Washington County PA Archives Wills.....Riggs, Jeremiah April 22, 1817
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Muriel Sonne cgsonne@comcast.net May 18, 2011, 6:27 pm

Source: Washington Co., Pa Will Book 4, P. 519; Fhl#563625
Written: April 22, 1817
Recorded: June 5, 1830

Will of Jeremiah Riggs, Deceased

In the name of God Amen , I Jeremiah Riggs of  Pike Run township county of 
Washington & State of Pennsylvania being weak of body but of perfect mind & 
memory thanks be given unto God calling to mind the mortality of my body and 
knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make & ordain this my 
last will and testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and 
recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it and my body I 
recommend to the earth to be buryed in decent Christian burial at the 
discretion of my executors and as touching much worldly estate wherewith it 
has pleased God to bless me with in this life I give and devise and dispose of 
the same in the following manner and form 

Item I will that all my  legal debts & funeral expenses be first paid  

Item I will and bequeath to my well beloved wife Mary Riggs the house I now 
live in with one third of what the plantation the house stands upon will rent
for during her life & I will and bequeath to my wife one horse saddle & bridle
to her own proper use  

Item I will & bequeath to my son Nathan Riggs the sum of three hundred dollars

Item I will & bequeath to the lawful heirs of my son Samuel Riggs the sum of
three hundred dollars to be paid to them as they shall severally come of age 

Item Item I will & bequeath to the heirs of my daughter Elenor Dowler decd
the sum of one dollar. 

Item I will  & bequeath all the remainder of my estate after my debts 
and legacys  afrorementioned  are paid to my sons and daughters herein after 
mentioned to be equally divided between them (to wit) Mary Irish William 
Riggs  John Riggs Ruth Baldwin James Riggs Nancy Baldwin Nathan Riggs & the 
heirs of my son Samuel and lastly I do hereby nominate constitute authorize 
and appoint my wife Mary Riggs & my two sons William Riggs and John Riggs or 
either of them to be my sole executors of this my last will and testament 

I hereby revoking all former wills & testaments heretofore by me made I[n]  
witness  whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this April 22 day in the 
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventeen. 
								(seal)
								
Signed sealed & declared by the said Jeremiah Riggs as his last will & 
testament in the presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of 
each other have hereunto subscribed our names.
Nathan Riggs   
Noah Riggs   
John Minson

Washington County ss: Be it remembered, that on the 1st day of June A. D. 
1830, before me John Will Book 4, p. 519 (transcription)
Grayson, Registrar for the probate of Wills and granting letters of 
Administration in and for the said county, personally came Noah Riggs and John 
Minton, two of the subscribing witnesses to the within last will and testament 
of Jeremiah Riggs, deceased, who being duly sworn as the law directs, doth 
depose and say that the said Noah Riggs was called upon by the said testator, 
and told by him that he intended to execute the within as his last will and 
testament, and was asked to sign his name as witness; that the said testator 
presented the within as his will,  and at his request, and in his presence,  
he signed his name as witness. The said Noah Riggs further says that he is 
well acquainted with the hand writing of Nathan Riggs, who is also signed to 
the will as witness, that he knows it to be the signature of the said Nathan 
who now lives in the state of Virginia, that they signed their names thereto 
in the presence of each other as witnesses , and that at the time of doing 
thereof he the said testator was to the best of  his knowledge, observation 
and belief of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding. And the said 
John Minton says that his name signed to the within will is his own proper 
hand writing, but that he has no recollection of the circumstances attending 
the said singing, that at the time with will bears date he lived with the 
testator, and that he the testator aforesaid was then to the best of his 
knowledge, observation and belief  of sound and disposing mind memory and 
understanding.
Noah Riggs
John Minton

Sworn to and subscribed before me John Grayson 

Washington County ss: Be it remembered, that on the 5th day of June A.D. 1830, 
before me John Grayson, Register for the probate of Wills and granting Letters 
of Administration in and for the said county, personally came Caleb Johnson, 
who being duly affirmed according to law, testifieth that on the 10th day of 
March in the year 1817, he was applied to by Jeremiah Riggs, late of Pike Run 
Township, Washington County, deceased, to write his will, which he did write 
in the presence of the said Jeremiah Riggs; that the will which he wrote is 
the same which is presented in the Register’s Office of Washington county for 
probate; that the same was dictated by the said deceased word for word; that 
after the will was written he read it to the testator aforesaid, who said it 
was written agreeable to his wish, and that he would take it home and have it 
signed by some of his near neighbours as witnesses; and at the time of the 
writing of the will, the aforesaid testator was to the best of his knowledge 
and belief of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding. 
					
Caleb Johnson

Affirmed and subscribed before me John Grayson Register
June 5, 1830 The other executors having renounced, Letters Testamentary with 
copy of the will and probates thereon taken annexed, issued to John Riggs, 
executor in the will named who was duly sworn.

John Grayson Register

As Mary Riggs and John Riggs do hereby renounce acting as executors of the 
last will and Testament of Jeremiah Riggs late of Washington county Pa & 
authorize the register of wills in and for the county aforesaid, so far as 
respects, us to grant Letters of Administration with the will annexed to some 
other person or persons. Witness our hands and seals this 30th day of May A. 
D. 1830. 

Mary Riggs () 
test William Riggs

I hereby renounce acting as executor of the last will & testament of my father 
Jeremiah Riggs late of Washington County Penna and authorize the Register of 
Wills in & for the county aforesaid, as far as reespects myself, to grant 
Letters of Administration with the  will annexed to some other person. Witness 
my hand and seal this 26th day of August A. D. 1829

William Riggs 
Test Wm Parker John Rankin

Registered and compared with the original June 5th, 1830