WILL: Benoni Ford; Fairfield, Herkimer co., NY surname: Ford, Enos, Morse, Griswold submitted by Allen L. White (alwhite at comcast.net) *********************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.org/ny/nyfiles.htm File: http://files.usgwarchives.org/ny/herkimer/wills/vd/ford-benoni.txt *********************************************************************** Source: sampubco.com Herkimer co NY Will Book Vol.D page 251 Written: 31 Mar 1826 Probated: 20 Apr 1826 LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF BENONI FORD Transcribed from SAMPUBCO Will by Allen L. White State of New York Herkimer County To wit. Be it remembered that on the twentieth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty six the Last Will and Testament of BENONI FORD, late of the town of Fairfield in said County, was presented before me, NATHANIEL S. BENTON, Surrogate in and for the said County for the proofs and registry through which is in the words following. In the name of God Amen I BENONI FORD of the town of Fairfield, County of Herkimer Considering the uncertainty of this mortal life and being of sound mind and memory do make and publish this my Last will and Testament in manner following that is to say my will and desire is that all the just depts. Which I may owe at my decease and my funeral charges shall be paid by my executors hereinafter named. Item. I give and bequeath to my beloved wife RUTH one feather bed and beding both linen and woolen, also one side saddle, one wooden wheel, one linnen wheel, six silver tea spoons, the use of one milch cow during the life of my said wife RUTH. I further give to my said wife all the articles of furniture of a household nature except the bed and bedding which belonged to my said wife when we were married and the sum of twenty dollars in money to be at her absolute disposal. Item. I further give and bequeath to my trustees and executors hereinafter named and to the survivor or survivors of them the sum of five hundred and thirty three dollars and thirty three cents in trust to pay to my said wife the interest thereof during her natural life semi annually provided she remains my widow but in case my Son DAVID FORD will find and provide for my said wife for convenient and sufficient room in his dwelling house or in a convenient dwelling house on his premises with sufficient fire wood at all times for the same prepared and suitable for use then in that case my will and desires is that my said Son DAVID FORD shall have the use of the said sum of five hundred thirty three dollars and thirty three cents during the life of my said wife or while she remains my widow and after the decease or marriage of my said widow the said sum herein before bequeathed to trustees shall be divided among my devises in manner herein after provided. Item. I give and bequeath to my said trustees and to the survivors and survivor of them the sum of four hundred dollars to be vested in good real securities by bonds and mortgages in trust to pay the interest at their discretion to my Son JOHN FORD as his absolute necessities may require during his life and after his decease among his right heirs equally. And as to the rest remainder and residue of my property whatsoever and wheresoever the same may be will and desire is that it shall be divided among my children and their heirs in manner following, that is to say to each of my sons DAVID FORD, JOHN FORD, JOEL FORD and ORRIN FORD and their heirs two twelfth(?) parts and to each of my daughters SALLY ENOS(?), LYDIA MORSE, POLLY GRISWOLD and OLIVE FORD and their heirs one twelfth part to be divided and paid to them respectively, as soon after my decease as convenience will permit but my intent and meaning and my will is that the share that may fall to my son JOHN FORD shall rest(?) in my said trustees and the survivor and survivors of them in trust to pay my said son JOHN the interest thereof in their discretion as his __________ may require during his life and after his decease to go and be divided among his right heirs equally. Memo. It is my intention and will that the fund hereby and herein devised to my trustees for the use of my said wife during her natural life or widowhood, shall be at her marriage or decease be divided among my children devises in the manner and proportions herein and for like uses and purposes as are herein before mentioned. Lastly I hereby constitute my son DAVID FORD and my son in law ARON GRISWOLD my executors my sole executors and trustees of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made. (s) BENONI FORD Signed, Sealed and published and declared by the above name BENONI FORD to be his last will and testament in the presence of us who have hereto subscribed our names as witnesses in the presence of each other and the testator. BENJAMIN CAHOON BENJAMIN S. BORDEN POLLY CAHOON State of New York Herkimer County To wit. Be it remembered that on the twentieth day of April in the year of our lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty six personally appeared before me NATHANIEL BORDEN, Surrogate of the County of Herkimer aforesaid BENJAMIN CAHOON one of the subscribing witnesses to the will of BENONI FORD late of the town of Fairfield in said county, deceased who being duly sworn, declared that he did _____ the said BENONI FORD deceased, seal and execute the instrument hereunto _______and impressed with the seal of office of the said Surrogate which said instrument purports to be the last will and testament of the said BENONI FORD deceased, and which said will was executed on or about the thirty first day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty six, that he heard him the said BENONI FORD publish and declare the same and for his last will and testament, that at the time thereof he the said BENONI FORD was of sound despairing mind and memory to the best knowledge and belief of him the said BENJAMIN CAHOON and that he together with BENJAMIN S. BORDEN and POLLY CAHOON the other witnesses to the said will, did severally(?) subscribe their names thereto as witnesses in the presence of the Testator and in the presence of each other. In testimony whereof the said Surrogate hath hereunto set his hand and affixed his seal of office. Done at Herkimer, the day and year first above written, and of the Independence of the United States the Fiftieth. NATHANIEL S. BENTON Surrogate The forgoing is a true copy of the Last Will and Testament of BENONI FORD declared and of the certificate of the proof thereof. NATHANIEL S. BENTON Surrogate State of New York Herkimer County To Wit. Be it also remembered that on the said twentieth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty six, by me NATHANIEL S. BENTON Surrogate in and for the county aforesaid were granted and allowed unto DAVID FORD and ARON GRISWOLD, the executors therein named Letters Testamentary of the last will and testament of BENONI FORD deceased which are in the words following. Herkimer County: The people of the State of New York by the grace of God, Free and Independent, to all to whom these present(?) shall come – Greetings. Know Ye that at Herkimer in said Country on the twentieth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty six before NATHANIEL BENTON, Esquire, surrogate in and for said county the last will and testament of BENONI FORD late of said country deceased, a true copy is hereto annexed and proved and now is approved and allowed of by us, and the deceased having whilst he lived, and at the time of his death, goods, chattels and credits within this State by means whereof the proving and registering the said wills and granting administration of the said goods, chattels and credits, and the auditing, allowing and final discharging the _______thereof doth belong unto us. The administration of all and singularly the said goods, chattels and credits of the said deceased and every way concerning the said will as granted unto DAVID FORD and AARON GRISWOLD the executors in the said will named they being first duly sworn will and faithfully administer the same and a just and true inventory of all and singular the goods, chattels and credits to make and exhibit into the office of the said surrogate with in six calendar months from the date hereof and to render a true account thereof when thereunto lawfully received. In testimony whereof, we have caused the seal of office of our said surrogate to be hereunto affixed. ______NATHANIEL S. BENTON Esquire, Surrogate of our said county of Herkimer, this twentieth day of April in the year one thousand eight hundred and twenty six and of our Independence the Fiftieth. NATHANIEL S. BENTON Surrogate