Last Will & Testament of William Pearce
of Anne Arundel County
dated 12 September 1719, proved 19 October 1719
In
the name of God, Amen! I William Pearce of Anne Arundell County being Sick
& Weak in Body but of sound mind & Judgement (Blessed be God) do make
contstitute & appoint this my last Will & testament thereby revoking
all Former Wills by me heretoforemade. In Manner & form following that is
to say~~Firstly before all things I recommend my Soul into the hands of
Allmighty God believing Remission of Sins & Everlasting Life through the
Meritts Death & Passion of Jesus Christ my Lord; and only Saviour. And for
the better disposal of my Worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless
me I dispose thereof as followeth. I do give & bequeath all my Land to be
equally divided between my two Sons William & John Pearce and to their
Heirs forever, and in Case either of them shall die before the Said Lands be
divided and Leave Issue, then the Heirs of the body of the deceased shall have
an equal Right in the Said Lands with my Surviving Son. And it is my Will &
Mind that my Said Sons be at age to work for themselves as they shall arrive to
the Age of Sixteen Years Successfully. And I do make constitute & appoint
my Loving Wife Elisabeth Pearce full & whole Executrix of this my Last Will
& Testament desiring her to bring up my Children in the Fear of God, and to
let them have such Part of my Personall estate as by Law shall belong to them
as they shall arrive to the age of twenty one Years Successfully. Lastly I do
make & contstitute my two Loving Nephews Thomas & William Tipton
Trustees of this my Last Will & Testament, desiring them to See the same
duly executed, by me made this twelfth day of September In the Year of our Lord
God One Thousand Seven hundred and Nineteen.
Signed Sealed Published
and Declared to be his Last
Wm Pearce (Seal)
Will
& Testament by the
Abovementioned Testator.
In the presence of
Henry Hall
John Stevens
Susanna Wanill.
On
the back of the aforegoing Will was thus endorst (first) Oct. 19th~~ Then came
the Reverend Henry Hall and John Stevens Subscribing Evidences to the within
Will & made oath on the holy Evangelists that they Saw the Testator Sign
Seal and Deliver the within Instrument of Writing as his Last Will & testament
& that he published & Declared the Same so to be. And at the time of
his So doing he was of Sound and perfect mind & Memory to the best of their
knowledge. Sworn before me. Phil. Hammond D.C.A.
Source:
Prerogative Court (Wills) 1718-1719; 15, p.217.
(MSA: Microfilm SR4409; pp.389-390)
The
transcript of this will contributed to the MdGenWeb Project by: Bill Pearce, bilpearce@aol.com