Northumberland County  Wills

LAST WILL & TESTAMENT OF Michael Peifer
Jackson Township, Northumberland County

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Northumberland County PA Will Book 5, page 595

Will of Michael Peifer

Know all men by these presents that I Michael Peifer of Jackson Township 
in the county of Northumberland and state of Pennsylvania, yeoman, being 
of sound mind, memory and understanding, do make and publish this my 
last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me at any 
time heretofore made. And as to my worldly estate and all the property 
real and personal or mixed of which I shall die seized and possess or to 
which I shall be entitled at the time of my decease, I devise, bequeath, 
and dispose thereof in the following manner to wit. First my will is 
that all my just debts and funeral expenses shall by my executor 
hereinafter named be paid out of my estate after my decease or shall by 
kind be found convenient. Further I give and bequeath to my beloved 
wife, Barbara Peifer,  her choice of my household furniture and two cows 
as she chooses to select for her proper sole use during her natural 
life. Should she desire not to be troubled with the said two cows then 
my executor hereinafter mentioned shall expose the same at public or 
private sale. And should she desire to keep them, as long as she shall 
live, then my said executor shall after her death make public sale and 
sell the same, together with the household furniture she will select  
for her use during her natural life. And further I give and bequeath  to 
my said wife, Barbara Peifer, two hogs of the stock I have at my death, 
and fifteen head of chickens, thirty bushels of wheat and seventy five 
bushels of corn with the ears, or thirty seven and a half bushels, 
shelled. And potatoes, as many as she needs for her own use from the 
time of my death to the time that a new crop could be raised. And 
further I give and bequeath to my said wife, Barbara, three hundred 
dollars in money to be paid to her if she shall so long live till my 
executor hereinafter mentioned have sold my real estate as hereinafter 
mentioned, and should it be that my executor shall see it proper to 
lease or rent my real estate for a term or terms of years, then it is my 
will that my executor shall give to my said wife, Barbara, yearly till 
my real estate will be exposed; thirty bushels of wheat and seventy five 
bushels of corn with two cows together with place in the stable for the 
same. And have one fourth of a acre planted and cultivated with potatoes 
and drawn to the seller (cellar) where she lives, without pay for the 
same, yearly till my real estate is sold. My executor hereinafter named 
or his survivor is hereby ordered and directed that all my real estate 
and personal whatsoever and whosoever shall be exposed and converted 
into money as soon as the same can conveniently be done to the best 
satisfaction of my executor. And for that purpose I do hereby authorize 
and empower my said executor hereinafter named (or his survivor) to sell 
and dispose of all my said real and personal estate either by public or 
private sale for the best price or prices that can be gotten for the 
same, and by proper deed or deeds, conveyances, or assurances in the law 
to be duly executed, acknowledged, and perfect to grant, convey and 
assure the same to the purchaser or purchasers thereof in fee simple. 
And when the whole of my estate shall be converted into money as 
aforesaid, then I will and direct the same shall be divided as follows 
to wit: I give and bequeath to my son, Jeremiah Peifer, first and 
foremost three hundred and fifty dollars to have and to hold the same 
forever. I also give and bequeath to my grandchildren, Eliza Peifer, 
Catherine Peifer, and Harriet Peifer, minor children of my son Isaac 
Peifer, late of Jackson Township, Northumberland County, deceased, the 
sum of one hundred dollars each and every one of them to be paid out of 
the proceeds of my real estate after it is disposed by my executor 
hereinafter named, to have and to hold the same their guardian for them 
or their heirs, executors, or administrators or any of them, forever, as 
their full share or shares or dividends whatsoever of my estate real, 
personal, or mixed. And further I give and bequeath to my grandchildren, 
unknown to me the names and number,  of my daughter Sarah, deceased, who 
was intermarried with Henry Krow, now in the state of Illinois, the sum 
of two hundred and fifty dollars to be paid to them in all as their 
shares, dividend or dividends which are part of my real, personal or 
mixed estate. And I hold a promissory note dated April 1st A.D. 1854 
payable one year after date, with interest, which note, with interest, 
against said Henry Krow is unpaid. And it is my will that the same note 
with interest shall be taken by my executor and given to my said 
grandchildren of my said daughter, Sarah, who was married to said Henry 
Krow (whose name and numbers are unknown to me) the same as money and 
the balance up to the above or aforesaid two hundred and fifty dollars 
shall be paid in money after my real estate is exposed, to have and to 
hold the said note with interest and the balance up to two hundred and 
fifty dollars of any in money forever to be their full share or dividend 
of all my estate. And after my estate real, personal and mixed is final 
and settled and the aforesaid payments are made, then the balance is my 
will that it shall be divided to and among my nine children or to their 
heirs, executors or administrators, share and share alike. Viz, I give 
and bequeath one ninth of my estate after final settled as aforesaid to  
my son Benjamin Peifer, and one ninth part of the same to my son 
Jeremiah Peifer, one ninth part to the heirs or grandchildren of my son 
Elias Peifer, one ninth part to my son Henry Peifer, and one ninth part 
to my daughter Harriet intermarried with Philip Bechtel, and ninth part 
to my daughter Polly intermarried with Joseph Tressler, one ninth part 
to my daughter Lydia intermarried with David Schlegel, one ninth part to 
my daughter Eliza intermarried with Israel Carl, and the other one ninth 
part top my daughter Lavinah intermarried with Jacob Heim, share and 
share alike to their and each of their use and behoof forever. I also 
hold a promissory note against my son Jeremiah Peifer dated April 1st 
A.D. 1865, payable one year after date which note together with interest 
shall be given to my son Jeremiah by my executor the same as money 
payment of his dividend. I also hold a promissory note against my son 
Elias B. Peifer, deceased, dated February 17th A.D. 1864, payable one 
year after date, which note with compound interest shall be given to the 
guardian of said Elias Peifer dec'd minor children as part payment of 
their share or shares the same as money. And I also hold several notes 
payable to me and payable to others which I paid for my son Henry Peifer 
as bail, which several notes is my will that my executor shall give to 
my said son Henry Peifer as payment of six hundred dollars which shall 
be the same as money towards the payment of his dividend or share 
forever. And I do hereby nominate and appoint my son-in-law, Joseph 
Dressler executor of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof 
I, Michael Peifer, have to this my will written on this sheet of paper 
set my hand and seal this sixth day of July A.D. one thousand eight 
hundred and seventy. (1870)
                                     his
                              Michael  X  Peifer
                                     mark

