to pay alike in those sums so as aforesaid to be paid to the Children of the said Samuel Collins.

and whereas I did in my said last Will and Testament give to my daughter Mary Hubbard who is since dead, a certain part of my personal estate as therein mentioned, I do hereby revoke that part of my said Will and give the same to the children of the said Mary Hubbard, to be equally divided betwixt them all, including Kitty Collins, her oldest daughter, who is to have an equal share with the rest, to be kept however in the hands of my executors and paid to them as they severally arrive at Lawful age to receive the same, and Clear of Interest until the time it becomes due.

I do hereby revoke the legacy left to Kitty Collins in my said last Will and Testament and lastly, I do Constitute and Appoint my son Jessee Collins Executor (with my son George Collins) of my said Will, in the room of my son Samuel Collins, deceased. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this twenty eighth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fourteen.

(Signed) Abraham Collins

Signed Sealed and published and declared by Abraham Collins, the within named Testator, as and for a Codicil to his last Will and Testament, in the presence of we who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other, have subscribed our presence witness thereto:
Fred’k Holbrook, William Chaffinch, Henry Harriss of Amos.

Caroline County Will ) Then Came George Collins, one of the executors named in the
13th October, 1818 ) aforegoing Will and Codicil, and made Oath on the Holy Evangels of the Almighty God that the aforegoing Instrument of Writing is the true and whole will and Testament of Abraham Collins, late of Caroline County, deceased, that hath come to his hands or possession, and that he doth not know of any other of later date.

Caroline County to wit )
13th October, 1818 ) Certified by John Young, Regr of Wills for Caroline County

Then came William Chaffinch, John Morgan of Solomon, and Frederick Holbrook the three subscribing Witnesses to the aforegoing last Will and Testament of Abraham Collins late of Caroline County, deceased, and severally made Oath on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God that they did see the Testator therein named sign and seal this will and 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 apprehension of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding and that they respectively subscribed their names as Witnesses to this Will in the presence and at the request of the Testator and in the presence of each other.

Certified John Young, Regr of Will for Caroline County

Caroline County to wit )
13th October, 1818 ) Then came Frederick Holbrook, William Chaffinch and Henry Harriss (of Amos), the three subscribing witnesses to the aforegoing Codicil subjoined to the last Will and Testament of Abraham Collins, late of Caroline County, deceased, and made Oath on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God that they did see the Testator therein named sign and seal the same and that they heard him publish pronounce and declare the same to be a Codicil to and part and parcel of his said last Will and Testament; that at the time of his so doing he was to the best of their apprehension of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding and that they respectively subscribed their names as Witnesses to the said Codicil in the presence and at the request of the Testator and in the presence of each Other.

Certified by John Young Regr of Wills for Caroline County.

Caroline County )
October 14th 1818 ) I do hereby renounce and give up to George Collins all my right, title, and claim of the Executorship of the last Will and Testament of my father Abraham Collins, deceased, in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand the date above written

(Signed) Jessee Collins
Test. Peter Bell, Regr of Wills of Caroline County.

Notes on Abraham Collins Will

Abraham Collins, Sr. was age 66 when mentioned in the 1809 Caroline Land Commission record (B280) of Frederick Holbrook re: “Duncaster”. William Chaffinch was noted as age 29 in the same record. Thus, Abraham was born in 1743. Most of the witnesses and others mentioned in the wills were a generation younger than Abraham and Jane - contemporaries of their children.

Abraham refers to his lands. In the 1783 Caroline Tax List, he is shown as owning several properties in the Lower Choptank District Hundred: Rathel’s Choice, 537 1/2 acres; Woodyard, acreage not given; Grantham, part, acreage not given; and Addition to Grantham, acreage not given. Also shown as owning parts of the original Grantham were Thomas Fowlar, 50 acres, Mark Andrew, 177 acres, and Francis Covey, 193 acres. Covey also owned a part, acreage not given, of the original Addition to Grantham. Abraham’s brother, Isaac, was likewise a substantial property holder.

In Irma Sweitzer Harper’s Maryland Marriage Clues, Vol. 2, are these marriage records:

Collins, _______ to Jane, daughter of John Andrew, his will of 1787,

Collins, _______ to Nancy, daughter of John Andrew, his will of 1787.

