Maine Wills

 From York County Probate Records, Volume Five (1725-42)

   In the Name of God Amen the seventeenth Day of May Anno Domini one Thousand seven hundred Thirty & nine I Peter Lewis of Kittery in y^e County of York in the Province of y^e Massachusets Bay in New-England Shipwright, being sick & weak in Body but of perfect mind & memory Thanks be given unto God : Therefore calling unto mind y^e Mortality of my Body. Do make & Ordain this my last Will & Testament that is to say principally & first of all I give & Recomend my Soul into y^e Hands of God that gave it, and my Body I Recommend to y^e Earth to be Buried in decent Christian Burial at y^e Discretion of my Executors. And as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me in this Life, I give demise & dispose of y^e same in y^e following manner & form.

   Imprimis It is my Will That my Funeral Charges & all my Just Debts as soon as may be Conveniently after my Decease be paid in y^e following manner Viz^t Thirty pounds thereof to be paid by my Son Peter Lewis and if there should remain any more to be paid than that sum will discharge so much of my personal or moveable Estate shall be sold as will pay it.

   Item I give and bequeath to Elizabeth my dearly beloved Wife all y^e Remainder of my personal Estate & moveable Effects that shall not be disposed of for y^e defraying of my Debts & Funeral Charges to be her own & to her Disposal for ever. I also give to her during her natural Life the Use & Improvement of one third part of all my Lands including the Land where on my son Peter Lewis now Dwells only only her Right or thirds in that Land shall be set off to her together with her right or third part of y^e Land or Farm whereon I now Live & possess I also give to her the Use & Improvement of my Dwelling House & Barn & liberty to Cutt fencing & fire wood on my Land for her own use during her Widowhood.

   Item I give to my wellbeloved Son Peter Lewis his Heirs & Assigns for ever the Land or Farm which he now possesseth & whereon he now Dwelleth together with all y^e Housing that is thereon & all y^e privilidges & appurtenances thereunto belonging : And also all that Land or Farm which I now possess & whereon I Dwell & live together with all y^e Buildings that are thereon & all y^e appurtenances & privilidges thereunto belonging to him his Heirs & assigns for ever only Excepting what I have herein given unto my Wife Eliz^a during her Widowhood & natural Life. provided & on Condition that he pay y^e several sums which in these presents he is & shall be Ordred to pay.

   Item I give to my well beloved Daughter Mary Lewis Forty pounds in Currant Money or Bills of Credit of this Province to be paid to her or such as shall Legally represent her by my Son Peter Lewis or his Heirs within y^e space of two years next ensuing my Decease.

   Item I give to my wellbeloved Daughter Katharine Phennicke forty pounds in Currant money or Bills of Credit of this Province to be paid to her or such as shall legally represent her by my Son Peter Lewis or his Heirs within y^e space of four Years next following my Decease.

   Item I give to my wellbeloved Daughter Sarah Lewis Forty pounds in Currant money or in good passable Bills of Credit of this Province to be paid her or such as shall Legally represent her by my son Peter Lewis or his Heirs within y^e space of six Years next Ensuing my Decease.

   Item I give to my well beloved Daughter Abigail Trafton forty pounds in Currant Money or in good passable Bills of Credit of this Province to be paid to her or such as shall Legally represent her by my Son Peter Lewis his Heirs &c. within the space of Eight years next ensuing my Decease.

   Item I give to my well beloved Daughter Eunice Lewis Forty pounds in Currant money or good passable Bills of Credit of this Province to be paid to her or such as shall Legally represent her by my Son Peter Lewis his Heirs Exec^rs or Adminis^rs within y^e space of ten Years next ensuing my Decease.

   Item. I give to my Grand Children namely Sam^ll Tripe Abigail Tripe, Anne Tripe & William Tripe, the Children of my Daughter Luce Tripe Decs^d Forty pounds to be paid to them by my Son Peter Lewis in equall Shares or Portions as they shall come to a Lawfull age to receive their part & to be paid in Currant money or passable Bills of Credit of this Province and if it should so happen that any of my above named Grand Children shall depart this Life before he or She shall be of a Lawfull Age to receive what is herein given to him or her & shall leave no Lawfull surviveing Issue to Inherit their part then y^e Dece'seds part shall be equally divided among y^e Surviveing.

   Item. If any of my above named Daughters should Depart this Life before y^e sum or Legacy which I have herein given to them be paid & leave no Legall surviveing Issue or posterity to receive it then y^e Deces^ds Legacy shall be paid unto & divided amongst my Surviveing Daughters or such as shall Legally represent them in equal Shares or Portions. Item If any of my Daughters above-named shall be unmarried after my Decease they then shall have the liberty to live in my Dwelling house & y^e liberty of Egress & Regress there during their continueing in an unmarried Estate and no longer.

   Finally I Constitute make & Ordain my beloved Wife Elizabeth & my Son Peter Lewis my Sole Execu^rs of this my last Will & Testament. And I Do hereby utterly disallow, Revoak & disannul all & every other former Testaments Wills Legacies & bequests & Execu^rs by me in any ways before Named Willed & bequeathed Ratifying & Confirming this & no other to be my last Will & Testament.

   In Wittness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & Seal the Day & Year above written.

Signed sealed Published    pronounced & Declared by    ye sd Peter Lewis as his last    Will & Testament in the    presence of Us the Subscribers.    Joseph Willson    John X Hutchins       his mark    Samll Haly    John Newmarch.		/memorandum that ye words    of one third part & House    & widowhood & were in-    terlined before signing.    Peter Lewis (seal)       his mark
Probated 21 June 1739. Inventory returned 13 July 1739, at £1422: 16: 5, by Joseph Willson, John Hutchins and Samuel Haley, appraisers. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 409, citing Probate Office, 5, 160.