WILL: Allen BROWN, 1808, Metal Township, Franklin County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Dave Fridinger-Brown 6fridingers@embarqmail.com September 23, 2010, 12:21 pm Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/franklin/ _______________________________________________ Source: Franklin County Courthouse Will Book B Page 351 Estate #965. Written: November 19, 1808 In the name of God amen, I Allen Brown of Metal Township in Franklin County and State of Pennsylvania being infirm in bodily strength, but of sound mind, judgment & memory blessed be God for the desire do think proper to commit this my last Will and Testament to writing, giving and bequeathing what worldly estate I am possessed of in the following manner, after my just debts & funeral expenses is paid. First to my beloved wife I give her a bed and bed clothes, as they stand in my House, such as she chooseth, and a good milk cow. Also I allow her the one third of the rents of this my dwelling plantation or tract of land or the one third of the land to be paid off to her at her discretion, also she is to have living in this my dwelling House with the use of firewood and water during her natural life, the above to be lieu of her dower; Item to my son John Brown I give and bequeath the sum of One hundred pounds, lawful money of the United States, to be paid as follows by my Executors, fifty pounds one year after my decease and fifty pounds one year afterwards, to and for the only purpose of redeeming the tract of land he lives on and for no other purpose (the money not to go into his hands) And further I give two hundred and seventy pounds to my said son John’s nine Children to be equally divided amongst them to each thirty pounds money aforesaid to be paid to them equally as they arrive to age, his sons twenty one years and his daughters to Eighteen, to be paid them by my Executors as if they were particularly herein named, they being the lawful issue of my said son John, but if any of them die without lawful issue and under age as above set forth, their share or part is to be equally divided amongst their surviving brothers and sisters; Item to my daughter Mary Brown (now McCurdy) I allow and give to her and her heirs the sum of four hundred pounds money aforesaid to be paid by my Executors as follows, fifty pounds one year after my decease and fifty pounds yearly afterwards to the whole is paid; Item to my two sons Joseph Brown and Stephen Oliver Brown I will give & bequeath all my real and personal Estate divided between them share and share alike to each an equal share, Joseph to have his tract of land or plantation where he now lives up the creek and to come to a division line nearby George King, through my large tract of land, Beginning at a stone heap onside of the mountain, from thence forth seventy one degrees East two hundred and sixteen perches to a post on the creek side or near it, on the Easterly side of the same, also he is to have off the South Easterly tract of 95 acres & 100 perches of land over the creek from my dwelling House as much laid off on the Chestnut ridge as will include the one half of my large tract of land, And Stephen O. Brown my son shall have all the remainder of this my dwelling plantation or tract of land including my dwelling House but it is my Will that if my said two sons cannot agree on the amount each of their tracts of land is worth, that they shall choose three or five of their friends and neighbors who shall value each of their tracts according to quality with improvements and incumberances and their determination shall be final of a majority of them, and each of my said two sons Joseph & Stephen shall pay in proportion to what the lands are valued at, by said three or five men until my trustees herein mentioned is fully paid off, in consideration of what is hereby willed to them. And it is my Will that Executors Patent the small tract of land yet to Patent out of my Estate. Item to my grand daughter Margaretta Johnston, daughter to Jane Brown alias Johnston deceased, I give and bequeath the sum of two hundred pounds aforesaid money to be paid her when she arrives to eighteen years of age or to her Heirs, but if she die before said age and without lawful issue, her land or tract shall be equally divided between my two sons Joseph and Stephen And my Will is that my son Stephen shall keep, school and Clothe my said- grand- daughter; And I do hereby initiate constitute and appoint my two sons Joseph and Stephen Oliver Brown and James McCurdy my Son in law to be the Executors of this my last Will & Testament In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty fifth day of July Eighteen hundred & eight 1808. Signed Sealed in presence of us the subscribers who in the presence of the Testator and at his request have signed our names as Witnesses. Unknown Findley, George Dickson, James Johnston. Allan Brown Seal On the 16 day of November 1808 James Johnston one of the Witnesses to the within writing appeared before me Register for the probate of Wills and granting letters of Administration for Franklin County and upon solemn oath did depose and say that he was present and saw and heard Allan Brown write his name unto and seal and publish the within as and for his last Will and Testament, and that at this time of doing thereof he the said Allan Brown was of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding to the best of his knowledge and belief that this deponents name thereto written is of his own hand writing, and that he did see John unknown and George Dickson sign also at the same time as Witnesses. James Johnston On the 19th November 1808 George Dickson appeared and on his solemn oath did depose and say respecting the execution of the foregoing writing by Allen Brown dec and state of mind he was in, as is above sworn and subscribed by James Johnston George Dickson Sworn & Subscribed before Edw Crawford Reg 19th Nov 1808 by George Dickson