Will of George Rice -  1854, Allegany County, Maryland 

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George Rice
Maryland State Archives
Microfilm CR-28-1
Allegany County, Maryland Wills 
Liber B, Folio 79, 80                           

In the name of God, Amen, I George Rice of Allegany County in the state of 
Maryland being of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding and 
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 should 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 Good, 
and my body to the earth to be decently buried and after my debts and funeral 
charges are paid I desire to bequeath as follows:
        I will and devise unto my daughter Sofa Rice one hundred dollars to be 
paid out of my estate the picking of one cow, one bed well furnished, and a lot 
of bed clothes not belonging to the bed, all the household and kitchen furniture 
that she may want to keep.
        I will and devise unto my son John Rice my home farm three years after my 
death free of rent after the three years shall have expired I desire that the 
three disinterested persons shall be appointed by the Executors to appraise the 
farm and if either of my three sons wish to bid the same as the appraisement 
they shall have the privilege of doing so beginning with the oldest and going on 
to the youngest, if not sold, if neither of the sons wish to take the farm at 
the appraisement it shall be sold and the money divided equally among the ayrs 
(sic) except Sofa Rice as above named shall have her hundred dollars, cow and 
bed and do this over and above her equal share with the rest - All the personal 
property except the cow - belonging to Sofa Rice shall be sold and the 
money divided equally among the following ayrs Joshua Rice, John Rice, Levi 
Rice, Charlotte married to Andrew Rice, Sarah Rice married to David Rice, 
Catherine married to John Cross, Anna married to Jacob Rice, Elizabeth married 
to Solomon Rice, Sofa Rice; all of the above heirs shall have equal shares in 
the above named estate except Sofa Rice shall have her hundred dollars, cow and 
bed and clothes over and above her equal share with the rest.
        And lastly I do hereby constitute appoint my sons Joshua Rice, John Rice, 
Levi Rice as sole executors of this my last will and testament, revoking and 
annulling all former wills by me heretofore made ratifying and confirming this 
and no other to be my last Will and Testament.
        In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 
18th day of April in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and fifty four.
                                                George Rice   (SEAL)

Signed sealed published and declared by George Rice, the above named testator as 
and for his last Will and testament in the presence of us who at his request and 
in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as 
witnesses thereunto.

Geo W. Bouse
                                        John B Hardinger
                                        Nelson Laxton

Maryland Allegany County
        On the 27th day of April, 1854 came Joshua Rice, John Rice and Levi Rice. 
Executors and mad oath on the Holy Evangely almighty God that the foregoing 
instrument of writing is the true and whole will and testament of George Rice 
late of Allegany County decd that hath come to their hands and possession and 
that they do not know of any other.
                                        Test W. R. McCulley, Register

Maryland Allegany County Sct
        On the 27th day of April 1854 came John B. Hardinger, Nelson Laxton 
and George W. Bouse, the three subscribing witnesses to the foregoing last will 
and testament of George Rice, late of Allegany County decd and made oath on the 
Holy Evangely of Almighty God that they did see the testator herein 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 so doing he was to 
the best of their apprehensions of sound and disposing mind memory and 
understanding and that they respectively subscribed their names as witnesses 
thereto at the request of the testator in his presence and all in presence of 
each other.
                                        Test W R McCulley Req

To the Register of Wills for Allegany County
        I, John Rice, one of the appointed Executors in the last will and 
testament of George Rice late of Allegany County, deceased, do hereby refuse to 
act as Executor to said Will by virtue of said appointment, and do therefore 
renounce all my right title and claim to said Executorship accordingly, desiring 
at the same time that Letters Testamentary may be may be granted and committed 
unto Joshua Rice and Levi Rice, the other Executors therein named - As witness 
my hand this 9th day of May 1854. 
                                                                John (X his Mark) Rice

Witness
W R McCulley Reg