WILL: Cunrad MEINZER, 1781, Cocalico Township, Lancaster County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Vicki Hutchison vickihutchison@earthlink.net September 30, 2008, 8:28 pm Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/lancaster/ _______________________________________________ Source: Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania Will Book D, Pages 140-141 Written: August 10, 1781 Recorded: August 18, 1781 Cunrad Meinzer deceased In the Name of God Amen I Cunrad Meinzer of Cocalleco Township yeoman, being very Sick but of Good senses, Thank be to God. But remembering the mortality of my Body do make hereby my last Will and Testament in manner as followeth. I order and it is my will that my wife Elizabeth shall have all the use income and Profit of the Lands whereon I live at present so long till my eldest son John is arrived to his lawfull Age, and she is free, to rent out the same. my son in Law Michael Oberle shall have the Preference before others And from the Income of said Premisses my wife shall educate my Children untill the aforesaid Term and my sons shall during said Term be obedient to her mother, but each of said Sons shall be free of his Mother, when fourteen years of age, provided he intends to learn a Trade. 2. I order than in four weeks after my Death all my Personal Estate shall be sold by public Vendue, except my Bedd, a wardrobe the best Cow, which I bequeath to my wife and from the money arising from thence, my Debts shall be paid and the Residue shall be dispose as hereafter shall be said. 3, I order that, when my son John is of age, all my Lands shall be valued by four Freeholders indifferently chosen between my wife and Heirs, and the Interest of one third Part of the valuation money shall be paid from thenceforth to my wife during the Term of her natural Life according to Law and each of my Heirs inheriting said my Lands, shall pay his proportionable share in said Interest, for which each must give good Secuirty if demanded by my Executor. 4. I order, that my wife during the Term of her widowhood shall have her residence in my House unmolested, but if she could not well agree with him that lives in said house then he shall built for her a good House near the spring of said my Premises, for which Expenses he shall receive Allowance in the Partition of Land and from the Resideu of my personal Estate not expended for my Debts as also one hundred Bushels of Wheat of the present Corp I bequeath of the Vendue money one third part to my wife and the said hundred Bushels of wheat to maintain my Family, all this I give her as the full satisfaction of her Dower, and she shall have no farther Right to my Estate either real or personal. 5. To my eldest son John I give and bequeath the sum of twenty pounds Pennsylvania Currency to be paid to him when of Age, and in Consideration of this he shall not take a double share. 6. I order, that all my Lands, when my son John is of age shall be divided in six Lotts and shares according the the Quanitity of Acres by the said Abritators indifferently chosen and that share, whereon I live at present shall be appropriated a Lotts to my son John, and the other five shares shall be appropriated to my five other Heirs viz Catharina, Anna, Maria, Verona Frederick & Cunrad, and the said Arbitrators shall Value and praise each share, and the money arising from said Valuation is to be divided in six equal Shares, and those which have received by their Lands more as the sixth part of the valuation money makes out must pay that over plus to the others until all my Heirs are made equal in their shares and my Executor hereafter named shall make good deeds w each share of said Lands to my respective Heirs, provided each of my Heirs shall the receipt of his Deed give sufficient Security for his share to be paid towards the dower of my Wife, if demanded, such Deeds I hereby acknowledge as lawfull as if done by my self. 7. I order that all the Income of my other Plantation shall be divided in three equal shares, one thereof shall come to my Wife, and the other two to be divided among my other Heirs share alike. 8. I give and bequeath to my Daughter Catharina two Cows a Bedd and a chest and three sheep, Item I bequeath to my Daughter Verona the sum of Twelve pounds money aforesaid. 9. And farther I give to my Wife for the use of the Family two the best Hoggs one half of a Cow, one Waggon of the first Hay, and one wagon of the second Hay, ten Bushels of Indian Corn. 10. Finally I Constitute Executor of this my last Will my loving Friend Jacob Weidman, to whom I have all confidence. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this Tenth day of August Anno one thousand Seven Hundred and eighty one. Cunrad his x mark Meinzer {seal} Nota the words to my wife and the word Lot, inserted before sealing. Signed Sealed and Acknowledged by the Testator to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us underwritten Witnesses who saw him sign the same ?? ?? Bearnhard Feather ?? Millar Lancaster County. On the eighteenth Day of August Anno Domini 1781. Before me the Subscriber personally Appeared Wendal Hoffman?? and Bernhard Feather, two of the Subscribing witnesses to the within Writing and on their Solemn affirmation respectively addording to Law did declare and say that they were present and saw and heard Cunrad Meinzer, the Testator within 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 their knowledge Observation and Believe – (signed) John Hubley Regs. Be it Remembered that on the eighteenth Day of August Anno Domini 1781. The Last Will and Testament of Cunrad Meinzer late of Cocalico Township yeoman deceased was proved in due form of Law and Letters Testamentary thereon were granted to Jacob Weidman the Executor therein named he being first duly qualified well and truly to administer the Estate of the said deced and to exhibit a true and perfect Inventory thereof into the Register’s office at Lancaster on or before the eighteenth Day of September next and to render a just account of his Administration of the said Estate when thereto lawfully required. Given under the Seal of the said office & me John Hubley Regs.