Wills: Gaspard Markle, 1810: Huntingdon Twp, Westmoreland County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Jim K Markle. jkmarkle@us.ibm.com 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. ____________________________________________________________ The Last Will and Testament of Gaspard Markle of Huntingdon Twp., Westmoreland Co., PA. as found in the Court house in Greensburg PA. Gaspard was born Johann Caspar Merkel, at Trappe, Berks Co., PA 16 Sept 1730 and baptized 10 Oct 1730 at the Augustus Lutheran Church in Trappe, Pa. [ref: Lutheran Archives Center at Philadelphia] by his future brother-in-law the Rev. Johann Caspar Stover. In 1766 Gaspard's father died leaving him "one hundred pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania", and on 3 Apr. 1768 Gaspard was granted a land warrant of 368 acre's of land in Huntingdon Twp. Westmoreland Co., PA. [ref: application #738], at the rate of Five Pounds Sterling per hundred acres. In 1770 Gaspard moved his family from Berks Co., PA settling on the above stated land, along the little Sewickely Creek. In 1772 he erected a grist mill on the site, the dam and mill race can still be seen. He also built about 1770, a blockhouse fort known as Markle's blockhouse, where neighboring families came seeking safety during both the Dunmores War and the Revolution. This farmstead remained in the Markle family until 1945, when the Branthoover family purchased it. [Transcribed by James K. Markle, for use on the UsGenWeb, Dec 1997] In the name of God amen I Casper Markle of Huntingdon Township, in the County of Westmoreland and state of Pennsylvania, miller, being in health of body, and of sound mind, memory and understanding (blessed be God for the same), but considering the uncertainty of this transitory life, do make and publish this my Last Will and Testament in the manner and form following to wit: Principally and first of all, I commend my immortal soul into the hands of God who gave it to me, and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent and Christian like manner at the discretion of my executors herein after named, and as to such worldly estate wherewith it hat pleased God to bless me in this life, I give and dispose of the same in the following manner to wit: I give and devise to my beloved wife, Marie, her own bed and one hundred pounds in money, to be paid out of my personal estate by me executors on demand. I further order and direct that my said wife have the privilege to use and occupy so much of the dwelling house we now live in as may be necessary for her accommodation during her natural life or so long as she remains my widow and no longer, and also to have the use and benefit of one-half the garden at the house aforesaid. I also direct and order that my said wife shall receive the further sum of one hundred dollars in half yearly payments during her natural life or widowhood, and no longer, to be paid by my two sons, Joseph and John out of the estate to them hereafter devised, and also to deliver to here during the time aforesaid two good fat hogs every year in the proper season weighing at least one hundred fifty pounds each, twenty bushels of good wheat ground and the flour and bran delivered to her at her house as she may have use for it, during the time afores aid, and also the choice of the fruit of ten apple trees on the orchard near the house, also to be kept and fed for her during the term aforesaid by the same Joseph and John aforesaid, one mare or gelding and two cows. Also I give and bequeath to my son, George Markle, and to his heirs and assigns, the sum of two hundred fifty dollars lawful money of Pennsylvania, which sum, with fifty dollars already paid him by me, is in full of his share of my estate. The two hundred and fifty dollars is to be paid him as herein after directed. Also I give and bequeath to my daughter, Rosina Burkett, her heirs and assigns, the two hundred dollars, money aforesaid, in full of her share of all my estate, to be paid as herein after directed. Also, I give and bequeath unto my son, Abraham Markle, his heirs and assigns, the sum of forty-two pounds and ten shillings and his note of seventy pounds which is in full of his share of my estate. Also, I give and bequeath to my daughter, Catherine, intermarried with Jacob Whitesell, and her heirs, the sum of three hundred dollars money aforesaid in full of her share of my estate, to be paid as herein after directed. Also, I give and bequeath to my daughter, Magdalena, intermarried with John Nighman, and her heirs, the sum of three hundred dollars money aforesaid, in full of her share of my estate, to be paid as herein after directed. Also, I also give and bequeath to my daughter, Esther, intermarried with George [Aman], and her heirs, the sum of three hundred dollars money aforesaid, in full of her share of my estate, to be paid as herein after directed. Also I give and bequeath to the three children of my daughter, Elizabeth, deceased, who was intermarried with David Kemp, the sum of fifty dollars each in full of the share of said Elizabeth of my estate and to be paid them as herein after directed. Also I give and bequeath to my daughter, Susannah, intermarried with Charles Shull, and her heirs, the sum of five hundred eighty dollars money as aforesaid, for her share of my estate, to be a id as herein after directed. Also, I give and bequeath to my daughter, Hannah, her heirs and assigns, the sum of five hundred eighty dollars money aforesaid to be paid as herein after directed. Also, I give and bequeath to my daughter, Salome, her heirs and assigns, the sum of five hundred eighty dollars, money aforesaid to be paid as herein after directed. Also, I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary, her heirs and assigns, the sum of five hundred eighty dollars money aforesaid, to be paid as herein after directed. Also I give and bequeath to my daughter, Leah, her heirs and assigns, the sum of five hundred