Will of Martha H. ABELL (1869); St. Mary’s County, Maryland

This file was contributed by Judith Burger.

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Martha H. Abell
Signed: May 28, 1869
Proved: December 14, 1869

Last Will & Testament of
Martha H. Abell
In the Name of God, Amen. I Martha H. Abell of SaintMary’s County in the State 
of Maryland, being of Sound Mind and Memory, considering the certainty of death, 
and the uncertainty of the time thereof, do publish and declare this to be my 
last Will and testament & by this revoking all others by me made, That is to 
Say,
Item 1st I give and bequeath unto my beloved Children Richard Sutton Abell and 
Andrew Abell, and my other Children I may have at my death each an equal 
proportion all my real and personal property of whatsoever I may die possessed.
Item 2nd I give and bequeath unto my nurse Leticia Barnes (col) during her life 
the house which She now lives in or so long as She continues faithful and Kind 
unto my children and husband, and I do request my husband and children to be 
Kind unto her.
Item 3rd I constitute and appoint my beloved husband William C. Abell, guardian 
to my Said Children with full power to dispose of all my property real or 
personal as he may see fit, for the benefit of my Children.
Item 4th I request My husband William C. Abell, before he makes any disposition 
of my real property to advise with Richard M. Abell and Edward S. Abell.
Item 5th The power given to my husband William C. Abell, specified in Item 3rd 
of this my last Will and testament must be so construed as to prevent the 
necessity of the Said William C. Abell, given bond, as guardian to my Said 
Children.
In witness where of I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this twenty-eighth day 
of May. Eighteen hundred and Sixty nine.

Martha H. Abell (((Seal)))

The above written instrument was Subscribed by the Said Martha H. Abell in our 
presence and acknowledged by her to each of us; and at the Same time published 
and declared the above instrument So described to be her last Will and 
testament, and we at the testatrix request and in her presence have Signed our 
names a witnesses hereto.
Nannie Berry
J. Frank Bohanan
Edward X Finhagen

Test.J. F. Bohanan

I William C. Abell the husband of the testatrix to this Will and testament do 
willingly consent to its provisions witness my hand and Seal this twenty-eight 
day of May eighteen hundred and Sixty nine.
Test Nannie

Wm C. Abell (((Seal)))

St. Mary’s County to wit, December 14th 1869. The last will & testament of 
Martha H. Abell late of St. Mary’s County, deceased, was this day presented to 
the Orphans Court of Said County for probat & no objection being made or caveat 
filed against the Same. The Orphan Court ordered the Same to be taken according 
to Law.
Certified by James T. M. Raley
Register of Wills for St. Mary’s County

St. Mary’s County, S.S. On the 14th day of December 1869 came J. F. Bohanan & 
Edward Finhagen Subscribing witnesses to the aforegoing last Will and Testament 
of Martha H. Abell, late of Said County, deceased, and made oath on the holy 
evangely of Almighty God, that they did See the Testatrix Sign and Seal this 
Will; that they 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 
their apprehension, of Sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding; and 
that they together with Nannie Berry, Subscribed their names as witnesses to 
this Will in the presence, at her request and in the presence of each other.

Sworn to in open Court
Test. James T. M. Raley
Register of Wills for St. Mary’s County

Filed 14th Dec. 1869
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Transcribed by Judith A. Burger April 18, 2001 from a photocopy of the original 
court record, JTMR 1, 261-262, obtained from Norma I. Dawson, Register of Wills, 
Saint Mary’s County, Maryland. The photocopy was good and the writing legible. I 
made no corrections of any kind.