Will of Mary Hall WEEMS (1840): Prince George’s County, MD Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Anne Agee ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Will of Mary Hall Weems In the name of God, Amen. I, Mary Weems of Prince George’s County in the state of Maryland, being in ill health of body, but of sound and disposing mind, memory, and understanding, and being desirous to settle my worldly affairs, considering the certainty of Death and the uncertainty of the time thereof, do make this my last will and Testament, that I may be ready when it shall please Almighty God to call me home. First and principally, I commit my soul into the hands of my God and my body to the earth to be decently interred at the discretion of my Executor. Item, after my debts and funeral expenses are paid, I will and bequeath unto my grandchild, George French Bowie, son of Robert and Margaret Bowie, the bond which I hold of a certain Richard Bowie of Prince George’s County, and in the event of his death prior to my decease, it is my will that the said bond or the proceeds of the same be equally divided among his brothers and sisters, equally share and share alike. Item, I give and bequeath unto my grandson James William Loch Weems Bowie, the bond or note which I hold drawn by his father Walter Bowie in his lifetime in my favor, the said bond or note to be given up to or divided among his brothers and sisters share and share alike in the event of his dying prior to my decease. Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Amelia M. Bowie the dozen table spoons which are now in her possession, also the sugar tongs and the best dozen tea spoons which are among my plate at the time of my death, also the flower pots in the drawing room. Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Amelia M. Bowie, one half of all my personal property, Negroes, horses, plate, household furniture, etc of every description whatsoever which is not herein otherwise disposed of. Item, whereas it is my desire that whatever I will and bequeath unto my granddaughter Margaret Hall Weems Bowie, wife of Robert Bowie, shall be for her own use and benefit and separate from her husband and not subject to his will or liable for his debts, therefore, I appoint Walter W. W. Bowie, her trustee, and I hereby will and bequeath unto him Walter W. W. Bowie, in trust, to and for the benefit of her, Margaret Hall Weems Bowie, during her life one half of all my personal property, Negroes, plate, household furniture, etc. not herein otherwise devised and after her death, the same to be equally divided among her children, share and share alike; and this devise is made unto Walter W. W. Bowie to and for no other use, intent, or purpose whatsoever other than to hold in trust for the aforesaid devise. Item, I will and bequeath unto my grandson Walter Bowie, son of Walter W. W. Bowie, Negro woman Betsy now in the possession of his father. Item, I give and bequeath unto my grandson Robert W. W. Bowie, Negro man Bob, a carpenter by trade, and the event of his death prior to my own, or before his arriving at age, then to his brothers and sisters, share and share alike. Item, I give and bequeath unto W. W. W. Bowie, in trust as conditioned above, for the benefit of Margaret Hall Weems Bowie and her children, Negro girl Eliza, daughter of Yellow Minty, also one dozen large silver spoons, now in my use, also one dozens desert spoons and one ladle and one dozen tea spoons and sugar tongs which are marked “B” and now in her possession, also the mahogany bedstead, bedding, brass and irons, shovel and tongs, washstand, that are in her bedroom; also the furniture in the drawing room except the flower pots. Item, it is my wish and I hope it will be strictly adhered to, by my daughter Amelia and my granddaughter Margaret, that to whichever of the two my Negro woman Lucy may fall in the distribution of my Negroes, that her daughter Harriett may also be taken so that the mother and daughter may not be separated and it is my desire that Lucy may have her choice to work in the field or in the house and that she may be indulged in her wishes therein, and further, that she be well and kindly treated, these wishes being expressed in behalf of one who has been ever faithful and kind to me and attentive to my wants when I have been sick. I enjoin these requests as part of my will. Item, I give and bequeath unto my granddaughter Mary Bowie, daughter of Margaret and Robert Bowie, my little work stand. Lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint my grandson Walter W. W. Bowie to be my executor of this my last will and testament, 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 fifteenth day of March in the year eighteen hundred and forty. Mary Weems Witness Charles Duvall Henry Carrick Whereas I Mary Weems of Prince George’s County have made my will and duly executed my last will and testament in writing, bearing the date the fifteenth of March in the year eighteen hundred and forty, which said last will and testament and every clause, bequest, and devise therein contained, I do hereby ratify and confirm, seeing and excepting such clauses, bequests, and devises therein contained and mentioned as hereby by me hereinafter revoked and made void, and being desirous to alter some parts thereof, and of making additions thereto, do therefore hereby make this my codicil which I will and direct shall be taken and held as part of my said will and testament, in manner and form following, that is to say, Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Amelia M. Bowie of Prince George’s County my best set of tea China also one silver ladle marked “A.W” Item, I give and bequeath to my grandson Walter W. W. Bowie my silver breadbasket. Item, I will and direct my executor, W. W. W. Bowie as heretofore appointed by my last will and testament, as soon as possible after my death to have a strong and substantial fence placed around the Grave Yard at Cedar Hill, and also procure and have placed neat headstones at the head of each of the graves with the names, date of birth and date of death of each person respectively and the said headstones to be made of marble and I desire that the same be paid for by the interest that may accrue upon the note or bond which I have heretofore willed to my great grandson G. French Bowie. Item, it is my intent in giving the bond as above referred to, to G. French Bowie, only to give him the principal of said bond, to wit $1500 and such interest as may accrue upon it after my estate be settled up. Item, it is also my meaning in regard to the devise in my last will bequeathing the note of the late Walter Bowie to me to my grandson J.W.L Bowie that the said note shall be made equal in amount with the one given to G. F. Bowie and if the interest which may have accrued on the said note together with the principal of the same shall not amount to fifteen hundred dollars, then my executor is hereby required to pay to J. W. L. Bowie the deficit sum out of such assets as to him may appear best. Lastly, I further constitute and appoint W. W. W. Bowie, as the executor of this codicil as well as of my last and testament. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this twenty fifth day of July in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and forty eight. Mary Weems Witness N. H. Shipley Jacob Hall Proved May 7, 1849 By Dr. Charles Duvall and Henry Carrick Maryland State Archives Prince George’s County Will Book PC #1 F 384 Transcribed by Anne Scrivener Agee 28 April 2000