Lincoln County Probate Records

In the name of God Amen. I Joseph Malcom of Topsham in the County of Lincoln and State of the Massachusetts Bay, Blacksmith, being weak of body but of Sound mind and Memory (blessed be God) do this Seventeenth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and eighty-one, make and publish this my last will and Testament ; in manner following (that is to say) Imprimis, I give to my loving wife Sarah Malcom the whole of all my Estate real and personal Goods and Chattels until my yongest Child if a Son Shall arive to the age of twenty one years, or if a daughter to the age of eighteen years and to my Said wife I Commit the Care of all my Children and after my said yongest Child Shall arive to the age above mentioned ; and after that time to my said wife one third part of all my estate real and personal during her natural life, allowing her my Said wife to pay all my Lawfull debts.

Item, I give to each of my Sons that Shall be living at the time above mentioned an equal Share of all my Estate both real and personal ; not before disposed of to my Said wife.

Item, I give to my daughter or daughters if I should have more than one, twenty pounds Lawful money each, to be paid in Silver or Gold or other money equevalent thereto in one year after my youngest Child Shall arive to the age above mentioned, to be paid by my surviving Son or Sons who Shall possess the Said estate and I make and ordain her my Said Wife Sole Executrix of this my will, in witness whereof I the Said Joseph Malcom have to this my last will and testament. Set my hand and Seal the day and year above written.

Joseph Malcom (seal)

Signed Sealed published and
declared by the Said Joseph
Malcom as and for his last will
and Testament, in presence of
us whose names are hereunto
under written, who did each of
us Subscribe our names as
witnesses at his request and in
his presence in the room where
he then was.

James Hunter
William Bourk
John Merrill

Probated 4 July, 1781. [II, 172.]

Source: The Probate Records of Lincoln County, Maine, 1760 to 1800 (Portland, Me.: Printed for the Maine Genealogical Society, 1895), p. 112, citing Lincoln County, Maine, Probate Records.