Will of PETER SHANK (1867) Frederick County, Maryland

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Will of Peter Shank 
Liber TLMc 1, folio 503

In the name of God Amen.  I Peter Shank of Frederick County & State of Maryland, 
being weak in body, but of sound mind, memory & understanding, considering the 
certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time there of and being desirous 
to settle my wordly affairs and be the better prepared to leave this world when 
it shall please God to call me hence, do therefore make and publish this my last 
will and testament in the manner & 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, and after all my debts and funeral 
expenses are all paid, I give and bequeath to my wife Susannah Shank one 
thousand dollars & direct my executor to pay the same over to her out of any 
money that may come into his hands within one year after my death, I also give 
and bequeath to my wife Susannah Shank one bed stead & bedding, one bureau, one 
small stand, six chairs, and fifteen yars of rag carpeting.
I also desire and request my executor to let my wife remain in the house in 
which she now lives free of charge until he sells it.
I also give and bequeath to my son William Shank his heirs or assigns the lot or 
lots of ground known as the “Hill Lotts” containing about two acres of land or 
more or less adjoining the lands of Benjamin Smith on the north and Joseph 
McCloskey on the west.  I also direct my executor to sell the balance of my 
personal property at public sale as soon as he may think proper after my death.  
I also further direct my executor to sell my real estate at public or private 
sale as he may think best at any time within two years after my death, and the 
proceeds of the sale of my real and personal property together with all moneys 
as well as the proceeds of all bonds, notes and private securities that I may 
have at my death not heretofore disposed of, is to be equally divided into five 
shares, and one of those shares to be equally divided between the legal heirs of 
my son Frederick Shank dec’d and the remaining four shares to be equally divided 
between my other children (viz) Charlotte!
  Donsife, Susannah Zimmerman, William Shank and Sarah Anders, share and share 
alike, except Sarah Anders is to have one hundred dollars deducted off of her 
share, and that one hundred I direct my executor to over to my daughter 
Charlotte Donsife.
And lastly I do hereby appoint my son William Shank to be my sole executor of 
this my last will and testament, revoking & annulling all other former wills by 
me made ratifying and confirming this to be my last will and testament.
In testimony whereof I have herewith set my hand and affixed my seal this fifth 
day of March in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty seven.

Peter Shank {seal}

Signed sealed published and declared by Peter Shank, the above named testator as 
and for his last will & testament in the presence of us, who at his request and 
in his presence and the presence of each other have subscribed our name as 
witness hereto.
George W Shank
W. Irving Parsons
Henry L. Donsife

Maryland Frederick County to wit:
One the 25th day of August 1868, came George W Shank and made oath on the Holy 
Evangely of almighty God, that the aforegoing instrument of writing is the true 
and whole will and testament of Peter Shank late of Frederick County, deceased, 
that has come to his hands and possession, that he received the same from the 
widow for safe keeping, and that he does not know of any other of a later date.
Test. S.G. Cockey, Register

State of Maryland, Frederick County, to wit:
On the 25th of August, 1868, came George W Shank, W. Irving Parsons, Henry L 
Donsife, the subscribing witnesses to the aforegoing last will and testament of 
Peter Shank, late of Frederick County, deceased, and made oath on the Holy 
Evangely of almighty God that they did see Peter Shank, the testator therein 
named, sign and seal this will; 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 said will in the presence of and at the request of the testator and 
that they did also see each the other subscribing witness sign his name as 
witness to said will at the request of the testator in his presence and all in 
the presence of each other.
Test. S.G. Cockey, Register

[written in the margin]
To the Honorable the Judge of the Orphan’s Court of Frederick County, I Susan 
Shank widow of Peter Shank late of Frederick County deceased do hereby renounce 
and quit all claims to any bequest or device made to me by the last will of my 
said husband exhibited and proved according to law, and I elect to take in lew 
thereof my dower or legal share of the estate of my said husband.  Witness my 
hand and seal this 21st day of October 1868.

Susan Shank her mark {seal}

Test. George Taylor Jacob H Bowers