Will of Samuel STEPHENS (1856) Frederick County, Maryland This file was contributed by Julie Rogers ************************************************************************ * USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. ************************************************************************ (Compiled by Julie Rogers from the Frederick County Courthouse, Frederick, Maryland Records Department December 1998) LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF SAMUEL STEPHENS (Book G.H. 1, Page 86 ) In the name of God Amen - - I Samuel Stephens of Frederick County, State of Maryland, being sick and weak in body but of sound and disposing mind and memory in understanding the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof and being desirous to settle my worldly 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 manner and form following, that is to say - - First . . . to be buried in a plain manner, no mourning badges, no funeral sermon, this request I make of my hereinafter named Executors and after my debts and funeral charges are paid, I devise and bequeath as follows: Item - I give and devise unto Nancy (nee: Lucas) Stephens my beloved wife and to Samuel Stephens, Jr. my third eldest son now living, my dwelling house, and store house which I now occupy both front and back lots and all that belongs to the premises, household and kitchen furniture, this is to be for the benefit of my beloved wife during her natural life and a house for my two youngest children Mary and Charles, which they remain at home and single, provided they treat their mother right and as have been named heretofore in this instrument that Samuel, my third oldest son, is to occupy the store room, any way he things proper by taking good care of his mother, and after her death, the property named shall be his, the one half of the stock, belonging to the store. I have given to Samuel my son already named in this Will . . . To Charles my youngest son I bequeath my silver luver watch and my new rifle. To David, my son for disobedience to me, I give to him $25.4 (he has been a disobedient boy). To Nathan my eldest son I bequeath one sett of my Smith tools, including all my new screw plates, my househoulds and kitchen furniture is to be Samuel's my third son, as has been named, after the death of his mother, by his given to Mary, one feather bed and steade, the 16acres of land purchased of Cornelius Clay is to remain unsold untill all my children become of age, but to be cultivated and the proceeds for the use of my wife and the two youngest children also my Smith shop to remain unsold untill all become of age . . . and finaly lastly this two lots lying North East of New Market, wish my machinship and all the apprethances belonging thereto wish all my personal property and all that has not been named, . . . be sold by my thereafter named Executors, and the proceeds of the same, with that of notes of bonds and acts that may remain in my hands at my death to be let at interest untill all become of age and the equally devided between Nathan my son and Samuel my son and Charles my son and my daughter Mary - - Lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint Samuel Stephens, Jr., my son, and Nathan Stephens my son to be sole Executors of this my last will and testament revoking and annulling all former wills made by me . . . (G.H. 1, Page 139) To the Judges of the Orphans Court of Frederick County, Maryland. I Samuel Stephens, Jr., one of the appointed Executors in the Last Will and Testament of Samuel Stephens, Sr., late of Frederick County, dec'd, do hereby refuse to act as one of the Executors of said deed by virture of said appointment and therefore renounce all my rights, title and claim to said Executorship May 1856. (A.P.K. 4, Page 419) Administrative Accounts The third and final of Nathan Stephen's accounting, Executor of Samuel Stephens, late of Frederick County, dec'd. This accountant charges himself with the balance due on real estate sold to John C. Clay and rectified by the Orphans Court on the 7th day ofFeb. 1857 - $200. Also with this sum received of Eugene Hammonly for real estate sold him and rectified on the 11th day of April 1864 - $1,376. Also with this sum received of Grafton B. Hammond for real estate sold him .. . 11 April 1864 $460. Totaling $2,026.