Lincoln County Probate Records

In the Name of God Amen I William Rodgers of Georgetown in the County of York and Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England Husbandman being Weak in Body but Sound and perfect in Mind and Memory thanks be to God and calling to mind the Mortality of this my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all Men once of Die Do make and ordain this to be My last will and Testament that is to say Principaly and first of all I Recomend my Soul to God who gave it and as for my Body I Recomend it unto the Earth to be Buried in a Christian Manner at the Discretion of my Executors Nothing Doubting but at the General Resurection I shall Receive the same again by the Mighty Power of God And as for what wordly Goods it hath pleased God to bestow on me I shall dispose of them in the following manner and form my Will is in the first Place that there be sold and disposed of by my Executors as much of my Goods and Chattels as will pay my Just Debts.—

Item I give and bequeath to my well beloved Wife Ruth one third of the Remainder of my personal Estate and one third of all my Meadows and Marshes and one third part of all my farm whereon I live with housing and fences During her Natural Life whom I Constitute and ordain one of my Executors.—

Item I Give and bequeath to my beloved Son George Rodgers whom I Constitute one of my Executors my lot of Land in the westward Side of winey gants Marshes Containing seventy four Acres and a half and Seventeen Rods as will appear by a plan taken by Samuel Denny Esqr. Now in the hands of Brother McCobb and likewise I give said Son George the one third of all my Marshes.—

Item I give and bequeath to my beloved Son Thomas Rodgers twenty shillings Lawful Money to be paid him by my Executors and his Equal Share with other Children of my personal Estate.—

Item I Give and bequeath to my beloved Son Hugh who has been the staf of my old Age the one full Moiety or half part of all that Lot of Land whereon I now Live in the Eastern Side of winey gants Marshes with the half of all the Buildings and fences and the one third of all my Meadow or Marsh ground I likewise Constitute and ordain said Son Hugh one of my Executors.

Item I Give and bequeath to my other three Sons William Rodgers John Rodgers and Robert Rodgers twenty shillings each to be paid them by my said Executors out of my personal Estate and at my Wife her Decease my will is that they have the half of my homestead farm whereon I Now live with one third of all my Marshes to be Equaly Divided among them together with a point of Land in the Middle of winey gants Marshes Containing about twelve Acres.—

Item I Give and bequeath to my beloved Daughter Jean Kendall twenty shillings to be paid by my said Executors out of my personal Estate and likewise her Equal share with the other Children of the household furniture.

Item I Give and bequeath to my beloved Daughter Margrat Rodger twenty shillings to be paid her by my said Executors out of my personal Estate with her share of the household Stuff.—

Item I Give and bequeath to my beloved Daughter Ann Read twenty shillings to be paid her by my said Executors out of my personal Estate with her Equal Share of the Household furniture with the other Children.—

I do hereby Disanul and Revoak all former Wills by me made Ratifying and Confirming this and No other to be my Last will and Testament In Witness whereof I have set my hand and seal the fifteenth Day of March one Thousand Seven hundred and Sixty in the Thirty third year of his Majestys Reign—

William Rodgers (Seal)

Signed sealed and published in the presence of us by William Rodgers as his Last Will and Testament

John Parker
James McCobb
George Rodgers

Probated 11 May, 1763. [I, 3.] Ruth Rodgers disclaimed executorship, 11 May, 1763. [I, 32.]

Source: The Probate Records of Lincoln County, Maine, 1760 to 1800 (Portland, Me.: Printed for the Maine Genealogical Society, 1895), p. 8, citing Lincoln County, Maine, Probate Records.