Will of Nathan Downes from Register of Wills, Queen Anne's County, Maryland

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

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                      NATHAN DOWNES

The will of Nathan Downes, Register of Wills, Queen Anne's County,
Centreville, Maryalnd.

In the name of God Amen I Nathan Downes of Queen Ann County and State
of Maryland being in a very low state of health but of sound and perfect
memory & understanding do constitute this my last Will and Testament. First I
give my soul and body up to the Lord for him to do with them as it pleaseth
him, and as ------ing my worldly Estate which it hath pleased God to bless me
with in this life give and dispose of them in the following manner and form Viz.

Item. I leave my brother Jacob Downes my whole Executor for one year and
after that time for my Estate to be divided in the following manner, for him to
have one Sorrell horse and two thirds of my land untill my mothers death and
after her death that he the said Executor shall have all my land.  I give unto my
loving mother one grey Horse named Champain for her to dispose of as she
thinketh proper and one negro lad named Tom her her (repeated in document)
life time and after death my desire is that the said negro will go to my half
brother John Allen Reed and that my mother shall have one third part of my
land her life time and after her death it is to go to my Executor and also that my
mother shall have the third part of my personal Estate after the legacies are all
taken out for (her) to dipose of as (she) thinks proper. I give unto my half
brother John Allen Reed one mans saddle that was his brothers. Also I give
unto my half sister Mary Reed one mare and half a dozen Winsor chairs, my
last desire that my brother Jacob Downes my Executor shall pay unto Samuel
Shawhans three children that he had by my sister after they come to the age of
maturity ten pounds apiece to each of them and likewise that if there is any
personal Estate after the legacees are taken out my desire is that it shall be
equally divided between my brother Jacob and my half brother (Polly?) Reed
after my mothers third is taken out. In witness whereof I have hereinto let my
hand and seal this twenty second day of January seventeen hundred and ninety
four. 1794

Signed Sealed and delivered Nathan Downes (seal)

in the presents of 

Charles Stewart, Jon. A Downes, John Price

Queen Anns County __ 

February the 7th 1794 Then came Jacob Downes and made oath on the holy
evangel of almighty God that the within instrument of writing is the true and
whole will and Testament of Nathan Downes late of Queen Anne County
deceased that has come to his hands and possession and he does not know of
any other.

Richard Willson Reg of Wills Queen Anns County

Queen Anns County __

February the 7th 1794 Then came Charles Stewart and John Price two
subscribing witnesses to the within last will and Testament of Nathan Downes
late of Queen Anne County deceased and made oath on the holy evangels of
almighty God that they saw the Testator therein named sign and seal the said
will and that they heard him publish, pronounce and declare the same to be his
last will and Testament that all the time of his so doing he was to the best of
their apprehensions of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding
and that they subscribed their respective names as witnesses thereto in the
presence and at the request of the Testator and in the prescence of Jonathan
Downes the other subscribing witness whom they also saw subscribe his name
as a witness thereto in the presence of the said Testator and at his request.
Richard Willson Reg of Wills Queen Anns County