Lincoln County Probate Records

In the Name of God Amen

the thirty first Day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven Hundred Ninety & two. I Robert Sproul of Bristol in the County of Lincoln & Commonwealth of Massachusetts Gentleman Being Very Sick & weak in Body : But of Perfect mind and Memory : thanks be given unto God, therefore. Calling unto mind the Mortallity of my Body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Dye Do make and ordain this my Last will & testament that is to Say first of all I give & Recommend my Soul into the hands of God that gave it ; for my Body I Recommend it to the Earth, to Be Buried in a Christian Like & Decent Manner att the Descretion of my Executors—and as touching Such worldly Estate wherewith it hath Pleased God to Bless me in this Life, I give Devise & Dispose of the Same in the following Manner and form—

first: it is my will & I Do order : that all my just Debts and fueral Charges, be Paid & Satisfyed.—

Item I give & Bequeath unto Sarah My Dearly Beloved wife the Place that I Now Live on togeather with the house & Barn togeather with all my Personal Estate During her widowhood to be Dis-Possed of in Manner followaring—I Likewise Constitute & appoint Sarah my wife my Sole Exetor & Administratrix of this my Last will & testament

Item: I give to my Beloved Son Robert Sproul five Shillings Lawfull money.

Item Catherine Sproul My Daughter I give five Shillings.

Item I give to my Beloved Son William Sproul five Shillings

item I give to my Beloved Son John Sproul five Shillings.

Item I give to my Beloved Daughter Margret Clark five Shillings.

Item I give to my Beloved Daughter Sarah Sproul one Cow & one feather bed Bed & Beding Sutable for a Bed att her marrage if not married to Paid to her when My Son James Sproul is one & twenty years of age

Item—I give to my Beloved Daughter Jean Sproul the Same as is mentioned to my Daughter Sarah Sproul when married or att James Sproul Being one & twenty

Item I give to my Beloved Daughter Susanna Sproul the Same as to the above mentioned Sarah & Jean Sproul & att the Same time.

Item, I give to my Beloved Son Thomas Sproul the whole of that Lot of Land joyning to William Sproul my Son att Orr Meadow and one Pair of Steer three years old and one heflfer of three years old all the above to Be given to him att the time of his Being one & twenty years of Age to him & his heirs

Item. I give to my Beloved Daughter Mary Sproul one Cow & one Bed & Beding att marridge or att James Sproul a Riveing to the years of one & twenty as is mentioned to Sarah, Jean, Susanna & Mary all a Like

Item I give to my Beloved Son James Sproul the Place or fairm that I now Live on one third of the Place att his comeing of Lawfull age Viz one & twenty & the other two third to his mother My Beloved wife During hir widowhood, & att her Disseas to him the Said James to have the whole Place to him his heirs and assigns for Ever—that is to Say—if the above Named Sarah, Jean, Susanna & Mary Should Remain Single & unmarried att the Disseas of my Beloved wife to have three Pounds Lawfull money Paid yearly by the Said James or his heirs During their Remaining Single to Each or ither of them as the Case may be.

Ratifying & Confirming this & no other to be my Last will & testement In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal the Day and year above written.

Robert Sproul (Seal)

the word, hood, Interlined before the Signing hereof

Signed : Sealed : Published. Pronounced, & Declared by the Said Robert Sproul as his Last will & testament in the Presence of us the Subscribers viz—

Thos. Johnston
Richd. Meagher
William McIntyer

Probated 9 Sep., 1793. [V, 149-150.] Thomas Johnston and William McIntyer, both of Bristol, sureties.

Source: The Probate Records of Lincoln County, Maine, 1760 to 1800 (Portland, Me.: Printed for the Maine Genealogical Society, 1895), p. 232, citing Lincoln County, Maine, Probate Records.