WILL: John George BENDER, 1783, Mount Joy Township, Lancaster County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Mark S. Painter benderpainter@gmail.com October 1, 2010, 8:26 pm Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/lancaster/ _______________________________________________ Source: Lancaster Will Book Y-2-43 Written: February 21, 1782 Recorded: March 29, 1783 In the name of God, Amen, I John George Bender of Mount Joy Township in the County of Lancaster in Pennsylvania, being sick and weak of body but God be thanked, of sound understanding and therefore make my Last Will and Testament in the manner and form following viz; First, I recommend my soul into the hands of my Creator trusting in the mercy of my Redeemer Jesus Christ for remission of all my sins and admission into the Regions of Bliss and my body to the earth until the great day of our Lord Jesus Christ and as to my worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me I bequeath in manner following. First I order that all my just debts shall be paid after my decease. Further it is my will and I order that my widow Ann Elizabeth shall have the rights to my land & house during her life she remaining my widow and shall carry on the husbandry with my children until the youngest attain their age if she should live so long, but in case my wife should not be inclined to carry on the husbandry and one of my children would take the same in hand then my said wife shall remove into the new house over the hill & shall possess the same during her widowhood but never the less with the will and consent of my said wife and not otherwise. And if it should happen as aforesaid she then nevertheless shall have a right in the land, house and movable goods of what name soever and keep the same in her hands and act and do with the same and she and my hereafter named executors shall think fit during her widowhood. But if she against my expectations should marry again then she shall have no more than what the law allows her. And further I order that after the death of my said widow my plantation & land with the buildings shall be sold at public venue as also my movable goods which my widow shall leave at the time of her decease and the money raised by the sale of my land and movable goods shall be divided amongst all my children share alike viz; my sons John Henry, John William, John George, and John Bender and my daughters; Mary Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Mary Catherine, Ann Margaret & Mary Barbara Bender. But my eldest son John Henry shall have for his birthright five shillings aforehand and this shall be in full for his second share and no more but shall a equal share with the rest. And in case one of my younger children or any of those, which are yet under my care should die then I order that the share of the one so dying shall be equally divided amongst the rest. And I hereby nominate and appoint John Nissly and Abraham Sherer of Mountjoy Township Executors of this my Last Will and Testament, empowering my said Executors after the decease of my said widow to give the purchaser of my said land a good title for the same his heirs and assigns as fully and amply as if I had done it with my own hands and further my said Executors shall have a right as aforesaid to sell my land at public venue for cash or in yearly payments as also my moveable goods as they shall find proper and divide and divide the sum among my children as well as they can. And I do hereby make null and void all former and other wills by me heretofore made, claiming this and no other as my Last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I John George Bender have hereunto set my hand and seal the 21st day of February A. Dom 1782. John George Bender seal Signed, sealed, pronounced and declared by John George Bender as his Last Will and Testament in the presence of and in his presence have signed our names hereto. David Nissly, Henry Helt Lancaster County ss On the 24th day of March Anno Domini 1783 before the subscriber personally appeared David Nissly and Henry Helt the two subscribing witnesses to the above will and the said David Nissly on his solemn affirmation and the said Henry Helt on his solemn oath respectively and severally did and say that they were present and saw and heard John George Bender the testator above named sign, seal, publish and pronounce, declare the foregoing writing as and for his Last Will and Testament and at the doing thereof he was of sound mind, memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge observation and belief. John Hubley, Regr. Be it remembered That on the 29th day of March Anno Domini 1783 the Last Will and Testament of John George Bender late of Mountjoy Township in the County of Lancaster, yeoman, deceased, was proven in due form of law and letters Testamentary therein were granted to John Nissly and Abraham Sherer the Executors therein named they being first duly qualified well and truly to administer the estate of the said deceased and especially to exhibit a true and perfect inventory thereof into the Registers office at Lancaster on or before the 29th day of April next and to render a perfect and true amount of their administration in one year or when thereto lawfully required. Given under the seal of the said office. John Hubley Reg’r.