Wills: Pierre Legaux, 1828: Spring Mill, Montgomery Co, PA

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Translated English Version of the Will
of Pierre Legaux 1748-1828
Spring Mill, Montgomery County Pennsylvania

For further information on Pierre please write to above email address
***Note: "/" in will denotes inability to translate from French to English.

Springmill Saturday the first of July 1826, nine english miles or three french
leagues from Philadelphia 20 degrees latitude North of America and three miles
or one league from Norristown in the county of Montgomery State of Pennsylvania.
I the undersigned Peter Legaux, European and American at the same time and by
chance; over which no human being it matter and to which hazardous chance one
must submit; born at Pont-a-Mousson in Lorraine a member of an ancient society
established by the right Venerable Hyrain, masonic society or institution, which
has for its aim to unite honest men of as good morals as can possibly be
required, an institution which carries nothing but moral and estimable in every
respect, and I maintain that were it known as it deserves, it would have a great
many more proselytes than it has, admitted counsellor at the Parliment of Metz
and at the Supremem tribunal of Nanequin 1768; member and correspondent of
several Academies of Sciences, Arts and Medicines in Europe and America,
Married at Metz according to the laws of France on the 21 of August 1770 to the
beautiful Miss Barbe Perbal, and from that/ to me/ happy Epoch I became her
husband and she my amiable spouse and consort, the most interesting and dearest
to my heart, which principle of my life/ the heart I say/ is in extreme
sufferings ever since November 1781; having been deprived of the so very
engaging and respectable, of the very agreeable presence of my dear Menomette
Barbe Legaux my spouse; Privation created and made undoubtedly by that
indefatigable/no to say cruel/ motive, directive and creative necessity, of all
that was, is and will have existence in this miserable Universe, where thousands
of millions of ignorant numskulls and other innumerable presumptuous blockheads,
have believed, do believe and publish daily, that this universal world is truly
perfect and without any dect, assertions and daily publications, which, from
minute to minute from second to second of the time, which has elapsed; elapses
and will elapse, / ridiculous assertion I say / are belied by the misfortunes
that they continually experience destructions of this miserable terrestrial
globe, Pests and innumerable cruel maladies to which they are subject as well
as all that breathes in on \~this their, their and their sublime Universe, O
imposters, listen to reason! never lose sight of the truth which it must
suggest to you and then you will be good and respectable Miniaturistes.
I the undersigned, I say the above mentioned/ Peter Legaux declare formally by
this present instrument, which contains my ardent desire as well as my last will
and testament olographic, that I substitute and subdelegate in all matters in my
place and Head, as if it was myself personally, my dear spouse Barbe Legaux as
well as our dearest daughter Sophie Francoise Legaux Panichot, widow of M.
Panichot Chevalier of the Legion of Honour and formerly Commissory general of
war under the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, which two dear subdelegated beings
above mentioned are my two only European heirs of all that belongs to me in
Europe, they are authorised by this present power and my last testamentary
will, which I address them herewith/ to enjoy and possess as if it was my
ownself, all rights that I may possess in Europe, as well as all that may
belong to me in that fourth part of the terrestrial globe of Europe/ I say/ BUT
not of what I have and am possessed of in America; where I have debts to
discharge and to extinguish with the scanty means I possess, so that Mad. Barbe
Legaux my spouse and our amiable daughter Sophie Francoise Legaux Panichot shall
not be obliged or compelled by any means whatsoever to discharge my American
debts-
RECAPITULATION of my present tenement made double, one of which to be send to
Europe to my spouse and our daughter Panichot and the other to be delivered to
my American Family, with whom I live at this moment in Spring Mill.
1. I renounce by this present instrument all rights that I may have in all that
belongs to my dear wife Legaux, Substituting in my Head and place my dear
Poulette Sophie Francoise Legaux widow of M. Panichot, To whom/ In case of any
fatal accident happening I say death, to my dear consort Menomette Barbe
Legaux/ all her and my property in Europe will devolve, and which the said
Sophie Francoise Panichot, born my daughter Legaux, shall enjoy and dispose of
at her will and pleasure, declaring by this present will that it is her
property, trusting that she will experience no difficulties nor opposition from
