Lincoln County Probate Records

In the name God Amen I James Craigue of Reedfield in the County of Lincoln being of sound disposing mind and memory but Knowing the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death ordain this my last will and Testament—

1st. Item I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas Craigue my house barn mills and fifteen acres of land on which I now live on the condition following (viz) on his maintaining Anna Craigue my wife handsomely during her natural life and to pay to Freeman Craigue the son of Nancy Goud the sum of three hundred dollars to be paid to him on his arriving at the age of twenty one years and to give the said Freeman Craigue a good common school education and to furnish him with all necessary books and further to maintain him to the age of fourteen years—out of my estate—and further to pay to Mary Craigue the daughter of Mary Allen the sum of one hundred dollars and to give her a good common school education as far as she can arrive at the age of ten years and that she be maintained untill she arrives at the age of ten years out of my estate and I hereby appoint my son Thomas Craigue Guardian of the said Freeman and Mary Craigue and if the said Thomas Craigue should decease before one or both arrive at the periods above mentioned I appoint John and Christopher Turner Guardians to the deceased one And if the said Freeman or Mary should die before they arrive at the age of twenty one years the sums bequeathed to the deceased shall revert and be equally divided amoungst my sons

2nd Item I give and bequeath to my three sons Thomas James and William Craigue equally to be divided amoungst them a certain lot of Land No 94 situated in Reedfield—

3rd Item I give and bequeath to Orison Craigue and Peter Craigue the sons of my son Thomas Craigue fifty dollars each to be paid out of my estate after my decease at their arriving at the age of twenty one years and if the said Peter or Orison shall die before the age of twenty one years their propotion of my estate to be equally divided amoungst the children now living of my son Thomas Craigue—

4th Item I give and bequeath to Elenor Anna and Delia the daughters of my son Thomas Craigue thirty dollars each to be paid out of my estate after my decease on their arrival at the age of twenty one if one either or all should die before the age of twenty one their propotion to be equally divided amoungst the children now living of my son Thomas Craigue.

5th Item I give and bequeath to my Grandson James Craigue the sum of fifty dollars. Item to Sally and Margarett Craigue daughters of my son James thirty dollars each to be paid them at the age of twenty one years likewise the said sum of fifty before mentioned dollars to be paid my Grandson at the age of twenty one years and if one or either of them should die before that age their proportion of my estate to be divided equally amoungst the children now living of my son James—

I order all my just debts and funeral charges to be paid out of my personal estate and all the residue of my personal estate if any I will that my son Thomas receive—

And I hereby appoint Thomas and James Craigue my Executors In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal to this my last will and testament This twenty eighth August Anno Domini seventeen hundred and ninety seven in presents of—

James Craigg (seal)

Eben'r Bradish
John Turner
Christopher Turner

The Codicil underwritten I order as fully to be executed as any part of the foregoing—

I give and bequeath to John and George Craigue sons of my son William Craigue the sum of thirty dollars each and to each of the three daughters of my son William Craigue twenty dollars each to be paid out of my estate after my decease and if either of them should die before the age of twenty one years their propotion of my estate to be equally divided amongst the children of my son William now living—

In testomy whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal to this my codicil of my last will and testament this twenty eigth August Anno Domini seventeen hundred and ninety seven

James Craigg (seal)

In presents of—

Christopher Turner
John Turner
Eben'r Bradish

NB. all erasures and interlineations made before signing—

Probated 16 Jan., 1798. [VIII, 107-108.] James Craigg declined executorship. Thomas Smith, of Readfield, and John Jones, of Augusta, sureties. Inventory by John Turner, of Winthrop, Elihu Alden and Mathias Smith, both of Readfield, 22 Jan., 1798, $1347.30. [Unrecorded.]

Source: The Probate Records of Lincoln County, Maine, 1760 to 1800 (Portland, Me.: Printed for the Maine Genealogical Society, 1895), p. 315, citing Lincoln County, Maine, Probate Records.