Wills: Ludwig Laross, 1784: Upper Milford Twp, Northampton (now Lehigh) Co, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Atkin and Charles Kerchner. atkin@inquo.net kerchner@compuserve.com USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within 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. ____________________________________________________ Last Will and Testament of Ludwig Laross of Upper Milford Township, made 17 March 1784, probated 1 June 1784, File #1081, Northampton County Courthouse, Easton PA. Contributed Oct 1998 by: Kathy Atkin of Beaver UT, and Charles Kerchner of Emmaus PA, descendants. In the Name of God amen! I LUDWIG LAROSS of Upper Milford Township in the County of Northampton (ed. note: now Lehigh County) and State of Pennsylvania, Cordwainer, Do find myself very sick and weak in Body but of perfect and sound Mind Memory and Understanding thanks be unto God. And calling to mind the Mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die. Do this seventeenth Day of March in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven hundred and Eighty four make ordain and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner following to wit Principally and first of all I recommend my Soul into the Hands of All mighty God who gave it. And my body to the Earth to be buried in a decent and Christian-like manner at the Direction of my here unto named Executors nothing doubting but at the universal Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty Power of God. And as touching and concerning my Worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life. I give devise dispose and bequeath the same in Manner and terms as followeth. Viz. First I give and bequeath to well beloved Wife CUNNIGUNDA the Sum of one Hundred Pounds specie in Gold or Silver at the present usual rate to wit half a Joe (ed. note: a Portuguese gold coin) at the Rate of three Pounds and Spanish Milled Dollar at Seven Shillings and six pence and so all other Gold and Silver in proportion. And as I have given to my Son HENRY LAROSS my clock and great Bible for the Sum of Ten Pounds money a aforesaid to take after my Death Therefore it is my Will that the said HENRY LAROSS shall immediately upon taking the said clock and Bible pay the said Sum of Ten pounds to my said Wife CUNNIGUNDA And whereas I have some money standing out upon Interest as a bonds It is also my will that my said Wife shall have the same as well Principal as interest for her use and maintenance till the aforesaid one hundred Pounds shall became due. The said one hundred pounds will be due in the years 1790 and 1791 viz on the 27th of May 1790. Fifty Pounds and on the 27th Day of May 1971 fifty pounds and it any money should remain of the aforesaid sums so that my said Wife should not want it all for her use such over plus if any shall be divided among all my children herein after named share and share alike. Further it is my will that my said wife shall have my Bed and Bedstead wherein I now lie as also all other beds and clothes and all liners belonging to her as also all our kitchen - 2 - furniture viz Two pewter dishes one dozen of ditto(pewter spoons) spoons two frying pans, one pewter tankard one cooper kettle one iron kettle, two iron pots one great tub and a small ditto (small tub) two new hog shed one barrel and three smaller casks one churn two water pails dresser and drawers, all my carpenters tools, a large cross cut saw, one hand saw, five augers of different sizes, one grind stone three Iron wedges, mal-rings two tables, one great wheel (for wool) two spinning wheels. And whereas I have sold my plantation whereon I now live to my son HENRY LAROSS for the consideration of the sum of one thousand pounds in specie aforesaid money aforesaid, one hundred pounds there of he may keep for his heirs ships (?) and four hundred pounds there of I allowed him for the keeping and maintaining of myself and my said wife CUNNIGUNDA and five hundred pounds as the residue of the said one thousand pounds, he must pay unto me or my Executors at such terms and payments as by certain articles of agreement is set forth and described and whereas by the said articles of agreement made bet- tween me and my said Son HENRY LAROSS on the twentieth day of Dec- ber 1781. I excepted and reserved for me and my said wife CUNNIGUNDA yearly and every year during our natural life eighteen bushels of good & clean rye & seven bushels of good & clean wheat & four and twenty bushels of good & clean buck wheat and many other things as are particularly & respectively specified & mentioned in the said a- agreement. Now by the tenor and virtue of this my last will and testament my said Son HENRY shall give his mother (my said wife CUNNIGUNDA) yearly & every year during her natural life ten bushels of good and clean Rye, Four bushels of good & clean wheat and Six bushels of good and clean buckwheat. And further he shall give her yearly and every year during her life time one good sound and fat hog. Which shall be with the lard not less than one hundred and fifty pounds weight also thirty eight pounds weight of good and fat beef. Further twelve pounds weight good clean hatchelet hemp. Sixteen pounds weight of good & clean hatcheled flax& the two thereof, one gallon of good linseed-oil half a bushel fine salt of the best quality and half a bushel of coarse ditto (coarse salt) one bushel of good Indian corn, one hogshead of good cyder four gallons of good apples brandy (but in mid-year only the half part of the cider brandy and in a full failing year nothing) further five bushels of good and sound turnips, a sum of two thousand two hundred & forth pounds weight good hay of the first crop, and the same weight of the second crop of the - 3 - best kind and quality which may be on and upon the said premisses and to haul & carry home the same to such a place as she shall order and direct and to be most convenient for her. Also good and full pasture upon the said premisses for one cow and two sheep to run along with his own cows and sheep always in good pasture also half on acre of grass in the upper meadow on the said premisses and she shall have the choice to take it yearly where she pleaseth further he shall give her yearly and every year during her natural life ten bushels of good and solid potatoes. It is further my will that my said wife CUNNI- GUNDA