Wills: John Ritter, 1854: Colebrookdale Twp, Berks Co, PA

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 rnjames@msn.com

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Will of John Ritter late of Colebrookdale Township Berks County and
approved March the 28th , 1854 and letters testamentary in common form
under the seal of office were granted to John Ritter and Daniel Ritter
sons the executors in the will named. The other executor Joseph Ritter
being sick and could not attend they being duly qualified thereto.

In the name of God Amen I John Ritter of Colebrookdale township Berks
County and the state of Pennsylvania farmer. Do make and publish this
my last Will & Testament in the following manner to wit:

1st  I commit my soul into the hands of God who gave it.

2nd  I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Maria all and singular
the goods, household furniture, kitchen utensils, iron, tin, pewter
and crockery ware, beds, bedding linens etc, etc. Which she brought
to me when she first moved to me and also fifty dollars in money to
be paid her out of the first monies coming into the hands of my
Executors to hold the same to her, her heirs and assigns for ever.

3rd  I give and bequeath unto my said wife during her widowhood,
two beds and the necessary bedding my eight day clock, two cows
and two hogs of my stock and also during her widowhood the use and
occupation of the one-half part of the new brick house which we now
occupy together with necessary privilege to pass from apartment into
the other in the part of the house which she may choose and into the
cellar which she may choose also the necessary privilege at the pump
and bakeoven and in the spring house to accommodate her goods, also
the privilege to take apples and other fruit as she may want for her
use, also sufficient good firewood cut small for immediate use and
hauled convenient to her door.

4th  I give and bequeath unto my said wife annually in due season and
in merchantable order during her widowhood, ten bushels of wheat, twelve
bushels of rye, ten bushels of Indian corn, ten bushels of potatoes,
five bushels of buckwheat, ten pounds of good hatcheld flax, 5 pounds
of good fine toe, three pounds of wool, half barrel of good cider and a
half barrel of water cider, feed, pasture and good stable room for two
cows as good as those of the occupier of the plantation which I now occupy
and the privilege to have two hogs to run in the fields with those of the
occupier of my said plantation and good pen and stable for the same, fifty
pounds of good beef, also one fourth part of the garden with dung hauled
in it sufficient to manure it and also annually the interest accruing on
the sum of one thousand dollars at five percent per annum.

5th  It is my will that the plantation whereon I now live situate in
Colebrookdale township Berks County adjoining lands of Jacob Bechtel,
John Hoch, Mathias Ritter, and William Henrich and the farm which I have
lately sold to my son John Ritter containing sixty seven acres more or less,
and also a tract of woodland situate partly in Washington and partly in
Colebrookdale townships Berks County bounded by lands of David Muthard,
Jacob Weis, Jacob Miller, Mathias Ritter and others containing ten acres,
more or less, shall be appraised as soon as convenient after my decease by
eleven disinterested and respectable men of the neighbourhood , to be
appointed by my children, but any or either of them should not be living
at the time then the survivors of my children and the husbands, Executors
or Administrators of such deceased child or children shall appoint said
men, and my Executors shall give public notice of the time and place for
appointing such appraisers and if any or either of them should not be in
the neighbourhood or refuse to appoint such appraisers - then my son
Lewis Ritter shall take the same at such appraisement, subject nevertheless
to all the rights, liberties and privileges in the house, barn (? unreadable)
are given and bequeathed to my said wife by the third item of this my last
Will and also to deliver unto my said wife the necessary firewood cut small
as mentioned in said item and also to give and deliver unto my said wife
annually in due season during her widowhood all and singular the grain, meat,
flax, wool, cider, feed & pasture for two cows and privilege to have two
hogs to run in the fields, stable room for said cows & swine, and right in
the garden etc., etc. as is given and bequeathed to her in the fourth item
of this my Will and also subject to the payment of one thousands dollars the
interest whereof at five percent per annum to be paid annually to my said
wife during her widowhood being the same interest which are given and
bequeathed to my said wife by the fourth item.
And the said principal sum of one thousand dollars to be paid to all my
children or their legal representatives immediately after the decease of
marriage of my said wife and the remainder of the said valuation after
deducting the said sum of one thousand dollars shall be paid to my Executors
to be distributed as herein after directed in the following manner one half
thereof at the end of one year after my decease and the remainder thereof
in two equal annual payments with interest from the time of my decease.
But in case my said son Lewis Ritter shall refuse to take the said plantation
& woodland at the valuation thereof then the same shall be sold by my
Executors or the survivors of them, at public sale subject never the less
to the rights etc. of my said wife as in case the same is taken at the
valuation as aforesaid.

6th  It is my Will that all the rest of my real estate and all my personal
estate not herein otherwise disposed off shall be sold by my Executors or
the survivors of them at public or private sale, and for that purpose I
hereby authorise my Executors or the survivors of them to execute and
deliver deeds of conveyance to the purchases of my real estate.

7th  It is my Will that the charges which I may have against my children
at the time of my decease and the receipts which I may have from my
children or husband of my daughters shall be deducted out of their
respective shares of my estate.

8th  I give and bequeath unto my sons Geo: Ritter, Henry Ritter,
Daniel Ritter, Joseph Ritter and Lewis Ritter and John Ritter each
of them the sum of one thousand dollars in advance and all the
remainder rest and residue of my whole estate I give and bequeath
unto my eleven children to wit Geo: Ritter, John Ritter, Henry Ritter,
Daniel Ritter, Joseph Ritter, and Lewis Ritter , Maria the wife of
Jacob Shell, Lydia the wife of Thomas Shaner, Rebecca the wife of Geo:Zollar,
Sarah the wife of Daniel Moyer and Esther in equal shares.

9th  I give and bequeath all what shall be left after the decease of
marriage of my said wife to my eleven children in equal shares.

10th  It is my Will that in case any or either of my children should
die under age and without issue that the share or legacy hereby given
to such child or children dying as aforesaid.