any court of Justice or from anybody whosoever in this terrestrial globe, and
that no one will contravene infringe, or annul this my last ardent desire in
favour of my dear daughter Sophie Francoise Panichot born Legaux at Metz in
Lorraine in the year 1775 declaring that all that belongs to me and all the
rights that I may be possessed off in Europe to be from this moment her
property giving and abandoning it to her as well as to her mother my dear
Spouse Barbe Legaux, which tow dear beings are from this moment owners in
common of all that belongs to me in Europe and mistresses to do with it what
they think proper.
This donation is made this day Saturday July the 1st 1826 Witness this present
instrument of my last testamentary will.
2. After all my American debts paid and satisfied out of the proceeds of what
belongs to me in this American region which I have inhabited since the 10 of
August 1785. I desire and will by this present testament written with my won
hand, that all what belongs to me in this country America shall become and be
the property of my American family, to whom all that belongs to me here is
bequeathed forever. This family being composed of a respectable mother and two
daughters her children who are also mine by nature and necessity of all things.
which mother Mad. Catherine Eve Bosler was born French and German 8 leagues from
Strasbourg, widow in 1786 of George Nuss her husband a German \~and carpenter by
trade. This widow Catherine Eve which is my housekeeper, chief nurse and
disinterested midwife to all her neighbors, my gardner, my Vinedresser, my
cook, my tailoress, seamstress, to whom I have never been obliged to pay any
wages up to this day for her services, her kindness and entire devotion to all
my needs since the year 1787; the two daughters Sophia and Elizabeth Legaux
reuniting the qualities of their mother are jointly with her my three sole
American heirs, to which three dear objects composing my family at Springmill I
do bequeath and abandon generally all that belongs to me in America and which
shall be divided into three equal shares of which each of the above
mentioned heirs shall become mistress owner and have possession of at the end
of my natural existence, and to do with it as they think fit.
3. In order to sum up in a short Recapitulation all that preceeds above, I
repeat that my family in Europe can have no claim nor right to anything that
belongs to me in America, nor shall my above named and desirable American
family appointed my heirs have any claim nor right to what may belong to me in
Europe. Because all that may belong to me in this last country of Europe I say/
shall according to my wish and olographic will be the property of my dear
Poulotte Sophie Francoise Leguax widow of M. Panichot in commone with her
mother my dear Menomette Barbe Legaux my spouse, to whom dear creatures of my
heart I give by this present 3rd article 4th and last page all that may belong
to me in Europe to be divided in two equal shares and portioned, one to the
mother my wife the other to our dear daughter Poulotte Francoise Leguax
Panichot. Finally I constitute and appoint dear Friends Messrs, Ress Harry,
Samuel Sherwood of Norristown, Christopher Markley, the father, and Frederic
Nuss executors of the present will written with my own hand; And bequeath out
of Friendship and gratitude to Mr. Wm. Duam the father, of Philadelphia, my
Barometer, which contains a Thermometer and Hygrometer, these three instruments
being of my own construction and portable- Should the physical Astronomical and
Meterological observations which have so agreeably occupied me since 1785 in
America be acceptable to him or to his eldest son William Duam my friend, all
my Journals and writings on that subject are at their orders and disposition,
requesting as I do by these presents request Messrs. The Directors to deliver
them on their demand and to assure them of my tender and respectful gratitude
for the innumerable and distinguished Services their have rendered to the
present testator--To me I say...
Peter Legaux-------L.S.
On the margin is written /of the 4th page/ we the undersigned, are witnesses
that this present writing containing four pages, is the last Olographic
Testament made signed and sealed by our Neighbour and friend Peter Legaux-
Edwine Harry
Montgomery County as.
On the fifteenth day of November A.D. 1827 Personally appeared before me one of
the Justices of the Peace in and for the county of Montgomery- Joseph Kaufman of
the Borough of Norristown in the county aforesaid who being duly sworn according
to Law doth depose and say that the foregoing is a true and correct translation
of the Will of Peter Legaux deceased- hereto annexed, which said will is wrote
in the French Language, and further saidth not.
Joseph Kaufman
Sworn & subscribed for me -the 15th day of November A.D. 1827
Jno. Boyer.---
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