Wills: John Hopwood (1745-1802) Fayette County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Robert J Bartosh bartbart@alltel.net USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and country table of contents. John Hopwood (1745-1802) Last Will & Testament Written: March 4, 1802 Probated: May 6, 1802 Woodstock (Hopwood), Fayette County, Pennsylvania In the name and will of God, Amen. I, John Hopwood of Fayette County Woodstock Town and state of Pennsylvania being weak of body but of sound mind taking into consideration the certainty of the Death of this frail body and that the time when the place when or manner here is uncertain to me and as I have some Earthly property the which God and the laws of the land hath vested in me that the right to dispose of according to my will therefore from a sense of duty to God, to a my country and to my beloved wife and children make ordain -- and publish this as my last will and Testament that is to say. First, I recommend my soul to Almighty God, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who gave it me to be disposed of according to his will Trusting as I do in his mercy and goodness, wisdom and Power for in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily and my body to the Grave to be decently but plainly buryed at the discretion of my Executors and friends. Secondly, my will and desire is that my beloved wife Hannah have and enjoy during her natural life a full third part of all my property according to law together with her full right of dower in any property that ever was mine which she has not relinquished fully of Opinion as I am that I could not do her that justice which she deserves by any detached portion of my little property which might Barr her of her dower I therefor Recommend her to the Kind Care and protection of God and the laws of the State for her support and maintenance during her natural life the surplus of her said thirds or dower or over and above what may be spent by her for her own use she may by will or gift to whom she thinks fit excepting lands or freehold property which shall return after her death to the then heirs according to Laws or this State made and provided. Thirdly, I give and bequeath unto my only son Moses Hopwood all the lands I now hold in Union and Wharton Township Except as shall and is herein after excepted /to wit/ sixteen acres of land in the same more or less including the saw mill Vulcan Furnace Seat / so called / bounded by Markett Street in the town of Woodstock on the west end of lots in said Town No. 37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44, by Straight Street on the south and by School Street on the north holding the course of the two last mentioned streets until they intersect the outline of my land Easterly which sixteen acres & c with the appurtenances together with all the Iron Oar in any of my lands with the liberty freely to dig quarry and carry it to the said Seat for manufacture and not else where (till melted down) I annex to and join with said Vulcan Furnace Seat as part of the privilege weight and benefit of the owner or owners thereof and I give and bequeath the same that is to say the before mentioned sixteen acres of land & c all the Iron Oar as aforesaid and all the wood which is on the tract of land called the Milstone quarry tract to beloved Grandson John Hopwood (son of said Moses) to him his heirs and assigns forever. And whereas I have provided Materials in part and made other preparations for Building a furnace and Mill & c at said Seat it is my will and desire that my son Moses Hopwood carry the same into effect as soon as maybe or at least within three years from the date of these presents then and in that case he shall be entitled to three fourths of the profits thereof until my said Grandson comes to the age of twenty one years the remaining one fourth of the real profits made by said furnace mill & c I will and desire should be appropriated to the Christian Religious Education as held forth by the Society call the new Jerusalem Church as also Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Mathematics, Logick and sound Philosophia and any other useful Instruction or Science the aforesaid John Hopwood my grandson together with his brother Moses Hopwood, son of Moses Hopwood, aforesaid till they come of Age aforesaid at which time the whole of the furnace mill seat of land, Sixteen acres of Land, oar, timber and appurtenances shall be the right and persesion in fee simple of the said John my grandson unimpaired Except so much as shall be or ought at said Furnace Seat for the use and purpose before mentioned or alluded too provided always that in case. My son Moses Hopwood shall build said Furnace Mill & c and carry them into complete effect and should see cause to sell said Seat and land aforesaid before either of said children my said grandsons John and Moses aforesaid come of the age of Twenty one as aforesaid as the Natural guardian and friend of his own Children I hereby will and desire an empower him so to do on the following condition that he reserve and lay up in good secure hands fifteen hundred pound current money of the State of Pennsylvania for the said John and one thousand pounds like money for the use of said Moses two before named Grandsons one third of each to be put to the use of their education aforesaid and the remainder two thirds kept at interest for them till they come of age as aforesaid excepting also the houses, garden and orchard where I now live No. 45,46 and 47 fruit lots in the town of Woodstock together with an acre of ground including said Orchard called in general place Burying ground with the appurtenances unto my Daughter Nancy Deford her lawful heirs and assigns forever Excepting also for the use and benefit of Charlotte Sutton my Daughter a house and lot in said town No. 77 which I fought of James Runier and again excepting for the use and benefit of Lucinda Farr my daughter a house and lot in said town NO. 70 to be held for her in right of Moses Hopwood my said son till her daughter Hannah Farr comes of age and then to her or to be sold for her use and whereas my Daughters Elizabeth Deford, Nancy Deford, Charlotte Sutton and Lucinda Fair has had their parts of land and moveables except as by are Excepted my will and desire is that all debts due to me and all my movable property except so much as comes to my wifes part be collected or sold as the case may be to the best Bidder and Equally divided after my just debts and funeral charges is paid Amongst my five children, to wit, Moses Hopwood, Charlotte Sutton, Lucinda Fair, Elizabeth Deford and Nancy Deford my son and four daughters whereof Nancy Deford shall have an overplus or more than either of the others of fifty dollars cash for her great care and attention of or to me and her mother during my distress and I hereby nominate and appoint Moses Hopwood my said Son, John Deford my Son in law and John Young of Greensburg attorney at Law or any two of them my whole and Soul Executors of this my Last will and Testament hereby revoking, disannuling and making utterly void all other wills, Testaments or writings which I have heretofore made done or executing and Publishing this as my last will and testament Signed and Sealed with my own hand after mature consideration as witness my hand and seal in presence of the subscribing witness this 4 day of March 1802. John Hopwood SEAL Done in the presents of us who in presents of each other set our names as witnesses. John Barns Hezekiah Runier Richard Hall Fayette County ss The sixth day May Anno Domini 1802 before me the subscriber Register for the probate of wills and granting Letters of Administration in and for the County aforesaid personally came Jesse Barns and Hezekiah Runier the two first signing witnesses to the foregoing last will and testament and being duly sworn did declare that they saw the Testator sign the same and acknowledge it as his last will when in his right mind -- And that there was no undue influence used or late will made to their Knowledge or belief Given under my hand and Seal of Office same day. Alexander McClean Register Registered and Compared Sixth day of May A Domini 1802