WILL: Azariah McCLANE, 1797, 1803, Bedford County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Andy Anderson Copyright 2003. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/bedford/ _________________________________________________ The will of Azariah McClain was signed 25 Mar 1797 and proved 3 Nov 1803. Bedford County, Pennsylvania, Will Book 1, page 202. In the name of God, Amen. I, AZARIAH McCLANE, being weak in body, yet sound in memory and perfect understanding, do constitute this my last will and testament and desire it may be recorded as such, agreeable to the laws of the State of Pennsylvania. Imprimis, first, I order all my debts to be paid out of my estate. I leave to my sons as is hereafter mentioned; I leave and bequeath unto my dear and lawful wife, SOPHIA McCLANE, during the term of her widowhood, this house wherein I now dwell, with all the household furniture, lands and tenements that lie about it, including the lands or other interests that I may have in any parts or places whatsoever. At her death the whole is to involve and become the property of my six children hereafter mentioned, and to be divided among them. [Item], after the payment of my debts, legacies and funeral expenses, I give, devise and bequeath unto my three sons, to wit: to my eldest son, SAMUEL McCLANE, my second son, JOHN McCLANE, and to my third and youngest son, WILLIAM McCLANE, their heirs and assigns, all my mesnages, lands, tenements and hereditaments whatsoever and wheresoever thereunto belonging, and out of which I order that they shall pay the following legacies, to wit: to my eldest daughter, MARY KEISER, one hundred pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania; unto my second daughter, SARAH HARDING, one hundred pounds; and to my third and youngest daughter, ELIZABETH McCLANE, two hundred pounds, money aforesaid to be paid them by the hands of my dear and lawful wife, SOPHIA McCLANE, during her widowhood, as she in her wisdom may think proper, and after her death it is my wish, order, and desire that my three sons, within mentioned, shall well and truly pay unto the within named MARY KEISER, SARAH HARDING and ELIZABETH McCLANE, the different shares, as is herein specified, on demand, and which payments is to be considered as a deduction out of the said estate left to them. [Item], it is furthermore my will and pleasure by these presents (to) constitute and appoint my dear and lawful wife, SOPHIA McCLANE, and my eldest son, SAMUEL McCLANE, whom I make sole executors of this, my last will and testament, and I give, devise and bequeath to them for their trouble one bay stallion (by) the name of Tamilon. Sealed, published and declared by and for the above named AZARIAH McCLANE, for and as his last will and testament, as witness his hand and seal this twenty- fifth day of March in the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven (1797). /s/AZARIAH McCLAIN Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of us: /s/JOSHUA DELAPLANE /s/SAMUEL CHARLTON /s/WILHELM EBRECHT (German handwriting) /s/GEO. ROSS Bedford County} ss. Personally appeared before me, the subscriber, Register for the probate of wills and granting letters of administration in and for said county, SAMUEL CHARLTON, who, being duly sworn according to law, (he being) one of the subscribing witnesses to the within instrument of writing, doth depose and say that he was personally present and heard and saw the within named AZARIAH McCLAIN sign, seal, publish, pronounce and declare the within instrument of writing as and for his last will and testament, and that the name Samuel Charlton is of this deponent's own handwriting, and that at the execution of the within instrument the testator was of sound and disposing mind and memory to the best of this deponent's knowledge and belief, and that he (saw) WILHELM EBRECHT and GEO. ROSS, the other subscribing witnesses, subscribe their names as witnesses thereto at the instance and request of the testator. Sworn and subscribed the third day of November, A.D. 1803. /s/SAMUEL CHARLTON Jacob Bennett, Register Bedford County} ss. Personally appeared before me, the subscriber, Register for the probate of wills and granting letters of administration in and for said county, WILLIAM EBRECHT, who, being duly sworn according to law, one of the subscribing witnesses to the within instrument of writing, doth depose and say that he was personally present and heard and saw the within named AZARIAH McCLAINE sign, seal, publish, pronounce and declare the within instrument of writing as and for his last will and testament, and that the name William Ebrecht is of this deponent's own handwriting, and that at the execution of the within instrument the testator was of sound and disposing mind and memory to the best of this deponent's knowledge and belief, and that he (saw) JOSHUA DELAPLANE, SAMUEL CHARLTON and GEORGE ROSS, the other subscribing witnesses, subscribe their names as witnesses thereto, at the instance and request of the testator. Sworn and subscribed the third day of November, A.D. 1803. /s/WILHELM EBRECHT (German handwriting) Jacob Bennett, Register Be it remembered that on the 3rd day of November, A.D. 1803, letters testamentary were granted to SOPHIA McCLAIN and SAMUEL McCLAIN, executrix and executor of AZARIAH McCLAIN, deceased. ==================================================== In this transcription, in all but the first instance the word "imprimis" (= in the first place) has been replaced by "item" (= also). ==================================================== Following copied from an online query. Names in brackets are from another query. Children of Azariah and Sophia McClain: Samual mar'd Mary ? John mar'd Isobel William mar'd Susannah Carmack [Mary Magdalena Traxler] Mary mar'd Christian Kaysor [John Keysor] Sarah mar'd ____ Harding [James Hardin] Elizabeth mar'd Thomas Charlton