WILL: Adam CRESSLER, 1858, Southampton Township, Franklin County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Anne C Booth abooth@hot.rr.com Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/franklin/ _______________________________________________ Source: Will Book “n” Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Written: November 27, 1858 The Last Will and Testament of Adam Cressler Deceased Recorded in Will Book “N” 1859-1865 (Cumberland County, PA) I Adam Cressler of the Borough of Shippensburg County of Cumberland and State of Pennsylvania (sic) being of sound and disposing mind and memory do make & publish this my last will and testament hereby revoking and making void all former wills by me at any time heretofore made. And First. I direct that all of my just debts and funeral expenses be paid as soon after my decease as reasonably may be. Item I do hereby give and bequeath to my beloved wife Elizabeth all such articles of my household goods and furniture as she may select; the same to be her property absolutely and subject to her disposal. And I direct my executers (sic) herein after named to invest, as soon as may be convenient after my decease, the sum of Three thousand dollars, in such manner as they may deem safest and best, the interest accruing on which sum shall be paid annually, on the First day of April to my said wife Elizabeth for and during the term of her natural life. And further I do hereby give and devise to my said wife Elizabeth for and during the term of her natural life all that certain lot of ground situate on King Street in the Borough of Shippensburg aforesaid, with the buildings and appurtenances, now in my occupancy. If however the said premises can be sold advantageously in the opinion of my executors, during the life time of my said wife Elizabeth, and she gives her Consent in writing to the sale of the same, I do hereby direct and empower my said executors to sell at public or private sale and to convey the same in fee simple, and out of the proceeds of the said sale, if made as aforesaid, or part thereof, to purchase such other suitable house and lot of ground as my said wife may select, the price of such house and lot of ground not to exceed the sum of Fifteen hundred dollars, and at the decease of my wife to sell and convey the same as fully as they have the power to sell and convey the premises now in my occupancy as above mentioned, which said premises if not sold during the life time of my wife as aforesaid shall be sold and conveyed by my executors at and before her decease or as soon thereafter as may be convenient. In the event of the sale by my said executors of the house & lot of ground now in my occupancy during the life time of my wife & with her consent in writing as aforesaid, I do hereby direct them to invest the sum of One Thousand dollars of the proceeds of the sale thereof in such manner as they may deem safest and best, the interest accruing on which shall be paid annually on the First day of April to my said wife for and during the term of her natural life in the same manner as the interest on the sum of Three thousand dollars hereinbefore mentioned is directed to be paid. Item I direct and hereby authorize and empower my executors to sell, as soon after my decease as reasonably may be, at publick (sic) or private sale and on such terms as they think most advantageous and to convey in fee simple to the purchasers all the residue of my real estate consisting of my several lots or pices (sic) of land situate in the Township and Borough of Shippensburg and my tract of woodland situate in Southampton Township, Franklin County Penna (sic) bounded by lands of William M. Main and others; and also to dispose of all the residue of my personal property after my wife shall have selected such articles as she may think proper to retain as aforesaid and to collect my bonds, notes and accounts. Item For the purpose of making an equal division or distribution of my estate amongst my eight children I direct that the proceeds of the sale of the real estate hereinbefore directed to be sold by my executors, and the Moneys collected by them on my bonds, notes and accounts including therein the bonds, notes or sums charged or held by me against any of my said children for money loaned or advanced to them by me at any time, excepting however the sum of One thousand dollars given by me to each of my said children on or about the First day of April A. D. 1857 and for which I hold their receipts respectively; and at the decease of my wife the sum or sums that may have been invested for her use as hereinbefore mentioned constituting my whole estate (except the articles of personal property bequeathed to my wife absolutely) shall be divided into eight equal shares or parts, one of which said shares or parts I do hereby give and bequeath to each of my eight children, to wit: John H. Cressler, Joseph G. Cressler, Elizabeth A., wife of Anthony F. Wolf, Margaret Ann Lee, Michael Cressler, Sophia wife of Frederick G. Stumbaugh, Esq, Mary Jane wife of Araham (sic) B. Zuck and William Cressler: my said daughter Mary Jane Zuck shall also be charged with, and account to my executors for the sum of Two hundred and eighty seven dollars, being the amount of two notes held by me against her said husband Abraham B. Zuck, with lawful interest for the same. Item. It is my will and I direct that my executors shall invest in such manner as they may deem safest and best the amount of the shares or parts of my estate hereinbefore bequeathed to my daughters Elizabeth A. Wolf, Margaret Ann Lee, Sophia Stumbaugh and Mary Jane Zuck, the interest accruing on which said shares or parts of my estate invested as aforesaid shall be paid annually to my said daughters respectively for and during the term of the natural life of each of them, and at the decease of any one or more of my said daughters the share of shares of such one or more of them shall be paid by my executors to the children of such one or more of them share and share alike--in case however the interest that may accrue yearly on any of the said shares or parts of my estate be insufficient for the maintenance and suitable education of the family of such one of my daughters as my be entitled to the same, I direct my executors to use or appropriate for those purposes, from time to time, such proportion of the principal of the said share or shares as to them in the exercise of their sound discretion may seem to be necessary. And lastly I do hereby nominate and appoint my son John H. Cressler of Southampton Township, County of Cumberland and Michael Cressler of Southampton Township County of Franklin and State aforesaid Executors of this my last will and testament. In testimony whereof I Adam Cressler the Testator have hereunto set my hand & seal the Twenty seventh day of November A. D. One thousand eight hundred & fifty eight. Adam Cressler (seal) Signed, sealed, published and declared by Adam Cressler the Testator to be his last will and testament in the presence of us, who in his presence & at his request have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto R. P. W. Clure Alex (A.) Stewart Additional Comments: Adam Cressler appeared in Franklin County and in Cumberland County in different documents. He (b 8 May 1781; d 19 October 1863) married about 1808 Elizabeth Hoover (b 12 Jul 1786; d 16 Aug 1864).