Will of John ABELL, Sr. (1746); St. Mary’s County, Maryland This file was contributed by Judith Burger. ************************************************************************ * USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. ************************************************************************ John Abell. Senior Signed: September 25, 1746 Proved: November 8, 1746 The Last Will of John Abell ~~~ In the name of God, Amen. I John Abell Senior of St. Marys County in the province of Maryland, yeoman being in a very weak and Languishing, Condition of body but of sound, and perfect memory, Thanks be to God for it, and calling to mind the uncertainty of Life, and how, Sertain it is I must die, for the setling my worldly, Estate, do make Constitute apoynt, and ordain, this to be, my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following. Viz ~~ 1st I give my soul to God that gave it, and my body to the Earth, from whence it was taken, there to rest in hopes of the Resuretion, to be buried, at the chapple by my former wife without either pomp or Seremony ~~ 2nd ly I give and bequeath unto my loving wife, the bed whereon we now lay with the furniture commonly used about it, with bedstids, & Cords. I likewise give to my said wife, all her working tools which she uses abote either, woole Cotton or flax. I likewise give her all the wool, and flax, which is already gathered with all the yaarn Spun. 3rd ly, I give to my wifes, Son John Howell twenty shillings to be paid him in what his mother pleases. 4th ly I give to my son Enoch Abell, that tract or parcell of Land, whereon he now lives, containing fifty three Acres, more or less. Called Southern (deuss conclution?) with all the profits there unto belonging to him and his heirs forever ~~ and as for all my other Land I ordain it shall be as it is, divided all ready, I give to Cuthbert my son, a great pott, and a hovell. ye remainder part of my Estate & Lease to be Equally Divided between, my wife, and Children, according to Law. Also, my Daughter in Law Catrane Hutchings, to have a Equall part with them I order my beloved wife, shall keep ye hole Estate in hir hands, three years in Cares, shee Continues in her widowhood, I appoint my beloved Wife to be ye hole and sole Executrix and Wnd. Of this, My, Last will, and Testament, As witness whereof I have unto set my hand. And seal ~~ Jn. Abell, sen (((seal))) Signed and D Dto be his Last Will and Testament Nath Huckman John Walker John Swails St. Marys County Ss November ye 8th 1746 ~~~~~~~~~ Then came Nathaniel Hickman, John Walker & John Swails the subscribing Witnesses to the foregoing will being duly, and solomnly sworn on the holy Evangels of Almighty God depose, and say that they saw the Testator, John Abell sign the foregoing will, and heard him publish, and declare, the same to be his Last Will and Testament, that at the time of his sodoing he was to the best of their apprehension of sound, and disposing mind, and memory, and that they subscribed their Respective names, as witnesses to the Said Will in the presence of the, Said Testator and at his Request ~~~~ Sworn to before me ~ Tho. Aisquith Depty Comiss ry of St. Marys County The day above ye deceased Widow made her Election, and stands to the Will ~~~~ Certified by me ~~ Tho. Aisquith, Depty Comiss ry of St. Marys County ~ Calling to mind something that I would have done after my death and to prevent mistakes, caused me to make this Codecill ~~~ My desire is that my wife Shall, have what, I have given her in my Will more than her thirds, and I also give to my wife four hoggs, for her own use namely three sows, and one, barrow. ~~ I allso, desire that my Corn in the wheat patch, and two my best Barrows, and two quertes of my barren Cowe, Shall be sold, to pay part of my debts, and that my brother Samuel, may see to the seling of them, and the Remaining part of the Sd Cow, and the Rest of my crop of Corn be for the family use. In Witness my hand, and seal, this 25th Day of September, Anno Domi 1746 ~~~ Jn Abell sen (((Seal))) This signed seal & published and Tested By Robert X Hutchings St. Marys County Ss November ye 8th 1746 Then Came Robert Hutchings the subscribing witness to ye foregoing Codicil, being duly & solomly Sworn on the holy Evangels of almighty God depose & say that he saw the Testator Jn. Abell sign the foregoing Codicil, & heard him publish and declare the same to be his Codicill yt at ye he was to the best of his apprehension of sound and disposing mind & memory. Sworn to before me ~~ Tho Aisquith Depty Comiss ry of St. Marys County ~~~ ******************************************************************************** ******************************* Transcribed by Judith A. Burger March 8, 2001 from a photocopy of the original court record, TA 1, 203-204, obtained from Norma I. Dawson, Register of Wills, Saint Mary's County Maryland. The photocopy was good, but the writing distorted and illegible in part. The name of the land bequeathed to Enoch Abell was illegible to me. I made no corrections of any kind.