Will of John SHORTT (1846); Anne Arundel County, Maryland Copyright(c) 2003 by Brenda Blackburn . http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ******************************************************** Will of John Shortt, Book BEG:1, Page 104, Anne Arundel Co., Maryland Archives Dated May 2, 1846 Entered for Probate February 5, 1850 In the name of God Amen, I John Shortt of Anne Arundel County, in the State of Maryland, being in perfect health of body, and of sound and disposing mind, memory, and understanding 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 shall please God to call me home 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 God and my body to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor hereinafter named and after any debts and funeral charges are paid. I devise and bequeath as follows. Item. I give and devise unto my two grandsons, namely John Lowman and Rezin Lowman, my plantation whereon I now dwell known by the name of "Mary's Allotment" containing one hundred and twenty nine acres of land more or less to the said John Lowman and Rezin Lowman share and share alike in feel simple. Item. I give and devise unto my son John and my daughter Sarah, my plantation being a part of a tract of land called "Finland" containing forty four acres of land more or less in the following form to wit. I give and devise to my daughter Sarah twenty two acres of said "Finland" including the house whereon a certain Purnell I. Reddish lives, during her life and after her decease. I devise that it shall be equally divided amongst her children share and share alike. And the other twenty two acres of "Finland" at present occupied by Charles Jones, I bequeath to my son John during his life and after his decease I devise the same to my Grandson Dennis Lowman his heirs and assigns. And I hereby direct that the said devise made to my son John and my daughter Sarah that they occupy or lease, and neither of them are to sell and that no more timber or wood are to be used by either than is actually necessary for fuel and fencing. Item. I devise and bequeath all the residue of my Estate (being personal) to be equally divided between my two grandsons namely John Lowman and Rezin Lowman in equal portions share and share alike. And lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint my grandson John Lowman to be my sole Executor of this my last will and testament revoking and annulling all former wills by me heretofore made, ratifying and confirming this and none other to be my last will and testament. In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 2nd day of May in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-six. John Shortt his mark Signed, sealed, published and declared by John Shortt the above Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other, have subscribed their names as witnesses thereto. Owen Disney John Pumphrey David Mero Shaw Isaiah Pumphrey Matthias Lowman Anne Arundel Co. SS: the 5 day of January 1850 Then came Owen Disney and Isaiah Pumphrey, two of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing last will and testament and made oath on the Holy Evangely 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 together with John Pumphrey, David Mero Shaw, and Matthias Lowman, the other subscribing witnesses respectively subscribed their names as witnesses to this will in the presence and at the request of the testator and all in the presence of each other. Benj. E. Gantt Reg. Wills A.A. Co. Anne Arundel County the 5 day of February 1850 Then came John Lowman and make oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God that the foregoing instrument of writing is the true whole and last will and testament of John Shortt late of Anne Arundel County deceased that hath came to his hands and possession and that he does not know of any other. Benj. E. Gantt Reg. Wills A.A. Co.