Washington-Newport County RI Archives Wills.....Merriss, John 1808 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ri/rifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Kathy Mills ke6pxx@yahoo.com April 13, 2010, 1:17 pm Source: Transcription Of Copy Of Original Document Written: 1808 Recorded: April 4, 1808 LAST WILL AND TESTIMENT OF JOHN MERRIS/SS (pgs 197-198 / Exeter Wills) In the name of God amen John Merris of Exeter in the County of Washington and State of Rhode Island, human being sick in body but of a perfect sane mind and memory, thanks be to God for the same, and calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing it is appointed unto all men once, to die, do make and ordain, this my Last Will and Testament. Principally and first of all I give and recomment my soul into the hands of God who gave it and my body I commit to the Earth to be buried in a decent christal buriel at the discretion of my Executor hereafter named and as lacking such Wordly Estate wherewith it haith pleased God to bless me with in this world of Life, I give and Dispose of the same in the following manner, that is to say-- first of all my will is that my just Debts and funeral charges be paid out of my Estate. Item: By my Executor hereafter Named____________________ I give and bequeath unto my loving wife Elisabeth Merris the use and profits of my house and all my lands as long as she shall remain my widow and also one five years old Cow and one two years old Heffer and all the Corn and Provisions that I have. I have now on hand and the use of all my farming tools and the use of all my household furniture excepting what I do hereafter mention until my younger children shall come of age and three Swine Sh tes and the wool that is now on my sheep when sheared and then I give my said wife ten of my sheep five old ones and five lambs and I also give my said wife all my flax now in the barn. Item: My will is that when my said wife ceases to be my widow that then my land be equally divided between my two youngest children namely John Merris and Mandana Merris. Item: I give unto my son William Merris one chest that was his mothers and my small arm fire lock and one bed with a brown and low tick and my two best flannel shirts and my gray great coat and my long breaches such as he can ware and rope truss and have collar and by best hat. Item: I give to Sarah Wied six large silver spoons four new ones and two that was given me in my mothers will and six tea spoons to be paid to her by my Executor hereafter named in one year after my decease. Item: I give to William Sheffield two sheep and the remainder of my wearing apparrel to be paid him by my executor hereafter Named____________- Item: I give to my daugher Susannah Gates my hatchet and great puter four quart bason to be delivered to her by my executor hereafter named after my decease. Lastly I nominate, constitute and appoint my said wife together with my son William Merris and Robert Crandal Esqr. my sole executors of this my Last Will and Testament hereby breaking and nullifying all other former wills by me made establishing and confirming this and this only to be my Last Will and Testament in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eight. Signed, Sealed and Pronounced in the presence of Nathaniel Sheffield Joseph Hawkins Jeffery Hazard JOHN MERRIS SEAL Nathaniel Sheffield, Joseph Hawkins and Jeffery Hazard the witnesses to the above before written will personally appeared in town Court of Probate of Exeter April 4 AD 1808 and on their solumn engagement did severally declare that they saw the Testator John Merris sign seal publish and declare this will to be his Last Will and Testament and at that time he was of a sane mind and memory according to the best of their judgement that they three set their hands hereto at the same time as Merris as in the testators presence and in the presence of each other for which reason this Will is allowed to be lawfully approved and approved of by said court. WITNESS Recorded April 4, 1808 Stephan Reynolds_______ Stephan Reynolds 4 April 1808 William Merriss Executor to the Estate of John Merriss late of Exeter deceased Exhibited-----additional------to the personal Estate of (said) deceased to the Court the amount thereof Being $72.64 which was Rec'd Allowed & Approved of by said Court Witness Stephen Reynolds Additional Comments: John is buried in Merriss Lot, Exeter Historical Cemetery #85, RI Mil., Rev. War, beside his father, William Merriss, also Rev. War soldier. (sometimes the surname is spelled Merris and sometimes Merriss.) File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ri/washingt/wills/merriss3gwl.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/rifiles/ File size: 5.1 Kb