WILL: Frederick BLETZ/PLESS, 1784, Warwick Township, Lancaster County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Arlene McLennan [arzomcl@sbcglobal.net] Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/lancaster/ _______________________________________________ Frederick Bletz, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania; Will Book E-110 in original German. Translated will, Book Y-2-521 dated December 11, 1780. Probated October 30, 1784. LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF FREDERICK BLETZ/PLESS I Frederick Bletz of Warwick Township in the County of Lancaster in the State of Pennsylvania Farmer, being at present (God be thanked) of sound and disposing Mind Memory and understanding, but calling to mind the uncertainty of Human Life and that it is ordered for all Men once to die I therefore make my last Will and Testament in Manner following viz. First it is my will and I order that all my just Debts and Funeral Charges be paid and discharged as soon as possible after my decease. Item it is my Will that my beloved wife Ann Elizabeth shall dwell upon my Land and shall have the whole Benefit of my said plantation during her Life if she remains my Widow, And further I give unto her a Cow which she may choose, and she shall have a right to raise a calf untill its a Cow, and the she shall sell one of them and the money raised thereby shall be her own, and the other Calfs which the said Cow may bring shall be likewise her own and she shall sell them when they are about four weeks old, her Cow shall also have a right to go to pasture in the fields along with the other cattle and shall be fed in Winter like the other cattle. And further she shall have quarterly Seven Bushels of Wheat or cleaned Speltz Seven Bushels of Rye, fire wood shall be cut for her and delivered to her House as much as she has need of also yearly fifteen Pounds of Hackeled hemp and Flax as much as she will spinn. And further she shall have yearly one hundred Pounds of Pork, fifty Pounds of Beef, a Barrel of Cyder if there is fruit, two gallons of Whiskee Item it is my Will and I give unto my said Wife my House with all my Household furniture & Bed now in the House wherein I live During her life if she remains a Widow. And further it is my will that my twoSons John and William shall have my two Sermon Books and my son John Adam shall have the small Bible and the Book called True Christianity and the Book called Kempis the said Books shall be appraised to them by indifferent Persons after ths decease of my said Wife. And it is my Will and I give unto my eldest Son John the sum of Ten Pounds hard Money in gold or silver or the Value thereof aforehand for his second share as eldest son, so that he shall have no further demand for or an account of his birthright to my Estate real & personal Item I give unto my son John Adam the sum of Twenty five Pounds aforehand and further it is my will that after the decease of my said Wife all my Estate real & Personal (after the above Legacies are paid) shall be divided in five equal Shares. And I give one fifth part unto my son John, another fifth part thereof I give unto my son William, another fifth part unto the Children of my Daughter Elizabeth, But my said Daughter shall have and receive the interest thereof during her Life and one other fifth part thereof i give unto the Children of my Daughter Mary Ann, but nevertheless that my said Daughter shall have three pounds ten shillings thereof if she takes no Cow, but if she takes a Cow then the said Three pounds ten Shillings shall be paid back to the other four shares And my Daughter Anna Mary shall have & receive the Interest of the said share (from the Time it bears Interest) during her life But if the rest of my Heirs are obliged to pay the Bond payable to Casper Heger then it shall be deducted of this last mentioned fifth part, Item it is my Will that after my decease my son John Adam shall live upon my Plantation and cultivate the same during the Life of his Mother to support & maintain her thereout. And he shall also have during that Time the use of the Horses, Wagon, Plough and Harrow and all the Geers now on the place also four head of Cattle, but on the decease of my said Wife he shall replace the same. And further it is my Will that my wife shall have three Sheep - And I also order that if any one of the Sons should after the decease of my said Wife be inclined to take and hold my said land but could not agree with each other about the same, then and in that case each of them shall choose one impartial Man, who shall make and appraise the same at a reasonable Price. And lastly I nominate and appoint my trusty friend Abraham Huber and my son John Bletz Executors of this my last Will and testament declaring this and no other to be my last Will and testament. Witness my Hand and Seal this eleventh day of december A.D. One thousand Seven hundred and Eighty. Signed by Frederick Bletz Witnessed by: Valentine Hun Henry Lehn