Maine Wills

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

   In the Name of God Amen. I Thomas Butler of Berwick in the County of York Gentⁿ the twelfth Day of February 1759, being very Sick & weak of Body but of perfect Mind & Memory, Thanks be given unto God, therefore calling unto Mind the Mortality of my Body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, Do make and ordain this my last Will & Testament, that is to Say, principally & first of all, I give & recommend my Soul into the Hands of God that gave it, and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in Decent Christian Burial at y^e Discretion of my Executor, nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I Shall receive the same again by the 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 y^e Same in y^e follow^g Manner & Form.

   Imp^r I give to my well beloved Wife all my Household Goods & personal Estate.

   I give to my beloved Son Moses Butler one third part of my Homestead with half the House thereon; and also one third part of a Lot of Land at Blackberry Hill be paying one third part of the following Legacies or Bequests when he Shall arrive to the Years of Twenty one.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my Son Thomas Butler Thirteen pounds Six Shillings & eight pence.

   Item. I give to my Daughter Olive Fippeny Forty Shillings

   Item. I give to my Daughter Elizabeth Sayward Forty Shillings

   Item. I give to my Grandson William Goodwin the Son of my Daughter Mary Dec^d twenty Shillings.

   Item. I give to my beloved Son Samuel Butler whom I likewise constitute make & ordain my Sole Executor of this my last Will & Testament, the two third parts of my Homestead, and half my dwelling House & Barn, the two Third parts of a Lot of Land at Blackberry Hill, also all my Right in the Mills in Quamphegon & Priviledge, and Ten Acres of Timber Land in the Woods, he paying y^e Two Third parts of the above Legacys, and all my just Debts & funeral Charges. And I do hereby utterly disallow revoke & disannul all & every other former Testaments Wills Legacys & Bequests & Executors by me in any ways before named willed & bequeathed ratifying & confirming this and no other to be my last Will & Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal the Day and year above written.

Thomas Butler (Seal)
his mark           

   Signed Sealed published pronounced & declared by the said Thomas Butler as his last Will & Testament in the presence of us the Subscribers, Moses Butler, Thomas Abbot y^e 4^th Thomas Butler jun^r