Somerset County MD Archives Wills.....Caldwell, John March 28, 1775 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/md/mdfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Beth Collins ejcollins@bellsouth.net December 26, 2025, 10:48 pm Source: Will Book 5, Pp 370-373 Written: March 28, 1775 Recorded: April 25, 1775 Somerset County, Maryland Will Book 5, pp 370-373 In the name of God Amen – I John Caldwell of Somerset County mariner to make this my last will and testament in manner and form following that is to say First I give and bequeath unto Robert Scrogin one Negroe girl called Lucretia to the said Robert Scrogin his heirs and assigns forever ~ Secondly I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Mary Caldwell all the lands and plantations were owned I now live which I purchased of Joseph Morris unto the said Mary Caldwell during her life or term of her widowhood which shall first happen ~ Item I give and bequeath unto my nephew William Venables son of my sister Mary Venables one Negroe Boy called Ned to him the said William Venables his heirs and assigns forever ~ I give and bequeath unto my nephew John Venables one Negroe boy called John and the looking glass that was left me by my father unto him the said John Venables his heirs and assigns forever Item I give and bequeath unto my niece Mary Venables the following negroes/to wit/ Matildah, Charlotte being two Black Girls also Nancy and Margaretta two Mallata Girls unto the said Mary Venables during her natural life and at her death the afsd four Negroe Girls to be free and under the Inspection of my friend Josiah Polk and also I give and bequeath unto the afsd Mary Venables one negroe woman called Rose and one negroe woman called Pumelia to her this said Mary Venables and her heirs forever ~ Item I give and bequeath unto my nephew Robert Hitch my silver watch and all my wearing apparel and also one negroe boy called King Frederick to him the said Robert Hitch his heirs and assigns forever ~ Item I give and bequeath unto my niece Betty Sanford one cow & calf and Twenty pounds in Dollars & Seven Shillings & sixpence Each to be paid to her out of my estate as it may be convenient for my executor hereafter named unto the said Betty Sanford her heirs and assigns forever ~ Item I give and bequeath unto my nephew William Caldwells son John all my Quadrants, Navigation Books and Instruments unto him and his heirs and to be educated at the expense of my estate that is to say to read write and cypher & navigation Item I give and bequeath unto my brother Samuel Caldwells daughter Nancey Caldwell all that sum of money which I have recovered a judgement against my brother Samuel Caldwells estate from the provincial court unto her and her heirs ~ Item I give and bequeath one half of the estate which is hereafter give unto my wife Mary Caldwell after her death or marriage whichever first happens until my niece Mary Venables and her heirs forever ~ Item I do hereby authorize impower devise and direct that my executor hereafter named sell dispose and convey all my lands which I am possessed of except the plantation whereon I now live which I purchased of Joseph Morris ~ also that he sell and dispose of my negroe man called James Item I give and bequeath unto my nephew Spencer Caldwell of North Carolina the plantation whereon I now live after the death of my wife to him and his heirs forever ~ also one negroe called Joe and one negroe woman called Nell after the death of my wife to him and his heirs forever ~ Item I give and bequeath unto my wife Mary Caldwell the following negroes /to wit/one negroe man called Job and his wife Priss one negroe woman called Molly one young negroe Fellow called Joe. Also all the rest and residue of my personal estate to her the said Mary Caldwell during her life or term of her widowhood which shall first happen ~ Item I give and bequeath unto my neighbor Nathaniel Griffin my hunting gun to him and his heirs ~ Item I give and bequeath unto my neighbor George Day Scott my large blue case and bottles therein unto him and his heirs~ Item I give and bequeath unto my neighbor James Bounds my globe that hangs in my hall to him and his heirs after the death of my wife ~ Item I give and bequeath unto my friend Josiah Polk my mahogany sideboard and ______ case and silver handles, knives and forks to him and his heirs after the death of my wife also my _____ called Royall George to him and his heirs Forever after the death of my wife ~ Lastly I do hereby constitute appoint and ordain my friend Josiah Polk my whole and sole executor of this my last will and Testament Revoking all other will or wills by me here before made In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this Twenty Eight day of March Anno Dom 1775 Signed sealed published} pronounced and declared} John Caldwell Seal in presence of us} George Dashiell } George Day Scott } James Bounds } Annexed to the foregoing will was this writing Viz Somerset County April 25th 1775 then came Josiah Polk and made oath that the within instrument of writing is the True and whole will and testament of John Caldwell late of Somerset County deceased that hath come to his hands or possession and that he does not know of any other certified by Thos Holbrook Dy Court of Somerset County Somerset County the 25th day of April 1775 then came George Day Scott and James Bounds two of the subscribing witnesses to the within last will and testament of John Caldwell late of Somerset County deceased and Severally made Oath on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God that they did see the Testator herein named sign and seal this will and 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 apprehensions of sound and disposing Mind Memory and Understanding and that they respectively subscribed their names as witnesses to this will in the presence of the testator and in the presence of each other and they also made oath that they did see George Dashiell signed his name as a witness to this will in the presence of the said deceased Certified by Thos Holbrook Dy Court of Somerset County On the 25th day of April 1775 came Mary Caldwell the widow of John Caldwell late of Somerset County deceased and quitted her claims to the several bequests and devices made to her in the will of her said husband deceased and elected in lieu thereof her dower or third part of the deceased estate both real and personal Certified by Thos Holbrook Dy Court of Somerset County Somerset County the 10th day of May 1775 ~ then came George Dashiell the other subscribing witness to the within last will and testament of John Caldwell late of Somerset County deceased and made oath on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God that he did see the testator therein named sign and seal this will and that he heard him published pronounce and declare that seemed to be his last will and testament that at the time of his doing he was to the best of his apprehension of sound & disposing mind memory and understanding and that he subscribed his name as a witness to the said will in the presence of the said testator Certified by Thomas Holbrook Dy Court of Somerset County File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/md/somerset/wills/caldwell235gwl.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mdfiles/ File size: 8.0 Kb