Lincoln County Probate Records

In the name of God Amen, I Stephen Stapel of Topsham in the County of Lincoln & CommonWealth of Massachusetts Yeoman, considering the uncertainty of this mortal life, and being of sound mind & memory. Blessed be Almighty God for the same, do make and publish this my last will & testament, in manner & form following that is to say. First I give and Bequeath unto my beloved Wife Susanna one third part of my Estate both Real & personal. I do also give and bequeath unto my eldest son Joseph six shillings, Lawf. money. I do also give and bequeath unto my son Ephraim a Cow or the Value thereof I do also give and bequeath unto my son John six shillings L money. I do also give and bequeath unto my Daughter Lucy a Cow. I do also give and bequeath unto my Daughter Anna a Cow. I do also give and bequeath unto my two Grand Children by the name of Potter, one year old Heiffer each, my three sons Josiah Daniel & James I give & bequeathe the remainder of my Estate, both Real & personal each one an Equal share It is my will that my son Robert shall be put to some trade which he may chose and untill he is of age to chuse a trade I put him in Care of my Son Josiah if my said Son Robert should not go to any trade it is my will that he be paid half a share of one of my three last mentioned sons

I appoint my Son Josiah sole Executor of this my last will & testament ; hereby revoking all former wills by me made. In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand & Seal this Seventeenth day of November One thousand seven hundred & Ninety-Eight.

Stephen X [his mark] Stapel (seal)

Signed, seal'd, publish'd
and declared by the above
named Stephen Stapel
to be his last will & testament
in the presence of us who have
hereunto subscribed our names
as Witnesses in the presence
of the Testator.—

Alexander Rogers
Samuel Winchell
William Doggett

Probated 4 Jan., 1799. [VIII, 121-2.] Alexander Rogers and Samuel Winchell, both of Topsham, sureties. Inventory by John Rogers, John Sanford and Joseph Berry, all of Topsham, 9 Jan., 1799, $775-78. [VIII, 32.]

Source: The Probate Records of Lincoln County, Maine, 1760 to 1800 (Portland, Me.: Printed for the Maine Genealogical Society, 1895), p. 324, citing Lincoln County, Maine, Probate Records.