Maine Wills

 From York County Probate Records, Volume Ten (1749-60)

   In the name of God Amen. This twenty fourth Day of November Anno Domini 1758. I Iacob Brown of North Yarmouth in the County of York, and Province of y^e Massa : Bay in New England Yeoman being weak of Body but of Sound Mind & Memory, Thanks be given to God therefor : Calling to Mind my Mortality, and that it is appointed for all men once to die, Do make & ordain this my last Will & Testament. That is to Say principally & first of all I recommend my Soul to God who gavet it : And my Body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in a decent Manner nothing doubting but at y^e general Resurrection I Shall receive the Same again by the Mighty Power of God, And as touching Such worldly Estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with in this Life, I give demise & dispose of the Same in the following Manner & Form.

   Imp^r I give unto my loving Wife Mary Brown one Cow & all household Stuff And her Maintenance So long as She Shall remain my Widow.

   Item. I give unto my Son Iacob Brown five Shillings lawful Money which together with the twenty acres of Land I have obliged my Self to give him by a Writing under my Hand, and all the Debts due from him to me, which I do also give him, to be his Share of my Estate.

   I give unto my Son William Brown all my Lands & Buildings near Cousins's River so called where I now dwell excepting twenty Acres which I have already obliged my Self to give unto my Son Jacob. I also give unto my Son William all my Right of Commons with the Propriet^rs of the Common Lands in the Township of North Yarm^o together with all my moveable Estate as Cattle Tools & out Door Utensils &c. he to provide an honorable Maintenance for his Mother So long as She remains my Widow. He also to pay all my just Debts.

   Item I give to my Daughter Hannah the Wife of Iacob Royall and to her Heirs by way of Legacy one Cow & Six pounds thirteen Shillings & four pence lawful Money to be paid her by my Son William within twelve Months after my Decease.

   Finally I do constitute make & ordain my Son William my Sole Executor of this my last Will & Testament. And I do declare this & no other to be my last Will and Testament.

   In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & Seal the Day & Year above written.

Iacob Brown (Seal)

   Signed Sealed pronounced & declared by Iacob Brown as his last Will & Testament, In the presence of Us, Nath^l Coffin, Gilbert Winslow Ian X Soul her mark