These are surely references, respectively, to the brothers, Abraham and Isaac Collins. Their sister, Ann, is identified in the 1768 Will of their father, Abraham Collings, Md. Col. Wills, 36.327, and in Maryland Marriage Clues V. 3: Harris, _____ to Ann, dau of Abraham Collins, DOR Md. Balance Books 5/237, 1769. This is likely William Harriss, based upon the MESVR Nicolite record of the 5/2/1775 birth of Jeane Harriss, of William and Ann. The Abraham Collings will names children Isaac, Ann Harris, Abraham and daughter Welford (in that order). It is likely that this Abraham Collins is he cited in Early Settlers of Maryland 1731-50 as acquiring Collins Venture, 60 a.., on 8 Oct 1747 (BT/178; T11/220). “Collins Venture” was owned by Isaac Collins in the 1783 Tax Assessment. Maryland Colonial wills (vol 16, p 220/1) lists Abraham and Isaac Collins, along with Samuel Andrew as witnesses of the 18 Feb 1775 will of Lot Pritchett in Caroline County. Samuel Andrew may have been a brother-in-law to Abraham and Isaac.

The John Andrew who was the father of Jane, wife of Abraham Collins, appears on the 1783 Tax List, Lower Choptank District Hundred, owning Mary’s Lot, 287 acres, and Joseph’s Folly, no acreage given.

Ms. Jo Covey Johnston of Willoughby, OH, has stated that John Andrew’s wife was Sarah Cratcher, and that their daughter Sarah, married Matthew Covey. Matthew and Sarah’s son, Francis, is the Francis Covey who owned, with Abraham Collins and Jane, his Aunt, parts of Grantham and Addition to Grantham. Sarah Andrew Covey reportedly died before John Andrew’s will (15 Jan 1785 - 25 Dec 1786). Sarah Cratcher was b. 1712 and d. after 26 Jul 1794. She was the daughter of Samuel Cratcher d. c. 1734 and his wife Mary, d. 1765. This Mary Cratcher is the Mary Crucher whose 1765 Dorchester County names her daughter, “South” (Sarah) Andrew.

Abraham and Jane Collins’ named children were: Samuel, George, Mary, Jesse(e) and Margaret (Peggy). A possible older daughter - unnamed - may have been the wife of William Lucas.

Margaret Collins Lord was the youngest of Abraham’s and Jane’s children. Samuel was the oldest son. He married Deborah Satterfield 9/5/1787. Samuel was probably born in 1767. Deborah Satterfield is the Deborah Stevens, who wed Andrew Satterfield on 9/16/1783, widowed. Maryland Marriage Clues, V. 2 indicates:

Collins, Samuel (DOR) to Debrah, dau of John Stevens, CAR Land record I/345, 1806; and Collins, Samuel to Deborah, widow of Andrew Satterfield, CAR Land record K/35, 1809.

George Collins married Nice Hubbard on 8/29/1792. She was born 10/20/1776. Mary Collins married Peter Hubbard on 1/11/1801. He was born 10/21/1778. Nice(y) and Peter Hubbard were brother and sister (he was the next younger child after her), children of Jesse Hubbard (sometimes Hubbart) and Priscilla Vaulx. They were Quakers, previously Nicholites.

Margaret (Peggy) Collins married Andrew Lord in 1804. She was probably born in 1784, when Abraham was about 41.

Jesse(e) Collins married Peggy Andrew on 7/23/1811.

Kitty Collins is a daughter of Mary Collins who married Peter Hubbard.. She is likely the Catherine (sometimes given as Kitturah) Collins who married Peter Wright 4/14/1819. (See Jane Collins Will, below.)

MESVR Book 5 p. 70 shows Stephen Lucas marrying Sally Keene, (Caroline Co) on 5/29/1808 -St. Joseph’s Catholic mission record. This date suggests Stephen was born about 1788, and may rule out the William Lucas of the will as he who wed Sarah Hubbard, Nicey’s younger sister, (b. 2/16/1783), in 1799.
 
Last Updated: January 2021