Maine Wills

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

In the Name of God Amen.

   This twenty seventh Day of August in y^e Year 1759.

   I Martyn Iameson of Biddeford in y^e County of York in New England Yeoman, being very weak in Body but sound in Iudgment and of perfect Mind & Memory Thanks be given to God, therefore calling unto Mind the Mortality of my Body do make & ordain this my last Will & Testament, That is to Say, principally & first of all I give & recommend my Soul into y^e hands of God that gave it hoping thrô the Merits Mediation & Satisfaction of my glorious Lord Iesus Christ on whom alone I depend for the Salvation of my Soul and my Body I commit to the Earth from whence it was taken to be buried in a decent christian Manner at the Discretion of my Executor hereafter named nothing doubting but at y^e general Resurrection I shall receive the Same again by y^e Mighty Power of God. and as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life I give demise & dispose of the Same in the following Manner.

   Imprimis I give and bequeath to my Son William Iameson at my Death the Receipt that he gave me for one Hundred pounds which Receipt bears Date y^e fourteenth of March 1759, and it is to be understood by me y^e S^d Martyn that the Land I gave my S^d Son William by Deed of Gift which Deed bears Date y^e afores^d fourteenth Day of March 1759, The Lands contained in Said Deed is to be part of the Said William part or Share of my Estate.

   Item. I give to my Son Iames Iameson whom I likewise constitute make & ordain my Sole Executor of this my last Will & Testament the Receipt that he gave me for Fifty four pounds, which Rec^t bears date y^e 14^th Day of March 1759, and it is to be understood by me y^e Said Martyn that the Lands I gave to my Said Son Iames by Deed of Gift which Deed bears Date the Said fourteenth Day of March 1759, the Lands contained in Said Deed is to be part of the Said Iames's Part or Share of my Estate, and further more I give unto the Said Iames all the Lands adjoining to the Said Forty Acres mentioned in Said Deed, and is at the Northwest End thereof holding the Same Breadth of the Said Deed till it comes to the Head or Northwest End of my Homstead.

   Item. I give to my Son Samuel Iameson that part of my Homestead that adjoins to Said Iames's Land above mentioned, and is on the Northeast Side thereof, and is the Same length of the Said Iames's two Lots, and y^e Breadth thereof is between the said Iames's Land and the Land of M^rs Cambell and is to be on the Same Course or Line that Iames is at the Southeast & Northwest Ends and lieth between the Said Iames's Lands & Said Cambells Land : and also I give to my Said Son Samuel one Yoke of Oxen.

   Item. I give to my Son Robert Iameson after y^e Death of my loving Wife Grizell all the remainder of my Homestead which is bounded on y^e Northwest by y^e Lots of my aforemention^d Sons Iames & Samuel and holding the Breadth of Said Lots to y^e Southeast End of Said Homestead with the Building thereon. And also I give him one yoke of Oxen when he Shall come to the Years of twenty one.

   Item. I give to my two Daughters Hannah & Iane at their Marriage or at their arriving at y^e Years of Eighteen each of them one good feather Bed & Beding, and each of them one Cow at y^e Day aforementioned, and likewise it is my Will that my four Sons aforementioned William Iames Samuel and Robert pay Forty pounds lawful Money to my Said Daughters Hannah & Iane that is to Say twenty pounds to each of them, and that my Said Sons pay y^e Said Forty pounds equally among them, that 's Ten pounds each of them, The Said Moneys to be paid to the Said Hannah and Iane at y^e Year aforementioned; And if my S^d Sons Shall neglect to pay the Said Forty pounds at the time afore mentioned, then it is my Will and I do give to my Said Daughters Hannah & Iane Twelve acres of Marsh in the Marshes called little River Marshes in S^d Biddeford and Said Marsh is on y^e Side of S^d River and to join to Said River, and is part of that Marsh I bought of Eben^zr Bron, & Ezekiel Hael to run back from S^d River holding the Breadth of said Lots bought of Said Bron & Hael till the Said twelve Acres is compleated.

   Item. I give to my Daughter Mary Gillpatrick the Note of Hand that is due to me from her Husband which is y^e Sum of Six pounds two Shillings & two pence lawful Money and likewise what is due to me on Book to this Day of the Date hereof, and if my Said Wife Should out live me then at her Death the Said Mary to have an equal part in my personal Estate with y^e rest of my Children.

   Item. It is my Will that my loving Wife Grizzel have the Improvement of all that part of my Homestead which I have given to my Son Robert with the Building thereon if She Should outlive me, and likewise my person^l Estate to improve during her life excepting what I have in this Will given away : and it is my Will that my Said Wife have Liberty to cutt Fire Wood & fencing of or from any of my Lands during her life for y^e Support of my Family And in Fine it is my Will, that y^e Remainder of my Lands & Marshes, that I have not disposed of in this Will I give it to my four Sons aforenamed William Iames Samuel & Robert to be equally divided among them, and my personal Estate that shall be left at the Death of my Said Wife if She Shall outlive me, that is to say my Stock to be equally divided among my Children both Sons & Daughters and my Housel Goods to be divided among my three Daughters; But it is to be understood by me, that my funeral Charges and my just Debts be paid out of my personal Estate.

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

Signed Sealed published pronounced    & declared by ye Said Martyn    Iameson as his last Will & Testa-    ment in the presence of us the    Subscribers, Robert Patterson    Daniel Camell & Robert Patterson jr		Martyn Iameson (Seal)
Probated 24 April 1760. Inventory returned 22 June 1760, at £233: 16: 4, by T Jordan, Amos Chase, Robert Patterson jr appraisers. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 883, citing Probate Office, 10, 155.