Maryland Archives J1 Pages 456-457

John Swails
his last Will

In the name of God amen.  I John Swails of Saint Marys County, and State aforesaid, being very 
sick and weak but of sound and disposed mind and memory, thanks be to God for it, and calling 
to mind the uncertainty of this life, and willing to settle my worldly affairs, do make this my last 
will & Testament.  Hereby revoking all and every will or wills heretofore by me made, in manner 
and form following.  And first of all, I bequeath my Soul into the hands of almighty God, who 
made it, and my body to the dust, therein to be buried at the discretion of my Executors hereafter 
mentioned, hoping through the merits of Jesus Christ for a Joyfull Resurrection thereof at the last 
day; And as to my worldly wealth as it hath pleased God, of his infinite mercy to bless me with, I 
give and bequeath in the manner and form as followeth. ~ ~
1.  I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Elenor Swails, one Negro man named Nace, during 
her natural life, and after her decease to be equally divided betwixt my children hereafter 
mentioned.  Item.  I give and bequeath to my daughter Susannah, one Negro Girl named Amey, 
and one Cow and Calf.  ~Item.  I give & bequeath to my daughter Ann, one negro Boy called 
Moses, to be delivered to her when she arrives to the age of Sixteen, and to be at her disposition, 
and one Cow and Calf to be paid her at the same time.  Item.  I give and bequeath to my beloved 
wife Elenor Swails her Choice of my three horses, which one she thinks best, and likewise her first 
Choice of my Cows & Calves, which pair she thinks best, and likewise her first Choice of my 
Ewes & Lambs, which pair she thinks best, and likewise her first Choice of my sows & pigs, 
which she thinks best, and likewise my best Bed and furnature, to her and her heirs forever.  
~Item.  I give and bequeath to my son Joseph one Black horse Colt, to be paid to him by my 
Executors, when he arrives to the age of twenty one.  ~Item.  I give and bequeath to my daughter 
Mary Greenwell, one shilling & no more of my Estate.  Item.  I give and bequeath unto my 
grandson Jesse Floyd, son of Jesse, one shilling and no more of my Estate.  ~Item.  I give & 
bequeath to my four sons, named Francis Swails, Robert Swails, John Swails, and Joseph Swails, 
all the remainder part of my Estate to be equally divided amongst them, and my Executors to pay 
Joseph Swails his part when he arrives to the age of twenty one.  ~Item.  I do hereby appoint my 
loving wife Elenor Swails, and my son Francis Swails, Jointly Executors of this my last will and 
Testament.  In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my Seal this Sixteenth 
day of October, anno Domini, One thousand seven hundred and Eighty Eight.~

							(signed) John Swails   (seal)

Signed, sealed, published & pronounced in presence of us~
				         		 his
Bennett Hutchins, Joseph Bright, John Baptist X Goddart
						 mark

	On the Back of the foregoing was as follows, to wit~
Saint Marys County, to wit.  the 25th day of November 1788.  Then came Francis Swails & made 

oath on the holy evangels of almighty God, that the within Instrument of writing is the true and 
whole will and Testament of John Swails, late of Saint Marys County, deceased, that hath come 
to his hands or possession, & that he doth not know of any other.

					Certified by 	Jeremiah Jordan   Reg. wills
							for Saint Marys County

Saint Marys County ss the 25th day of November 1788.  Then came Joseph Bright and John 
Baptist Goddart, two of the three subscribing witnesses to the within last will & Testament of 
John Swails late of Saint Marys County, deceased, & severally made oath on the holy evangels of 
almighty God, that they did see the Testator therein named, Sign & Seal this will, & that they 
heard him publish, pronounce and declare the same to be his last will & Testament; that at the 
time of his so doing, he was to the best of their apprehensions of sound & disposing mind, 
memory & understanding; and that they respectively subscribed their names as witnesses to this 
will, in the presence and at the request of the Testator, and in the presence of each other; and also 
that they did see Bennett Hutchings the other witness subscribe the same.

					Certified By	Jeremiah Jordan   Reg. wills									for Saint Marys County

On the 25th day of November 1788.  Came Elenor Swails, the widow of John Swails, late of Saint 
Marys County, deceased, & quitted her Claim to the several bequests & devises made to her in 
the will of her said husband deceased, & elected in lieu thereof, her dower or third part of the 
deceased's Estate, both real and personal.

					Before		Jeremiah Jordan   Reg. wills
							for Saint Marys County.

The deceased's widow also renounces the Executorship of this Will. ~ ~ ~ ~

					Test		J. Jordan


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