WILL: William WILLIAMS, 1875, East Providence Township, Bedford County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Michael S. Caldwell Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/bedford/ ________________________________________________ Bedford County, Pennsylvania Will Book 5, p. 234-235 WILLIAM WILLIAMS LAST WILL Know all men by these presents that I, William Williams, of East Providence township County of Bedford and State of Pennsylvania, farmer, being in ill health, but of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make and publish this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me at any time heretofore made. And as to my worldly estate, and all the property, real, personal, or mixed, of which I shall die seized and possessed, or to which I shall be entitled at the time of my decease, I devise, bequeath, and dispose thereof in the manner following, to wit: First, my will is that all my just debts and funeral expenses shall by my executors hereinafter named be paid out of my estate, as soon after my decease as shall by them be found convenient. Item. I give, devise and bequeath to my beloved Wife Sarah Ellen Williams, the use of all my house-hold furniture together with the grain in the barn, the crops now growing, horses, cattle, and all other stock now in my possession, also the lumber at the saw mill of Joseph Williams and other piles of lumber by me now possessed in this vicinity, the use of the farm and farm implements, and any and every species of property of which I may stand possessed, after as above stated, paying my just debts and funeral expenses and procuring and erecting tombstones over the graves of my daughters Margaret and Matilda and my son Franklin Abia all to be of a good quality and suitable to their several ages, the above bequests to be restricted by the following restrictions, to wit: that she remain on and properly care for the farm, raise and educate my two sons William Grant and Thomas Jefferson so far as may be in her power, by the means thus afforded. But in case she should elect to remove from the farm or enter into a second marriage, then my will is that my Executor dispose of all my property real and personal, and after defraying the expenses hereinbefore named, Court charges and all others necessary to executing this will, that my wife be paid her proper dower in accordance with the laws of this commonwealth, and the balance then on hand to be disposed of in the following manner, to wit: each of my elder sons Samuel and George to receive two hundred dollars a piece, and each of my daughters, Elizabeth Ritchey, Lucinda McDaniel, and Amanda Kegg, one hundred dollars, and my daughter Mary Ann Akers, two dollars, and to my two younger sons William Grant and Thomas Jefferson I give and bequeath one thousand dollars, to be put upon interest as soon as practicable, said interest to be expended jointly in educating them and the principal to be divided equally between them at such time as my said son Thomas Jefferson shall arrive at twenty one years of age, but in case of the death of either or both of said sons, his, or their part of said legacy to be equally divided amongst all the living heirs, the aforesaid Mary Ann Akers excepted, who has already been bequeathed such amount of my estate as I desire her to have, and in case my wife should live and remain on the farm until my son Thomas Jefferson Williams arrives at his majority I will that all my property real and personal be then sold, and the proceeds be divided strictly in accordance with the foregoing requests and if any remains the balance to be equally divided between my two sons Samuel and George Williams. And lastly I do nominate and appoint Wilson McDaniel and Hiram Felten as executors of this my last will and testament and Guardian of my two minor sons William G. and Thomas J. Williams provided McDaniel serve as executor. I desire Felton to become Guardian and if so be that McDaniel refuse to act as executor my desire is that Felton is hereby constituted my legal executor and McDaniel Guardian of said minor children. In testimony whereof I the said William Williams, have to this, my last will and testament, contained on one sheet of paper, subscribed my name and affixed my seal this twenty day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy five. William Williams {Seal} Signed, Sealed, published, and declared by the said William Williams as and for his last will and testament, in the presence of us, who, at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto Joseph F. Triplett John Triplett, Bedford township Asa Williams Interlining done before signing Attest A.W. Bedford County SS. Before me the Register of Wills &c, in and for said County, personally appeared Joseph F. Triplett and Asa Williams, two of the subscribing witnesses to the within instrument of writing or last will and testament of William Williams and they being duly sworn according to law depose & say that they were present and saw and heard the said William Williams sign, seal, pronounce and declare the said instrument as and for his last will and testament, that they signed their names as witnesses thereto in his presence and at his request and that at the time of so doing he was of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge and belief. Jos. F. Triplett Asa Williams Sworn & Subscribed this 13th day of October A.D. 1875 Before me James Cleaver, Regr. Filed, proven & Letters Testamentary issued to William McDaniel the 13th day of Oct. 1875. Testator died on the 22nd day of September 1875 about 5 o'clock A.M. per affidavit of Asa Williams. Filed. James Cleaver Regr.