Wills: Jacob Early, 1777: Donnegal Twp, Lancaster County

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              Will of Jacob Early, 1777

In the name of god Amen, the 27th Day of April in the year of our
Lord 1777. I Jacob Early of the Township of Donnegal in the County of
Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, being weak in Body, but of sound
Mind and Memory, therefore calling to Mind the Mortality of my Body
and knowing that it is appointed for all Men once to die do make and
ordain this my last Will and Testament in the Manner and Form
following, --- Imprimis I humbly bequeath my Soul to God who gave it
and my Body I give to the Earth to be buried in a Christian and
decent Manner, at the Discretion of my Executors hereafter mentioned.
Imprimis it is my Will that my small Debts and Funeral Expences be
paid of my personal Estate. Item I give and bequeath to my Wife,
Christina Early free and peaceable Possession of the House where I
now live, during Their natural Life, she is not to be put out of the
same, she is also to have Two Pounds in Honey, fifteen Bushels of
Wheat or shelled (?) and Ten Bushels of Rye every year, she is also
to have her Choise of the Cows and Fodder for said Cow is to be
provided for her yearly, she is to have the Use of one Acre of Land
to manage as she shall think proper, she is further to have One
hundred Pounds of Pork for her own Use given to her yearly, she is to
also have her Bed, Bed-clothes and Bedstead, her Chest and Table, she
is further to have Liberty to take such Things as she stands in need
of about the Dresser, she is also to get the Use of a Pipe-Stove
which is now in the House, she is further to have Priviledge of a
Horse to ride when needful, she is to have her Choise of Six Apple
Trees in the Orchard every year, it is my Will that all these Things
be given to her during her Life or Time of Widowhood, but if she
marries she is to be kept up no longer in any of the Articles before
mentioned. Item I give and bequeath to my Sons John and Jacob Early
the Plantation I now live on which I bought of the Christian (?) to
be divided between them as equally and as near to equal Value as
possible, he whoes lot it shall be to get the House I now live in is
to assist the other in building of one on his Part of the Land.
Further it is my Will that my Son Jacob Early shall live with his
Brother John Early for the Space of Two years after my Decease and
assist him in working, and after that he is to go to learn a Trade,
which Trade and Master he is to choose, and after he has learned a
Trade he is to return home and assist his Brother John Early
aforesaid untill the whole of my Debts be paid, and after my Debts is
paid my Plantation aforesaid is to be app(?) and it is my Will that my
Daughters Lutey [Sutey?] Smith, Agnes Winogle, and my Daughter Eve
Early who remains at home with me is to have equal each her part in
Money equally with my sons, except my eldest Son John Early which I
allow to have Ten Pounds in Money and a young Mare-Colt, and if the
Mother of said Colt sude have one next year, it is to be given to my
Son Jacob Early. My Sons John and Jacob Early aforesaid is to hold
the Land and pay to my Daughters their Parts equal with themselves
after the Manner aforesaid. And I bequeath said Land to my Sons John
Early and Jacob Early to them their Heirs and Assigns forever. It is
my Will further than my Wife Christina Early shall have Liberty of
Part of the Garden to make use of as she shall think proper, she is
also to have one Sheep which she is to hold after the Manner
aforesaid. It is my Will also that whatsoever my Sons shall settle on
the Part of my Plantation not improved on, he shall have the half of
the Orchard, exclusive of the Six Trees afore mentioned to my Wife,
which he is to have the Produce of untill he shall have one planted
which shall bear Apples. It is my Will further that my Son John Early
is to provide cloths for my Son Jacob Early during the Term of Two
Years aforesaid which he is to stay with him. And I do nominate and
appoint Nicholas Ridsaker and John Wiland of the Township and County
aforesaid sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament, and I do
hereby disallow revoke and disannull all other former Testaments,
ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and
Testament The legacies bequeathed to my Daughters is to be paid in
(?) at two different times beginning at the Eldest and the next year
Agnes who is next to her etc. My Sons aforesaid is to live one Year
free after my Debts is paid, they are not to pay any of the Legacies
bequeath by me. Signed sealed and delivered in the Presence of us
Michael Bower (his mark), 
(unreadable)
George Snaper (his mark) }
Jacob Ehrle (unreadable) (Seal)

Lancaster County on the Fifth Day of May Anno Domini 1777 before me
the subscriber personally appeared. Henry Willhelm and George Snaper
two of the subscribing Witnesses to the written Will and on their
Solemn Affirmations according to Las did severally declare and say
that they were present and saw and heard Jacob Early the Testator
within named sign seal publish pronounce and declare the within
writing as (?) for his last Will and Testament, and that at the doing
thereof he was of sound and will disposing Mind, Memory and
Understanding to the best of their knowledge, Observation and Belief.

Peter Hoofnagle, Register

Be it remembered that on the Twelfth Day of May, Anno Domini 1777 the
last Will and Testament of Jacob Early, late of Donegal Township in
the County of Lancaster Yeoman deceased was proved in due form of Law
and (?) thereon were granted to Nicholas Ricksecker and John Wiland
the Executors therein named; they being first duly qualified well and
truly to administer the Estate of the Deceased, and to exhibit a (?)
and perfect Inventory there (?) the Registeršs Office of Lancaster on
or before the Fifth Day of June (?) and to render (?) and just account
of their Administration or the said Estate when thereto lawfully
required given under the seal of the said Office (Something about
recorded and examined with the original June the 10th 1777.