Will of Harriet ABELL (1845); St. Mary’s County, Maryland

This file was contributed by Judith Burger.

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Harriet Abell
Signed: November 12, 1845
Proved: November 29, 1855

The Last Will & Testament Of
Harriet Abell……………….

In the name of God Amen I Harriet Able of Saint Mary'sCounty, in the State of 
Maryland being in perfect health of body And of sound and disposing mind memory 
and understanding considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the 
time thereof and being desirous to settle my worldly affairs and thereby to be 
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 in manner and form 
following that is to say.

First and principally I commit my soul in the hands of Almighty god and my body 
to the earth, to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor hereafter 
named and after my debts are paid I devise and bequeath as follows.

Item I give and bequeath to my Daughter Rachel Caroline Able one negro girl 
Sally one bead beadstead and furniture first choice, half Dozen silver table 
spoons half Dozen silver tea spoons and one beaureau and Dressing glass, to her 
and her heirs forever. 


Item I give and bequeath to my youngest son Richard Morris Able one negro boy 
William half dozen Silver table spoons and half Dozen silver tea spoons to him 
and his heirs forever.

Item. I devise and bequeath all the rest and residue of my Estate both real and 
personal to be equally divided amongst my six children. Edward Simmons Abell, 
Henry Francis Able, William Matthew Able, Richard Morris Able and Rachel 
Caroline Able in equal proportions share and share alike.

And lastly I do hereby appoint my two oldest sons and Edward Simmons Able to be 
sole Executors of this my last will and testament revoking and annulling all 
former wills by me heretofore made ratifying 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 twelvth day of November in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred 
and forty five.

Harriet Abell (((Seal)))

Signed Sealed published and declared
by Harriet Able the above named
testatrix 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.

Morris Shanks
Perregrine Shanks
Mary E. Russell,

The Executor will pay Rachel C. Abell nine hundred dollars out of the Estate, 
which was left to her by her Uncle John King. after my death.
Test Robert Thompson Octo. 1st 1855

Saint Mary's County, towit, The 29th Day of November 1855; The last will and 
testament of Harriet Abell late of Saint Mary's County, deceased: being this day 
during the recess of the Orphans Court presented to me for probat and being 
satisfied by the assent of William M. Abell one of the sons and next of kin of 
the said deceased, and no objection being made or caveat filed against the same 
I George Combs Register of Wills for St. Mary County proceeded to take the 
probate thereto according to law.
Certified by (Grg?) Combs Reg. Wills
for St. Marys County

Saint Mary's County to wit, The 20th day of December 1855, Then came Morris 
Shanks one of the three subscribing witnesses to the within last will and 
testament of Harriet Abell late of Saint Marys County, deceased and made oath on 
the holy Evangels of Almighty God that he did see the testatrix therein named 
sign and seal this will and that he heard her publish pronounce and declare the 
same to be her last will and testa ~ that at the time of her so doing she was to 
the best of his apprehension of sound and disposing mind, memory and 
understanding and that he subscribed his name as a witness to this will in the 
presence and at the request of the said testatrix and in the presence of each 
other and also that he did see Peregrine Shanks and Mary E Russell the other 
witnesses to this will subscribe the same in the presence and at the request of 
the said testatrix.
Certified by (Gr?) Combs Reg. Wills
for St. Mary's County

Saint Mary's County to wit. The 17th day of January 1856, Then came Mary E. 
Russell now Mary E. Burroughs one of the three subscribing witnesses to the 
within last will and testament of Harriet Abell late of Saint Mary's County, 
deceased and made oath on the holy Evangels of Almighty God that she did see the 
testatrix therein named sign and seal this will and that she heard her publish 
pronounce and declare the same to be her last will and testament that at the 
time of her so doing she was to the best of her apprehension of sound and 
disposing mind memory and understanding and that she subscribed her name as a 
witness to this will in the presence and at the request of the said testatrix 
and in the presence of each other and also that she did see Peregrine Shanks and 
Morris Shanks the other witnesses to this will subscribe the same in the 
presence and at the request of the said testatrix.
Certified by(G.?) Combs Reg Wills
for St. Mary's County

Saint Marys County to wit. The 30th day of January 1856. Then came Edward S. 
Abell and made oath on the holy Evangels of Almighty God that the aforegoing 
instrument of writing is the true and whole last will and testament of Harriet 
Abell late of Saint Marys County deceased that hath come to his hands or 
possession and that he doth not know of any other
Certified by G.?) Combs Reg Wills
For St. Marys County
Filed 27th Nov. 1855
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Transcribed by Judith A. Burger March 27, 2001 from a photocopy of the original 
court record, GC 2, 542-544, obtained from Norma I. Dawson, Register of Wills, 
Saint Mary's County, Maryland. The photocopy was good and the writing was 
legible with the exception of the initials of George Combs in parenthesis. The 
initial may be Eq. The spelling of the surname Abell/Able varied through out the 
document. Although the will states " six children" only five were named. I made 
no corrections of any kind. The dates appear inconsistent but are transcribed as 
written.