shall have the one fourth part of the present kitchen garden. for her life and this very piece of garden must be well dunged dug or- dered and planted by the said HENRY LAROSS his heirs ex. or admi. yearly and every year during the natural life of my said wife CUNNIGUNDA and further it is my will that my said Son HENRY LAROSS shall be obliged to bring so much of the above said grain to the mill and fetch the meal home for the use of said mother, as from time to time she may want and shall order and direct him, without charging any thing for it, and further my said wife shall have the apples of one row of apples trees in the orchard for her use to take it yearly & every year where she pleaseth and further my said son HENRY shall give his mother yearly & every year during her life time two hundred good sound and solid eggs (or quarterly fifty). And further shall my said wife have liberty to eat of cherries, pears, peaches and grapes as much as she pleaseth, and further my said son HENRY shall be obliged to give his mother a horse gratis wherever she intends to go abroad either to church or to one of her children or elsewhere. And further if my said wife CUNNIGUNDA should in a state or condi- tion in which she should be unable to help herself then and in such case my said son HENRY LAROSS and his wife his heirs executor & administrator shall hereby be obliged to help, attend, maintain & adjust her with washing baking, cooking and every other thing necessary, and in disease going or sending for a doctor and also for the comfort of her conscience and soul to send or going and provide her with a minister of the gospel according to her confession of religion without any charge or fee for such service. And further my said son HENRY shall provide his mother with good and sufficient fire wood if the best quality which he shall haul - 4 - home and cut small for immediate use in the stove and kitchen as also to carry the same in the house and to make fire in the stove. And kitchen if his mother should be unable to do it herself. Also to fetch the water for her in the house as much as she wants. & the said HENRY shall also give stabling to his mother for for cow and sheep as good as for his own, and I have at present two cows and a heifer my said wife may sell one cow and the heifer as also two sheep and keep the money thereof for herself. She shall also have a free egress ingress and regress through the other kitchen and in the setter(? cellar) and to the water and to every other place where she want to go. All the above articles shall my said Son HENRY LAROSS keep & perform invaluable to the true intent and meaning thereof toward his mother and she is hereby at full liberty to keep all the above mentioned house- hold furniture and the different tools for herself else may sell it at publish vendue and keep the money thereof for her use and it is further my will that if my said wife CUNNIGUNDA should incline to go to one of her other children that my said Son HENRY shall never the less be obliged to keep and perform all, the above articles and shall besides pay for the attendance and service done to his mother. Further I give and bequeath unto my eldest Son NICHOLAS LAROSS the sum of five pounds law full money of Pennsylvania in specie for his Birth Right of being my oldest son. One hundred pounds of like law full money aforesaid I have already given him Further I give to my son JOSEPH LAROSS the some of one hundred pounds money aforesaid, sixty eight pounds where of he has received already as may appear by a receipt under his hand and the last he is to have the seventy eighth day of May in the year of our Lord 1788. Further I have already given to my Daughter MARGARET who is intermarried with MICHAEL SMEYER the sum of one hundred pounds money aforesaid further I have given to my son RUDOLPH LAROSS the sun of one hundred pounds of like money aforesaid. Further I give to my son HENRY LAROSS the above mentioned one hundred pounds further give to my Daughter ANN MARIA who is intermarried with GEORGE MORGAN the sum of one hundred pound of like law full money aforesaid forty four pounds he the said GEORGE MORGAN has already received and the rest he is to have as soon as possible which be in the year 1787. - 5 - and further I give to my son JACOB LAROSS the sum of one hundred pounds of like law full money aforesaid, which said one hundred pounds he shall have in two several payments- fifty pounds thereof at or upon the 27th day of May in the year of our lord 1785 and the other fifty pounds at or upon the 27th day of May in the year 1786 Further, I give unto my Daughter SUSANNA who is intermarried with MATTIAS WESTGO the sum of one hundred pounds of like law full money aforesaid which said one hundred pounds She shall have in two several payments fifty pounds thereof at or upon the 27th day of May in the year 1787 and the other fifth pounds the 27th day of May in the year 1788. Further I give unto my youngest Daught- ter RIGINA who is intermarried with one NICHOLAS GIFT the sum of one hundred pounds of like law full money aforesaid to be paid to her or him or their heirs as or upon the 27th day of May in the year 1789. And the last one hundred pounds which are mentioned in the a for said articles of agreement shall be divided into two several payments for the rest of my said son HENRY viz Fifty pounds at or upon the 27th day of May 1790 and the last fifty pounds at or upon the 27th day of May 1791. Which is the last of all payments. And it is further my will that if any thing shall remain of the above mentions articles and things bequeathed to my wife after her death either in money, garments, house-or kitchen Furniture or whatsoever it may be. That it shall be equally divided between my above named nine children share and share alike And I do hereby nominate constitute and appointment my belo- ved and trusted friends LODOWIG STAHLER and MATTIAS KERN to be the sole executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former wills which by me might have been made IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal dated the day and year first above written Signed sealed published and declared by the said LUDWIG LAROSS to be his last will & tes- tament in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names, as witness in the pre- sence of the testator. Thomas Maechling (Mechling) George Kriebel