The will of Esther Downes Denny, from Register of Wills, 
Queen Anne's County, MD (1817)

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Cathy Downes [Cathy_Downes@msn.com] 

Copyright.  All Rights Reserved.
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ESTHER DOWNES DENNY

The will of Esther (Downes) Denny, Queen Anne's County, Maryland, 1817,
TC-1-86

In the name of God amen, I Esther Denny of Queen Anns County in the state 
of Maryland being sick and weak in body but of sound and disposing mind 
memory and understanding considering the certainty (of) death and the 
uncertainty of the time thereof and being desireous to settle my worldly
affairs and thereby 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 hereby revoking and making void all former wills 
by me heretofore made ratifying and confirming this and none other to be 
my last Will and Testament and after my just debts and funeral expenses are 
paid I devise and bequeath as follows, to wit.

Item 1. I give and bequeath unto my son John E. Denny one mahogany desk and 
one feather bed which is now in his possession three linen sheets one 
blanket one pair pillows and red and green bedcover - also one note of hand 
on James Denny bearing date the first day of April 1816 for one hundred and 
fifty dollars with interest included to him the said John E. Denny and his 
heirs forever.

Item 2. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Esther Fairbank one bed bedstead 
and furniture and note of hand on Philip Fairbanks bearing the date the 
twenty ninth day of January 1816 for eighty dollars, also one other note of 
hand on James Denny bearing date the first day of April 1816 for fifty 
dollars to her the said Esther Fairbanks and her heirs forever.

Item 3. I give and devise unto my granddaughter Hester Ann Downes, daughter 
of Rebecca Downes (deceased) the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars current 
money to be left in the hands of James Denny without interest untill she the 
said Hester Ann Downes arrives to the age of eighteen years or on the day of 
her marriage should it happen before she arrives at the said age of eighteen 
at which age the said James Denny shall pay over to my said granddaughter 
the above sum of one hundred and fifty dollars to her the said Hester A. 
Downes and her heirs forever.

Item 4. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Anna Denny wife of ____ Denny 
one yellow boy named Jim to serve her untill he arrives to the age of twenty 
five, also my carriages for the attention in nursing me during my illness. 
Also I give and bequeath unto my said daughter Anna Denny all my household 
furniture stock farming utensils and every article of personal property and 
all debts which may be due me at my death except the legacies in this last 
Will and Testament which are otherwise willed to her the said Anna Denny 
and her heirs forever.

Whereas Esther Fairbanks and Nathan Downes pretend to have claims to a 
mulatto boy named Jim which I kept out of my husband Peter Denny's estate 
for and during my natural life now it is my will and intention that unless 
the said Esther Fairbanks and Nathan Downes shall execute a Bill of Sale
for their claim on said boy or give a receipt in full to my Executor herein 
after named for all their proportional part of said boy Jim within one month 
after the probate of this my last Will and Testament then in that case I do 
hereby revoke and make void every devise and bequest contained in this my 
last Will and Testament to Esther Fairbanks and her heirs and to Hester Ann 
Downes daughter of Nathan Downes & Rebecca his wife and their heirs do give 
and bequeath all the legacies and personal estate contained in this my last 
Will and Testament _____ (either?) to Esther Fairbanks and her heirs or to 
Hester Ann Downes daughter of Nathan Downes or her heirs to my son John E.
Denny and my daughter Anna Denny to them and their heirs forever.

Esther Denny (seal)

And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my friend Arthur Holt executor 
of this my last Will and Testament as witness my hand and seal to this my 
last Will and Testament this thirteenth day of March Anno Domini Eighteen 
hundred and seventeen.

Signed sealed published and declared by the within named Esther Denny as and 
for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at her request in 
her presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as 
witnesses thereto.

William Pratt

Henry Crosby

Queen Anns County, September 1, 1817

Then came Arthur Holt the within named executor and made oath on the holy 
evangels of almighty God that the foregoing is the true and whole last Will 
and Testament of Esther Denny late of Queen Anns County, deceased that has 
come to his hands or possession and that he does not know of any other.

Thos. Earle Reg. of Wills

Queen Anns County

Queen Anns County, September 2, 1817

Then came William Pratt and Henry Crosby the two subscribing witnesses to 
the foregoing last Will and Testament of Esther Denny late of Queen Anne 
County deceased and mad oath on the holy evangels of almighty God that they 
did see the Testator therein named sign and seal the same that they heard 
her publish pronounce declare the same to be her last Will and Testament 
that at the time of her so doing she was to the best of their apprehensions 
of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding that they subscribed 
their names as witnesses to the said will in the presence and at the request 
of the Testator and in the presence of each other,

Tho Earl Reg Wills

Queen Anns County