Wills: Balthaser Smith, 1796: Mahanoy Township, Northumberland Co, PA File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Marti Wise. marti@wisefam.com web site address: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Bluffs/3600 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. Balthaser Smith's Will, Translated from the German Language I Balthaser Smith of Mahanoy Township in the County of Northumberland, having taken into mind how that all men must die, but that the Hour of Death is uncertain; And as I am (thanks be to God;) of sound mind and Memory have therefore thought fit to make this my last Will and Testament; that my Heirs may know how it shall be with my Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with during my lifetime. 1st I recommend my Soul into the Hands of God who gave it, & my Body to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like manner according to the directions of my herein mentioned Executors; 2nd I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Maria Elizabeth, the full Sum of seventy five Pounds Lawful money of Pennsylvania; to be paid to her or her Heirs, as soon as my herein mentioned Executors shall have so much Money in Hand with this Proviso that they shall deduct from the said Sum of Seventy five Pounds what my said Daughter hath received from me, and which is put down, in my Book; 3rd I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter, Maria Margred the Sum of Seventy five pounds Lawful money, upon the same Condition as above said; that is to say, that every thing given to her in my life time shall be deducted, 4th I give and bequeath unto the Children of my deceased Son Adam, to wit, Adam, John, Nicholas, Catharine and Margred Elisabeth[sic], the sum of two hundred pounds good and Lawful Money of Pennsylvania, to be paid to them share and share alike as soon as they respectively arrive at their full age, or are married, 5th I give and bequeath unto my Son Jacob and to his heirs & Representatives the sum of Five Shillings Lawful money which with what I have advanced to him during my life time makes out his full Share, and my said Son Jacob, nor his Heirs shall have no further demand against my Estate on no account or way whatsoever, 6th It is my Will and I hereby give unto my Son Peter all the Remainder of my Estate, be the same in Bonds Notes or Book Debts as also all my moveables be it what it will, that is to him and his heirs for ever; 7th I hereby constitute and appoint my two Friends & Neighbours Peter Ferster and Michael Reitz to be Executors of this my last Will and Testament, and disanull [sic] all Wills of me made be they in writing or Verbil[sic], and constitute & acknowledge this alone as such, In Witness whereof I have signed this with my own hand and put my seal thereto the twelfth Day of December, in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and Ninety four his Balthaser X Smith SEAL mark Signed and Declared to be his last Will and Testament in Presence of us,--- Chris'r Birkhause Samuel Weiser,-- Northumberl'd County SS Be it Known that on the 9th Day of April An'o Dom'i 1796. Before me, John Simpson Esq'r Register for the County afs'd, Personally Cometh Christopher Birkhause and Samuel Weiser the two Subscribing Witnesses to the foregoing Will, who being duly Sworn according to Law, did depose and say, that they were present & did see Balthaser Smith the Testator sign (by making his mark) Seal & declare the foregoing Writing to be his last Will and Testament, And that at the time of his so publishing the said Will, he was of sound and disposing mind & memory as the deponents do believe, according to the best of their Knowledge & Understanding, that the Deponents respectively wrote their names as Witnesses in the presence of each other, at the same time; And further saith not. Sworn & Subscribed the same Day & Year Before me, Witness my Hand Jn'o Simpson Reg'r Be it remembered that on the Ninth Day of April in the Year of our Lord 1796, the Last Will and Testament of Balthaser Smith deceased written in the German Language was duly proved and approved before me, of which, the foregoing Record is a true Translation as on the Oath of Samuel Weiser Esquire it is ascertained, and Letters Testamentary issued in due and Common Form of Law to Peter Ferster and Michael Reitz, Executors therein named, on the same day, Witness my Hand the same Day & Year. Jn'o Simpson