ELISHA ROYCE WILL, ONTARIO, NEW YORK

Copyright (c) 2000 by Ray Allen (rrallen@isoc.net).

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Will of Elisha Royce

from the Ontario County, NY Archives, Will Book 18, page 103, 104, 105
copied by Teddy Noye

The people of the state of New York by the grace of God free and
independent. To All to whom these presents shall come or may concern
send Greeting, know ye that at the town of Canandaiqua, in the county of
Ontario, on the twenty third day of November in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and twenty five before Jared Willson Esq.
surrogate of our said county the last will and testament of Elisha Royce
deceased. a copy whereof is here unto annexed () was proved and is now
approved and allowed of by us and the said deceased having whilst he
lived and at the time of his death goods chattels or credits within the
state by means whereof the proving and registering the said will and the
granting administration of all and singular the said goods chattels and
credits and also the auditing allowing and final discharging the account
thereof doth belong unto us: the administrator of all and singular the
goods chattels and credits of the said deceased and any way concerning
his will is granted unto Samuel Royce executor in the said will named
hereby requiring you will faithfully to administer the same and to make
and exhibit a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods
chattels and credits and also to render a just and true account thereof
when thereunto required. In testimony whereof we have caused the seal of
office of our said surrogate to be hereunto affixed. Witness Jared
Willson Esquire surrogate of the said county at the town of Canandaiqua
aforesaid the twenty third day of November in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and twenty five.

In the name of God, Amen. I, Elisha Royce, of the town of Bloomfield,
county of Ontario and State of New York, do make and declare this my
last will and testament in manner and form following, First I resign my
soul into the hands of Almighty God, hoping and believing in a remission
of my sins by the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ and my boddy I
commit to the earth to be buried at the discretion of my executor
hereinafter named and my worldly estate I give and devise as follows:
First I give and devise to my wife Hephribah Royce the use of all my
real and personal estate during her natural life being in the town,
county, and state aforesaid. Allso I give and devise unto my four sons
all my real estate after my wife deceased and to be divided equally
amongst my four sons, vis Nehemiah, Samuel, Christopher H. and Jonathan.
Allso I give and devise unto my daughters Polly, Betsey, Elisabeth,
Sally C., Phebe, Nancy, Lois, Jemima, and Lydia all the personal estate
after the decease of my wife is to be equally divided amongst the above
named girls. I do hereby appoint my trusty friend Samuel Royce executor
of this my last will and testament.
Signed by Elisha Royce,     Seal

Signed , seal’d, published and declared by the said testator as and for
his last will and testament in presence of us who at his request in his
presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as
witnesses thereto.  Bloomfield, August 15, 1825.
Signed by James Harvey, John Mather

Ontario County, SS. Be it remembered that on the twenty third day of
November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty
five personally appeared before me Jared Willson, Esquire Surrogate of
the county of Ontario, James Harvey and John Mather who being duly sworn
did depose and say that they the deponents saw Elisha Royce late of the
county of Ontario deceased sign and seal the written instrument then
shewn unto them of which the aforegoing is a true copy,  purporting to
be the last will and testament of the said Elisha Royce deceased,
bearing date of the fifteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and twenty five, that at the time thereof the
said Elisha Royce was of a sound disposing mind and memory to the best
of the knowledge and belief of them the deponents and that they the
deponents subscribed their names as witnesses to the said will in the
presence of each other and in the presence of the testator.

Signed Jared Willson

*note: Elisha Royce died October 22, 1825. (source: Record of the
Religious Society of Bloomville, now named West Bloomfield
Congregational Church) photocopied by Pastor Corey Keyes 6-17-1999 in
the presence of Ray Allen