Somerset County, Maryland - Wills: William Polk 1739/40 ******************************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non- commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to The USGenWeb Project to store the file permanently for free access. ******************************************************************************************** Submitted By: Lola Harris Withrow April 21, 2001 ************************************************************************ The Will of William Polk The Will of William Polk is on file in Somerset Co., Maryland, dated 23 Jan., 1739/40 and was probated 24 Feb., 1739/40. The will reads as follows (spelling, punctuation and capitalization is exactly as shown in the will) In the name of God Amen I William Polk of the County of Somerset and Province of Maryland being sick and weak of Body but of perfect mind and memory, Blessed be God, do make ordain and Constitute this my Last Will and Testament, Revoking all other Wills by me heretofore made in manner and form following Imp. First I bequeath my Soul into the Hands of Almighty God that gave it my Body to the Earth from whence it was taken there to be buried with Decent like Burial at the discretion of my Executor hereinafter named. Item I will that all my Just Debts be justly paid. Item I give and bequeath unto my Son David two Negroes the one named Oteen and the other Hannah together with Eight Barrells of Pork that is now Helled in my House and Eight Barrows not under year Old and the Advantage and Likewise five Sows and Piggs and the Baye Mare and Colt and my Gray Horse and Feather Bed and Furniture belonging to it (Curtains only Excepted) one Large Pewter Dish one Iron Pot about Eight Gallons and one Small Iron Kettle and the one half part of the Still now standing on my Plantation together with five Sheep three Cows one with her yearling the other two with her two year old steers one (unknown word) Bridles of (unknown word) make five and a half of yards of Linnin its being ye half of a Remnant left in the House at the Decease of my Wife and Ten Pounds in Paper Money and Seven Yards of Linnen which was made in the House Last Summer a Waiscoats of Kersey for Oteen all to the proper use and befoof of him the said David Polk his heirs & Assigns forever together with the one half parts of my Coopers Tools. Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth Williams one Negro Woman named Amy three cows with their yearlings Eight Barrows five Sows and Pigs and Red Rug One Hundred Acres of Land Called or known by the name of Ramoth, Situate lying and being in the County aforesaid together with five Barrells of Pork all to the Proper use and behoof of her the said Elizabeth Williams her heirs and Assigns for ever together with one Iron Pot about Eight gallons Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Jane Strawbridge Ten shillings Sterling to the only Proper use and behoof of her the said Jane her Heirs and Assigns for Item I give and bequeath unto my grandson William Polk Son of James Polk one Negro Woman named Pleasant my Grey Riding Mare Bridle and Saddle One Gun ye stock being Broke one Feather Bed with Sheets, Blankets and Quilts together with Curtains and Valians belong to its to ye only proper use and behoof of him ye said William Polk his heirs and Assigns forever Item I give and bequeath the Rest and Residue of my Estate both Real and Personal unto my Son James Polk whom I appoint Executor of this my Last Will and Testament to see the same performed. In Witness wherof I have hereunto put my hand & Seal the twenty third Day of January Annoque Dom 1739/40 Signed Seal published and declared my Last Will and Testament William Polk (his mark) in ye presence of Abraham Heath, Matthew (his mark) Heath, Chas. King February ye 24th. 1739/40 Comes Abraham Heath, Matthew Heath and Charles King subscribing evidences to the Will on the other side of this Sheet of Paper and made Oath on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God that they saw the Testator William Polk Sign and Seal and heard him publish pronounce and declare this Instrument of writing on the other Side of this Sheet of Paper to be his Last Will and Testament and that at this time of his so doing he was to the best of their apprehension of Sound & Disposing mind and Understanding and that they the said Abraham Heath, Matthew Heath and Charles King Subscribe their several names to the aforesaid Will in the presence and at the request of the Testator William Polk Sworn before Nehemiah King Dep'ty Com'y of Somerset County Recorded in Lib: DD No 1 Fo: 149 William Rogers Regr Recorded in Liber EE (or EB) No 9 Folio 211 and 212 Test. Elmer Bayly =============================================================================== NOTE: William Polk, married first, Nancy (KNOX) Owens. He married 2nd., Mrs. Gray. He was the son of Robert Bruce (Pollok) Polk and Magdalen Tasker Polk of Somerset County, Maryland. William Polk, I did not mention his two older sons,William Polk, II and Charles Polk, in his will. They likely received from their father their share of his property, and then went on their way. William Polk, II went to the Allegheny frontier of Pennsylvania around what is now Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and later to the Carolinas. Charles Polk settled on the Maryland frontier at the North Bend of the Potomac in Frederick County, MD. ----------------------- © 2001 Lola Harris Withrow