Last Will and Testament of Jennet McCONNAUGHY (1780), Chester Co., PA

Contributed to the USGenWeb Archives by Anna Brown [elijahf1@comcast.net]

Copyright 2004.  All Rights Reserved.
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Will of Jennet McConnaughy - Recorded Book E page 413 [photocopy from Chester 
County PA Estate file # 3287  (Jennet McConnaughy)]

In the Name of God Amen  I Jennet McConnaughy of the Township of Westnantmell 
County of chester and State of Pennsylvania being weak in body but of sound 
memory (blessed be God.) do this Eighth day of December in the year of our Lord 
One Thousand Seven hundred and Eighty make and Publish this my last Will and 
Testament in Manner Following Viz. First I do Will and Bequeath unto Rachel my 
Son James daughter That Gristmill Sawmill Dwelling House now in Lease to Philip 
Hertz[spelling??] Together with Thirty Acres of Land round about and nearest 
adjoining the said Mill with the Priviledge of the Water Running in the same 
Race it Now does together with all my Pewter my Young Black Mare and saddle  and 
Case of Drawers the Bed and Bed Clothes now up stairs to her and her heirs 
forever &  her freedom to be Purchased by John Elliot at her expence and that 
she shall be under the Care and Tuition of my niece Mary Darlington untill she 
shall come to Years of Maturity.  I do also Give unto my said Niece Mary 
Darlington this Plantation I now live upon to her in her life time and at her 
death to be at her own Disposal only.  & to every of my Brothers Daughters now 
living the sum of Five hundred pounds (Arthurs daughter Margret in Carolina only 
excepted  and to James Andersons daughter Margret the sum of Five hundred pounds 
and to Robert Elliot the the Sum of Five hundred pounds to be in the hands of 
his Brother John and given him as his Need may require and and to my Brother 
James Graham the sum of One Thousand pounds to go to his Wife Mary at his death 
in Case of her surviving him and to Samuel Graham my Nephew the Sum of One 
Thousand pounds and to my Nephew James Graham Samuels brother the Sum of One 
Thousand pounds all these above Legacies in mony to be paid in Continental mony 
at the value now fix'd by the Government or at the exchange of Seventy five for 
One of hard mony. 
And I do also give and Bequeath unto James Anderson the Sum of Four hundred 
pounds in hard mony and likewise to have a refusal of that Plantation I lately 
bought at he price I gave and the said Four hundred pounds to go up in the 
payment thereof  And I do also give and Bequeath unto my brother Jared's Son 
James Graham or whoever shoud be my heir or heirs at law had I died intestate 
the Sum of Five Shillings in Gold and Silver mony.  I do Also give and Bequeath 
unto John Elliot the Use of that plantation whereon John and Jesse Rea now lives 
for the Space of Ten years from the day of my decease untill the said Ten Years 
be fully ended with the Issues and profits rising therefrom  Also my horse which 
I now have  I do also Allow that he said John Elliot shall after my decease Put 
over my Grave a Tomb Stone and like wise over my Sons and Husbands if not done 
before my decease to be done at the expence of my Whole Estate and in Case the 
said John Elliot shall not have the same done I do allow that if he shall not 
have the same done that he shall receive no Benefit from this my last Will and 
Testament  & I do also give and Bequeath unto James Moore Esq and Dan Griffith 
Esq Michael Graham and John Elliot all the remainder of my Estate to have each 
an equal moity or joint Share in the whole to them their heirs and assigns for 
ever.  I do also make Constitute and ordain the above named James Moore and Dan 
Griffith esquires Michael Graham and John Elliot executors of this my last Will 
and Testament All Former wills I revoke and this I do ratify and Confirm as my 
last will and Testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal 
the day and Year first Within Written
Signed Sealed & Acknow-      Jennet [her mark] McConnaughy 
ledged in presence of us      
       the interlineation before signing
                in the 8th line "to her and her assigns for ever"
               the word "if" in the 29th line   
      {note that on the Will itself  the line numbers were 11 and 4} Jean [her 
mark]Starret Samuel Byers Frances Patton

Notes: Transcribed by Anna Brown 21 March 2004 from a photocopy of the will; 
spelling capitalization and punctuation are as in the Will itself.
The date of the proving of this Will is not stated upon it; however, the Estate 
was appraised on 12 December 1780 indicating that Jennet had died very soon 
after the writing of her Will on the 8th.
If my calculations are accurate, cash bequeathed was 8-10 thousand pounds - a 
not inconsiderable sum! This plus lands and other property made up a large 
estate in 1780.

Jennet named brothers Arthur, Jared, and James + James' wife Mary