Lincoln County Probate Records

In the Name of God Amen this Second Day of September A : D : 1782 I Joseph Clarke of Vassalborough in the county of Lincoln and Commonwealth of the Massachusetts yeoman being Sick and week in body but of Sound mind and memeroy thanks be Given to God therefore Calling to mind the mortallity of my body and Knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last Will and Testiment : That is to say—Principally and first of all I Give and Recommend my Soul into the hands of God that Gave it. And my body I commend to the earth to be buried in Christian like manner at the Discretion of my Executor nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall Receive the Same again by the mighty Power of God : And as touching Such worldly Estate wherewith it hath Pleased God to Bless me in this life I Give and Dispose of the Same in the following manner after paying my Just Debts and funeral Charges

I Give and bequeath to my well beloved Cusen Joseph Clarke of Vassalborough a minor all my Estate Real and Personal all and Singular my lands messuages and tenements to be by him freely Possessed and enjoyed : And I likewise make and ordain Loes Clarke of Vassalboro widow and Rellick of Thomas Clarke late of Vassalborough Deceas'd my only and Sole Executor of this my last will and testament and I do hereby Disanul and Revoke all other former Wills by me made Ratifing and Conferiming this my last will and Testiment In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal the Day and year above said

Joseph X [his marke] Clarke (seal)

Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said Joseph Clarke as his last will and Testiment in Presence of

Mathew Hastings
Hugh Smiley
Jonathan Dyer

Probated 11 Mar., 1783. [III, 229.]

Source: The Probate Records of Lincoln County, Maine, 1760 to 1800 (Portland, Me.: Printed for the Maine Genealogical Society, 1895), p. 175, citing Lincoln County, Maine, Probate Records.