Signed, sealed, published and declared by the above named Michael Peifer 
and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who have 
hereunto subscribed our names at his request as witnesses thereto in the 
presence of the said testator of each other. Elias B. Tressler, John 
Tressler.
Northumberland County ss

     Be it remembered that on the third day of January A. D. 1871 
personally appeared before me J. Leisenring, Register in and for the 
said County, Elias B. Tressler and John Tressler the subscribing 
witnesses to the within instrument of writing purporting to be the last 
will and testament of Michael Peifer, late of Jackson Township in said 
county, also dec'd, who being duly sworn according to law did declare 
and say that they were personally present and did see and hear the 
testator therein named sign, seal, pronounce and declare the same as and 
for his last will and testament, and at the time of so doing he was of 
sound mind and memory to the best of their knowledge and belief.
Sworn & subscribed before me               Elias B. Tressler
the day & year aforesaid                                          John 
Tressler
E. Hoffman, Dept. Reg'r
(affidavit of value & two dollars fifty cents USR attached to will)

Be it remembered that on the 3rd day of January A. D. 1871 before me was 
proved, approved and insinuated the last will and testament of Michael 
Peifer, deceased late of Jackson Township, Northumberland County, 
Penn'a. And Letters Testamentary with a copy of the will accepted were 
granted to Joseph Tressler executor in said will named.
                              Witness my hand
                              J. Leisenring
                                   Register