eighty dollars money aforesaid, to be paid as herein after directed. Also I give and bequeath to my son, David Markle, and to his heirs and assigns, the sum of twelve hundred dollars money aforesaid, to be paid as herein after directed. Also, I give and bequeath to my son, John Markle, and to his heirs and assigns forever, all that plantation and tract of land whereon I now live in South Huntingdon Township in the County aforesaid, together with the grist and saw mill thereon erected, containing two hundred fourteen acres and ninety perches and allowances, with the appurtenances, on the conditions herein after expressed. Also I give and bequeath to my son, Joseph Markle, and to his heirs and assigns forever, all that certain tract or piece of land whereon Joseph now lives, situated in North Huntingdon Township County aforesaid, together with the grist mill and other buildings thereon erected, containing 96 acres and 47 perches and allowance, laid off by survey, out of a larger tract in the name of William Lindsey, Jr., with appurtenances, on the conditions herein after expressed. Also, I give and devise to my son, Jacob Markle, and to his heirs and assigns forever, all that certain plantation and tract of land containing one hundred forty-four acres and one hundred six perches and allowances, as laid off by survey including the greater part of a survey in the name of Peter Markle, and a small survey in the name of Casper Markle, adjoining lands of John Findlay, Moses Latta and others, situated in South Huntingdon Township aforesaid, together with the appurtenances, on the conditions herein after expressed. Also I do authorized and empower my executors herein after named, or the survivor of them, to sell or otherwise dispose of all that tract of land situated about eighteen miles off Natchus, to the best advantage, and to convey the same to the purchased or purchasers as fully as myself could do, or to value and appraise the same by three reputable men chosen by my executors, or either of them and offer the same land so appraised to my son, David, on account of his legacy, and if he chooses to accept the same, to convey it to him, and if it is worth more to him than the legacy to allow him reasonable time to make payments. I also order and direct that my son, John Markle, his heirs, executors and administrators, do pay the further sum of two thousand one hundred dollars money aforesaid out of the estate devised to him towards paying and discharging the legacies aforesaid in the manner following, to wit: Three hundred dollars in two years after my decease, and three hundred dollars annually till the whole sum is paid. I also order and direct that my son, Casper Markle his heirs executors and administrators do pay the sum of eight hundred dollars out of the estate devised to him towards paying and discharging the legacies aforesaid, in the manner following, to wit: one hundred dollars in two years after my decease and one hundred dollars annually till the whole be paid. I also order and direct that my son, Jacob Markle, his heirs executors and administrators, do pay the sum of eight hundred dollars out of the estate devised to him towards paying and discharging the legacies aforesaid, in the manner following to wit: one hundred dollars in two years after my decease and one hundred dollars annually till the whole is paid. I also order and direct that my four daughters, Hannah, Salome, Mary, and Leah, do receive out of my personal estate their legacies, the same that Charles Shulls wife received. I do order and direct that the legacies by me bequeathed in this Will be paid by my executors in the following order, to wit: As much money as is raised agreeable to the Will is to be apportioned, share and share alike, every year among such children or their legal representatives, who have respectively arrived to the age of twenty-one years, and the legacy to David to be paid as soon as he arrives at the age of twenty-one years, but if David should arrive to the age of twenty-one years before my decease, then the legacy not to be paid till two years after my decease. And as to the rest of my personal estate, I do order and direct that it be appraised by my executors and equally divided among the ten children of my present wife, and as touching all the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, real and personal, of whatever kind and nature whatsoever, the same may be in the United States, I give and devise to my executors herein after named to be equally divided to the ten children of my present wife, share and share alike or the survivors of them, and the heirs of such survivors. I do further order and direct that my sons, Jacob, Casper, and David, do each receive out of my personal estate the same that John and Joseph received. and , lastly I nominate, constitute and appoint my two sons, John Markle and Joseph Markle, to be the executors of this my Will, hereby revoking all other Wills, legacies and bequests by me hereto fore made, and declaring this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament. In Witness Whereof, the said testator hat set his hand and seal the seventeenth day of April, (I do further order and direct that my sons, John and Joseph, their heirs and assigns, do keep up forever between them that Mill Dam, at their joint expense, and as long as there is sufficient water to turn one water wheel for Joseph's mill, and one water wheel for John's Mill, Joseph's is not to use more than one wheel, but if there is not sufficient water for two wheels, Joseph may use the whole water.) in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and ten (1810). Signed, sealed, published, pronounced and declared by the said Testator as his Last Will and Testament, in the presence of us, who, in his presence and at his request, have subscribed our names as witnesses. Gaspard Markle Ralph Rugh [signed in German] Joseph Wegley George Markle [This Will was proved on 4 Oct 1819] deceas