Maine Wills

 From York County Probate Records, Volume Seven (1721-49)

   In the Name of God Amen. I Iohn Bartland of Kittery in the County of York and Province of the Massa : Bay in New England Yeoman being very weak in Body but of perfect Mind and Memory Thanks be given unto God, therefore calling unto Mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, Do make and 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 God that gave it, and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in a decent and Christian Manner at the Discretion of my Executrix hereafter named Nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I Shall receive the Same again by the mighty Power of God; and as touching Such Worldly wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life I give demise and dispose of y^e Same in the following Manner and Form.

   Imp^r I will that all my just Debts and Funeral Charges be raised and paid out of my Estate by my Executrix hereafter named as Soon as may be conveniently after my Decease.

   Item. I give and bequeath unto Deborah Bartland my well beloved Wife all my Estate both real and personal of every kind and Nature whatsoever and wheresoever during her Natural Life for her Support giving and hereby granting unto my Said Wife (whom I likewise constitute make & ordain my Sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament) full Power and Authority to dispose of or make Sale or Conveyance of my Estate or any part thereof either real or personal for her Support or Maintainance during her natural Life as aforesaid, and after her Decease and her funeral Charges be paid out of Said Estate what Estate of mine that Shall be then remaining I give the one half part thereof to the Poor of the Church at Portsmouth, and the other half part I give to the Poor in the lower Parish of the Town of Kittery aforesaid

   And further I will that my Body be buried at the burying Place by or near the aforesaid Church in Portsmouth. And I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannul all and every other former Testaments Wills Legacys & Bequests & Executors by me in any Ways before named willed & bequeathed ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand and Seal the Day and Year above written

Signed Sealed published    pronounced & declared    by the Sd Iohn Bartlan    as his last Will & Tes-    tament in the presence    of us ye Subscribers    Iean X Moore       her mark    Iohn X Moore       his mark    Iohn Godsoe		Memo the Words (Estate by my)    were innerlined before Sign-    ing and Sealing. Iohn Bartlan (a Seal)    his mark
Probated 5 Jany 1746. Inventory returned 1 April 1747, at £1272: 15: 9, by William Whipple, Elihu Gunnison and John Godsoe, appraisers. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 536, citing Probate Office, 7, 46.