Last Will and Testament of William BAIRD (1790); Washington Co., MD Contributed to the USGenWeb Archives by Dean Clarke Copyright. All Rights Reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/md/mdfiles.htm ********************************************************* Will of William Baird, Washington County, Maryland, Will Book Pages 284-286 December Fourteenth one Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety. I, William Baird of Washington County and State Maryland being in usual health and of disposing mind and memory for which I would desire to be thankful to God the Giver of all Good but Calling to mind my Approaching dissolution and the uncertainty of the time do make and declare this to be my last Will and Testament In manner and form following Revoking and Declaring by these presents all and every Testament and Testaments, Will or Wills heretofore by me made Either by word or writing & this is only to be taken for my last Will and Testament and none other. I now proceed to dispose of that part of this World’s Good things which it has pleased God to entrust me with. I do order Give and dispose of the same in manner & form following viz. First, I order that all my just Debts be paid with a convenient time after my Decease by my Executors hereafter Named. Second, I give and bequeath to me well beloved Wife Margaret Baird my two Houses and Lots in Elizabeth Town Lying near the publick Spring, No. 87 & 86 during her Natural life. Also five Hundred Acres of Land in Kentucky (being part of that Land surveyed by James Brakenridge Esq. Of Bortetort County Virginia) to her and her heirs or Assigns forever. Also her choice of any ones of the Beds & Bedsteads curtains & furniture to her & her heirs. Also my slaves except Nance & all my present Stock of Creatures such as horses, cows, sheep & to be disposed of as she thinks proper to enable her to support & school my two Daughters fany & pegy. Third, I give and Bequeath to my son in law and my Daughter Joseph and Easther (sic) Little five hundred Acres of Land in Kanetucky part of the affors’d tract or Tracts of Land laid off by James Brakenridge. Fourth, I give and Bequeath to my Grandson William Little two hundred & fifty acres Land par of the affors’d Tracts. Fifth, I give and Bequeath to my son William Baird five Hundred Acres lying on Big Lichair (?) in Kanetucky. 6th, all the rest of any Land in Kanetucky I give and Bequeath to my two young Daughters Fanny & Peggy Baird. Also my two houses and Lots in Elizabeth Town Nos. 87 & 86 after the Decease of their Mother Viz. No. 86 on which the Brick House Stands I will to fanny & No. 87 to Peggy to these their heirs & assigns. Also I Bequeath to my said Young Daughters when they arrive a (sic) the age of Eighteen years or age day of Marriage which ever first happens one Chest of Drawers to each & one feather Bed to each of them as they Arrive at the above Age. 7th, I give to my Daughter Ruth Wallace Five Pound Specie to be paid to her by my Executors within a year after my Decease if she or her Husband Calls for it by themselves or their order. I would here make a short note not Common in Wills Doubtfull. I am that same persons as well as the last Legatee may Charge me Either with partiality or that the last Legatee has given me some great cause for making so unequal a Dividand but being fully Convinced in my mind that my Daughter Ruth After Marriage Received a large share of what I then possest. I have made this Small digression purly to satisfy my friends & Especially my Daughter Ruth the Legatee. It is my further Will and pleasure that all my land in North Carolina & all my land in Virginia about Morgan Town shall be sold by my Executors to enable them to pay of my Debts. All debts due to me & the surplus on the Sales of the above Lands shall be put into the hands of my beloved Wife to enable her to live Comfortable & Raise & School my Daughters Fanny & Peggy. It is my Will that if any of my daughters Fanny or Peggy should die in their Minority & having no lawful issue their part both Real & personal shall be ____ Right and property of the other surviving Daughter & if both of my Daughters should die as Affs’d Before my beloved Wife & in their Minority without Lawful Issue it is my Will & pleasure that the whole of their part both Real & personal shall be the Right and property of my beloved Wife during her Natural life and after her Death it is my Will that all the part bequeathed of my Estate to my two Daughters affs'’ shall be sold & the money arising from the Sales to be Divided as follows viz, To Esther Little one fourth part, To Wm Baird one fourth part the other half to be equally Divided between Ruth Baird, Betsy Reynolds & Sally Reynolds. I give and Bequeath to my step Daughter Betsy Reynolds one Negro Girl Nance from this day to be from this time in her actual possession & be her tight her heirs & assigns. The lot I hold by Deed from Jacob ____ I bequeath to my wife to dispose of as soon as proper to her. All the Residue of my Household furniture and every other thing not herein described I also leave to my beloved Wife to be disposed of as she thinks proper. And lastly I leave my beloved Wife & my much Respected Friend Adam Ott, Esq. Joint Executors of this Will confirming watever what my Executors shall Lawfully do. Signed Sealed published & declared this to William Baird (seal) be my Last Will & Testament in the presence of John Watt, Martin Krepe On the Back of this Original Will of the Aforesaid William Baird are the following Endorsements to wit- Washington County _____ On the 21st day of July 1792 Came Adam Ott one of the appointed Executors of the Last Will & Testament of William Baird late of said County Deceased and personally Refused to Act as Executor to said Will be Virtue of such Appointment & do therefore renounce all Right & Title and Claim to said Executorship Accordingly. On the same Day Came Margaret Baird and made oath & that the within Instrument of Writing is the true and whole and Testament of William Baird late of said County Deceased that hath come to her hands or possession and that she doth not know of any other. Certified by Thomas Belt, Reg. Washington County ____ On the 18th day of May 1792 Came John Watt & Martin Krepe The Two subscribing Witnesses to the within Last Will & Testament of William Baird late of said County Deceased and severally made Oath on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God that they did see the Testator herein named Sign & Seal this Will that they heard him publish pronounce and declare this same to be his last Will & Testament and that at the time of his so doing was to the best of their Apprehensions of sound and Disposing mind memory and understanding & 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. Recorded 21st July 1792 Certified by (12 sides) Thomas Belt, Reg.