Lincoln County Probate Records

In the Name of God Amen

The Ninth Day of May in the year of our Lord 1778

I John Gross of Waldoborough in the County of Lincoln, Black Smith : Being Vary Sick and Weak in Body : but of Perfect Mind and Memory, Thanks be unto God for the Same : and Calling to 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 as Concerning my Body : I Recommend it To the Earth, to be Buried in a Decent Manner : at the Discretion of my Executors, nothing Doubting, but at the General Resurrection, to obtain Everlasting Happiness in the Life to Come : Through the Merits and mediation of my Blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ, And as Touching Such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath Pleased God to Bless me in in this Life, I Give Devise and Dispose of the Same in Manner and form following that is to Say :—in the first Place, I Give and bequeath to Anna Catharinah my Dearly Beloved Wife all my Estate both Real and Personal Turing Life Excepting my Black Smiths Tools.

Also I Give to my well beloved Son Peter Gross all the Black Smiths Tools and my well beloved Son Peter Gross is to Give to my well beloved Daughter Mari Elizabeth a Haffer at 1½ or 2 years old.

Also I Give to my well beloved Daughter Mary My Bible.

Also I Give to my well beloved Son Peter Gross aforSaid, after my Dearly beloved wifes Decease all my Land and Real Estate for which he is to Pay to my well beloved Daughters namly Mary and Mari Elizabeth ; Each Thirten Pounds Six Shillings and Eight Pence Lawful money, afther the Decease of my wifes : further : My Barsonal Estate is to be Devidet amonge my Childeren, ofthe Decease of my wifes if thar anny bee further more : My well beloved Son Peter is to have the first offer : for working the Land for the Halfs for my well beloved wife : or to Hired the Land of my wife

And I Do hereby: utterly Disallow: Revoke: and Disannul: all and Every other former Testaments: wills and Legacies Bequests and Executors, by me in any ways before this time Named : willed and Bequeathed : Ratifying and Confirming This : and no Other to be my Last will and Testament in Witness whearof I have here unto Set my Hand and Seal the Day and year first above written

John X [his mark] Gross (seal)

Signed Sealed Published Pronounced and Declared by the Said John Gross as his Last will and Testament in Presence of us the Subscribers that is to Say

Jacob Winchenbach
Godfrid bornheimer
Jacob Ludwig

Probated 26 June, 1781. [II, 126.] Inventory by Joseph Weaver, Godfried Burnheimer and Francis Miller, all of Waldoborough, 7 Sep., 1781, £98: 10: 1. [II, 212.] Receipts for legacies by Mary Newbert, wife of Christopher Newbert and Mary Lissabot Mink, wife of Peter Mink, 1795. [VI, 189.]

Source: The Probate Records of Lincoln County, Maine, 1760 to 1800 (Portland, Me.: Printed for the Maine Genealogical Society, 1895), p. 101, citing Lincoln County, Maine, Probate Records.