WILL: Leonard BENDER, 1782, Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by
Mark S. Painter benderpainter@gmail.com October 1, 2010, 8:30 pm

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_______________________________________________

Source: Lancaster Will Book D-1-55
Written: July 4, 1772
Recorded: September 25, 1782

In the Name of God, Amen, I Leonard bender of the Township of Lampeter in the 
County of Lancaster and Province of Pennsylvania, yeoman, being in good health 
of body and of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, but knowing 
not how soon it may please God to call me from this stage of life do hereby 
make, publish and declare my Last Will and Testament in manner following, that 
is to say, Imprimis. I recommend my Soul to God in full hope of a glorious 
resurrection and an happy admission into the regions of bliss and immortality 
and my body I commit to the earth to be decently interred at the discretion of 
my Executors herein after named and as to my worldly estate both real and 
personal I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and 
form, that is to say, Imprimis. It is my will and order that all my just debts 
and funeral charges be paid off and discharged out of my personal estate by my 
executors herein after named as soon as conveniently may be after my decease. 
And whereas that part of my plantation and tract of land allotted to my son 
Michael Bender is sold and conveyed to my son Leonard Benner in fee and my sons 
Leonard and Michael having paid to me the sum of two hundred and seventy five 
pounds mentioned in certain articles of agreement deposited into the hands of 
John Hopsan and sum of two hundred and seventy five pounds has since been by me 
paid to my two daughters, Barbara the wife of Michael Lawbinger and Margaret 
the wife of Nicholas Miller for their portions and as I am still seized of that 
part and moiety allotted for my son Leonard, I do therefore I give devise and 
bequeath unto my son Leonard bender and to his heirs and assigns forever all 
that plantation and tract of land whereon he the said Leonard now dwells 
situated in the Township of Lampeter in the said County of Lancaster containing 
one hundred and seven acres and an half of an acre and allowance for road be 
the same more or less according to the plan or draught thereof, together with 
the appurtenances thereto belonging subject to the said agreement during my 
natural life excepting so much thereof as relates to my wife deceased and to my 
daughters proportions, and if it should happen that my son Leonard and Michael 
or either of them or my son-in-laws, Michael Lawbinger and Nicholas Miller or 
either of them being in my debt at the same time of my decease by bonds, notes 
or book accounts, I do hereby order and direct that the same debts shall be 
added to the remainder and residue of my estate whatsoever I may die possessed 
of and not herein before given. I order and direct that the whole thereof be 
divided in four equal shares between my two said sons Leonard and Michael and 
my two daughters, Barbara wife of Michael Lawbinger and Margaret the wife of 
Nicholas Miller or their legal representatives in case my said sons or 
daughters should be dead at the time of my decease. And lastly, I do hereby 
nominate, constitute and appoint my trusty friends Jacob Carpenter son of 
Emanuel Carpenter Esq. And John Bender Jun’r millwright to be executors or 
executor of this my Last Will and Testament hereby revoking, disallowing and 
declaring as null and void all and every former and other will  or testament by 
me heretofore made declaring this and none other to be and contain my Last Will 
and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the 4th 
day of July 1772. 
                                    Signed in German: Leonhart Bender seal

Signed sealed, published, pronounced and declared by the said Leonard Bender as 
& for his Last Will & Testament in the presence and at his request have 
hereunto set our names as witnesses thereto; Em’l Carpenter Jun’r, Maria 
Zimmerman, Emanuel Carpenter.

Lancaster County ss
On the 3rd day of September 1782 before me the subscriber personally appeared 
Emanuel Carpenter Jun’r one of the subscribing witnesses to the forgoing will 
and on his solemn affirmation according to law did declare and affirm & say 
that he was present and saw Leonard Bender the testator in the will named, 
sign, seal, publish, pronounce and declare the within writing as and for his 
Last Will and Testament and that at the doing thereof he was of sound mind, 
memory and understanding to the best of his knowledge, observation and 
belief.                                 Signed: John Hubley Reg’r.

Lancaster County ss
 On the 25th day of September Anno Domini 1782 before the subscribing Deputy 
Register personally appeared Maria Zimmerman one of the subscribing witnesses 
to the foregoing will & on her solemn affirmation according to law did declare, 
affirm & say that she was present and saw and heard Leonard Bender, the 
Testator in the said will named, sign, seal, publish, pronounce and declare the 
within writing as and for his Last Will and Testament and that at the doing 
thereof he was of sound and well disposing mind, memory and understanding to 
the best of her knowledge, observation and belief. 

Signed: 
A. Hubley D. Reg’r.