Wills: Peter Sweigart,1854: East Cocalico Twp, Lancaster County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Muriel Sonne. cgsonne@comcast.net USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use,including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. ____________________________________________________________ Lancaster County Will Book V-1, pp. 775-770 [ from FHL MF#21364] [Original will in German; translated by Sabine Pitts] Peter Sweigert Deceased In God's name Amen. I, the undersigned Peter Sweigert of Cocalico Township, Lancaster County and the State of Pennsylvania, although at present I am in good health, but mindful that every human is to die and that it is uncertain to know when the voice of our Creator will call us from this world, I prepare and declare this present document - while I am still of sound reasoning, memory and good judgment, for which I heartily thank God- to be my last will and testament, namely: First of all I commend my immortal soul to the hand of my God, to his eternal mercy, and my body to the earth, the body which my later named executors are to have buried in a befitting Christian manner, And as for my worldly possessions, consisting of a farm located in the earlier mentioned township, county and state encompassing forty acres more or less and including the structures located on that land: I bequeath the above mentioned land with the house and other structures to my son Michael on condition that he maintain in an honest and Christian manner me and my beloved wife Elisabeth as long as we live. And one year after out death, that is when I and my beloved wife is deceased, my son Michael must pay every year one of the heirs, however only in half and the payments are to be made as follows: namely to my son Samuel one year after our death twenty-five dollars, and so he is to pay every year to one of his brothers and sisters twenty five dollars, according to their age none excepted. But this explains the correct manner of payment: In the first year after our death to Samuel, in the second year to John, in the third year to Jacob and so forth from the first to the youngest, to each child of mine he must pay fifty dollars, but in two installments, as mentioned above, each year only twenty-five dollars, and when the youngest child has her first twenty-five dollars, then he begins with the youngest, that is Haenna, and a year after Haenna he gives to Maria, and after that to Catharina, and as he the first time started with the oldest to the youngest, the second and last twenty-five dollars he begins with the youngest to the oldest, but without interest payments. In addition, my son Michael must pay to my son George eight pounds which are due him from the land, and to Isaac Zinn three dollars, and to Peter Zinn three dollars, and to Josiah Sweigart three dollars. Finally I name herewith my son Samuel and Samuel Wertz to be my executors. P.S. Should my son, if it happens that God calls me from this world before my wife, and he treats her ill or does not maintain her as it is incumbent upon a child to treat his parents, in that case the executors should be bound to find it proper to assist the wife at his expense: Further it is my last will that after my death my wife is no longer compelled to work except what she of her free will does or feels able to do. And should it be the case that one of the heirs should not be content with my last will, he should be excluded from the heritage and the will. In addition, as during the time I am alive, Joshua Ney should have a home here until he has reached the age when he is ready to learn a trade. I declare again this document consisting of one sheet to be my last will and testament. Signed and sealed as the last will and testament of the above described Peter Sweigert, in the presence of us, on the 7th of June 1852. Hand Joseph Harter Friedrich Kaelble Peter X Sweigert Mark Lancaster County On the fourteenth day of November, Anno Domini 1854 Before me the Subscriber personally appeared Joseph Harter and Frederick Kaeble, the subscribing witnesses to the preceding Will, and on their solemn Oaths did depose and say, that they were present and saw and heard Peter Sweigert, the testator therein named, sign, publish, pronounce and declare the same to be 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 belief. Jos. Brenfried, Dep. Reg. November 14th 1854. Be it remembered that the last will and testament of Peter Sweigert deceased was this 14th day of November A.D. 1854 duly proven according to law, and the Executors therein appointed having by a written Renunciation declined the executorship, Letters of Administration with the Will annexed were granted to John Mishler of East Cocalico township, he having first given Bond with two sufficient sureties and being duly affirmed well and truly to administer the goods and chattels, rights and credits of the Testator according to law, and also that he will diligently and faithfully regard and well and truly comply with the provisions of the Laws relating to Collateral Inheritances. Jos. Brenfried, Dep. Reg.