Will of Robert DAVIS, Sr. (1763); Anne Arundel Co., MD Contributed to the USGenWeb Archives by Copyright 2004. All Rights Reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/md/mdfiles.htm ********************************************************* Will of Robert Davis, Sr. In the Name of God Amen. I Robert Davis of Anne Arundel County in the province of Maryland plantor being sick and weak in Body, but of sound and perfect memory (praise be given to God for the same) and knowing the uncertainty of this Life on Earth and being desirous to settle things in order to make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following viz ­ Imprimis First and Principally I commit my Soul to Almighty God that gave it, and my Body to the Earth from whence it was taken, to be buried in such a decent and Christian manner as to my Executors hereafter named shall be thought meet and convenient. Item I give and bequeath unto my loving Wife, Ruth Davis (after my just debts be paid) all my personal Estate to be by her possessed during her Widowhood. Item My Will and desire is that my loving Wife, Ruth Davis shall live and abide within my now dwelling house without any molestation whatsoever during her Widowhood, and as my Son, Ichabod Davis is the youngest, I desire that he may live with his mother, and that his share of Land may include the House and my will is further that my loving Wife may have liberty to cut wood for fire wood and timber anywhere of the whole tract for the necessary repairs of the Plantation or house and not otherwise. Item I give and bequeath unto my five sons (namely Nicholas, Ely, Robert, Thomas, and Ichabod Davis) the house and ?? all my lands to be equally divided amongst them and my will is further that if any of my sons should die before they come of age or have lawful Heirs of their Body that then their part of land go to the surviving brothers and my will is further that my sons shall not be allowed to sell their lots of ground to anyone but to one another. Lastly, I do constitute and appoint my loving wife, Ruth Davis together with my Son Nicholas Executors of this my last Will and Testament and what shall be remaining of my personal Estate in my Wife’s possession my will is that after her decease it be divided amongst my Ten Children, Viz ­ five sons and five daughters, hereby revoking all other wills heretofore by me made ratifying and confirming this only as y last will and Testament in Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this eleventh day of January in the year of our Lord God One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty-three. Signed, Sealed, Acknowledged Published and Pronounced In the Presence of us ­ Robert Davis SEAL Nathan Dorsey Benja Brown Rozin Gaither On the back of the foregoing Will was thus Written Viz ­ Anne Arundel County on The 22nd day of December 1789 Then came Rozin Gaither, one of the subscribing witnesses to the written last Will and Testament of Robert Davis, lat of Anne Arundel County, deceased and made oath in the holy ? ? Almighty God that he did sign the Testament and sealed his will, and that he 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 his apprehension, of sound and disposing mind, memory, and understanding, and the he together with Nathan Dorsey and Benjamin Brown who are both since deceased, respectively subscribed their name as Witnesses to this Will in the presence and at the request of the Testator, and in the presence of each other. Sworn before John Gassaway Reg of Wills for Anne Arundel County Precinct the 22nd day of December 1789. Then came Ruth Davis, the surviving Executrix appointed in the last Will and Testament of Robert Davis late of Anne Arundel County deceased before me John Gassaway, Register of Wills, and did refuse to act as Executrix to said will by virtue of such appointment, and did therefore renounce all her right, title and claim to said Executrixship accordingly. Then came Ruth Davis the Widow of Robert Davis, late of Anne Arundel County, deceased, and quitted her claim to the several bequest and devises made to her in the Will of her said Husband deceased, and elected in lieu thereof her dower or third part of the deceased Estate both real and personal.