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In the name of God Amen. The
fifteenth day of January, Anno 1748, I, Alexander Akins of the County of Cecil
in the Province of Maryland, being in a very poor state of health, but of sound
disposing mind and memory, praise be given to God for the same, and knowing the
uncertainty of this life on Earth and being desirous of setting things in order,
do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to
say, first and principally I command my soul to Almighty God my creator, assured
by believing that I shall receive full pardon and free commission of all my sins
and be saved by the pretious death and merits of my blessed saviour and redeemer
Christ Jesus, and my body to the Earth to be buried in a decent and Christian
manner as to my executrix hereafter named shall be thought fit and convenient;
and as for my worldly estate as the Lord in mercy hath sent me, I do order,
give, and devise the same in the manner and form following.
First it is
my will and desire that my beloved wife, Mary Aikens, shall enjoy the whole of
my estate for as long as she should live, and at her death the same should be
distributed amongst my children as follows.
I bequeath that upon the
death of my said wife that my eldest son, Archibald Akins, should receive as his
legacy my dwelling house and the land that I now live on being 260 acres lying
on the Ssquhenna River in Cecil County, along with all of my personal effects
namely those things which I have inherited from my father, Robert Akins,
deceased. Viz - my pistols, sword, arms, seal, and the old Bible all brought
forth by my father to this country when he came here to settle on the lands of
his grandfather, as I have since done.
Next, it is my will and desire
that my son Robert Akin should receive from my estate the amount of 200 pounds
along with my Negro boy, Tom, and my black horse, saddle, and riding gear.
To my eldest daughter, Mary, I bequeath that upon the death of her mother,
she shall inherit from her those effects belonging to my beloved wife, together
with my Negro girl, Dinah, and such kitchen and household furniture as she may
desire.
To my son Alexander Akins, Junr., I bequeath that he should
receive all of the money arising from the sale of the tobacco from the last
harvest when it is brought to market together with my Negro boy, Bill.
To
my daughter, Margaret, it is my will that after the death of her mother that she
should receive all the dishes, vessels, glasses and silver now in my house
together with the Negro girl, Betsy.
To my son, John Akins, I bequeath 10
pounds in addition to all that he has already received, for the troubles he has
caused me.
Lastly, I do hereby nominate and appoint my beloved wife, Mary
Akins, to serve as the executrix and her brother, Andrew Douglass, Junior, shall
serve as my executor. Whereby I do now set my hand and my seal to this my last
will and testament, hereby revoking all other and former wills made by me.
Alexander Akins, Senr. (seal)
Signed, sealed & delivered in the presence
of us -
John Beatty
Thomas Addam
Richard Crenshaw
On the back of
the foregoing will was thus written,
Viz: March 18, 1748, came John Beatty,
Thomas Adam and Rich. Crenshaw, the three witnesses to the last will and
testament of Alexander Aikins, deceased, and made oath upon the Holy Evangelists
of Almighty God that they saw the within named Alexander Akins sign and seal and
heard him publish and declare the within instrument of writing to be his last
will and testament, and at the time of his so doing, to the best of their
knowledge he was in perfect mind and memory.
Transcribed by Mr. J. Barrentine from the original record in the MSA collection.
Contributed by Steven & Julie Akins
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