Lincoln County Probate Records

To All people Whome it may Concern Know ye that I Benjamin Gardner of Bowdoinham in the County of Lincoln in the State of Massachusetts Bay in New England ; Being Somthing Indisposed in Body but of Sound mind & Memory do make this my Last will in manner following ; first I will that all my just Debts be paid by my Executor & Executrix here After Named ; I give to my Beloved Wife Ruth All my Estate Both Real & personal during her Widowhood And at ye end of ye s'd Term Whether by Death or Marriage s'd Estatate to be divided Among my Children in Manner as followeth I Give to my four Sons namely Abdial Benjamin Richard & Daniel All my Estate Both Real & personal Except my House-hold Stuff And wearing Apparrel ; I give to My Son Abdial my best Sute of Wearing Apparrel ; & the rest of my wearing Apparrel i give to My other three Sones namely Benjamin Richard & Daniel to be Divided Equaly Between them My Silver Cup i give to my Daughter Mary My Looking Glass i give to my Daughter Hannah ; And the Rest of My House-hold furniture i give to all my Daughters namely Hannah Parthena Sabrina Rebeckah & Mary to be divided Equaly Between them ; My Clock i meant as a part of my house hold Stuf—

And i do finily Appoint my Beloved Wife Ruth My Executrix and With her Prince Coffin of Pownalborough my Executor of this my Last will & Testament ; In witteness whereof I have here unto Set my hand & Seal this Twenty Seventh day of ye 10 m 1778.

Benjamin X [his mark] Gardner

The alteration in ye fifteenth
line was made Before Signing)

Sined & Sealed in
presence of us

Abrm. Preble
Barnabas Paddock
William Barnard

Probated 6 Jan., 1779. [II, 152.]

Source: The Probate Records of Lincoln County, Maine, 1760 to 1800 (Portland, Me.: Printed for the Maine Genealogical Society, 1895), p. 105, citing Lincoln County, Maine, Probate Records.