Lincoln County Probate Records

In the Name of God, Amen. I Samuel Ford of Woolwich in the County of Lincoln and Common Wealth of Massachusetts ; Gentleman, being weak & infirm in body, but of a Sound and disposing mind & memory for which I desire to bless God and considering the shortness and uncertainty of Life, and that it is appointed for all Men once to die, do make & ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner following. First I give and bequeath my Soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it, and my body to the Earth to be buried with a decent Christian burial (at the discretion of my Executrix) in hopes of a joyfull Resurrection, through the merits & mediation of my Saviour Jesus-Christ. And as to that Worldly Estate with which it has pleased God to bless me. I give and bequeath in manner following.

Imprimis. I give and bequeath unto my Nephew John Perkins a lott of Land Containing about eighty eight acres more or less lying in Woolwich and is lott No. 18 in the second division of lotts in said Woolwich, to him & his heirs forever.

Item I give & bequeath unto my Neice Hannah Blair the wife of John Blair the one half of a lott of Land being Lott No. 48 in the second division of Lotts in s'd Woolwich, to her & her heirs forever.

Item. All the rest and residue of my Estate both Real and personal of every kind (after the discharge of my just debts) I give and bequeath unto my beloved Wife Mary Ford to her and her heirs forever.

And I do appoint and ordain my beloved Wife Mary Ford, Sole Executrix of this my last Will & Testament. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this twenty second day of January Anno Domini 1782, and in the sixth year of American Independence.

NB. the word "with" on the other side & the words "rest and" above were interlin'd before signing.

Samll. Ford (seal)

Signed, sealed, published & declar'd
by the Testator as & for his last Will
& Testament, in presence of us, who
at his request, in his presence,
and in presence of each other
have Subscribed our Names
as Witnesses thereto.

Nathl. Thwing
John Hathorn
Robert Cushman

Probated 5 Sep., 1787. [III, 147.] Inventory by David Gilmore, Samuel Stinson and Seth Hathorn, all of Woolwich, 28 Sep., 1787, £897 : 11 : 8. [IV, 23-24.]

Source: The Probate Records of Lincoln County, Maine, 1760 to 1800 (Portland, Me.: Printed for the Maine Genealogical Society, 1895), p. 156, citing Lincoln County, Maine, Probate Records.