Maine Wills

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

In the Name of God Amen.

   I William Tompson of Scarborough in the County of York and Province of the Massachusetts Bay Clerk, being advanced in years, and declining in bodily Strength, but thrô Gods Goodness for which I bless him, continuing of a Sound Mind & Memory, and considering that it will not be long before I must die Do therefore with Gods help Settle my affairs, and make & appoint this my last Will & Testament, disannulling disallowing & revoking all that have been before. First committing my Soul into y^e Hands of God depending on His infinite Mercies, and his Sons infinite Merits for eternal Life, And my Body I commit to the Earth for a decent Burial hoping for a part in the Resurrection of the just; and as touching such Worldly Estate as God hath given me, I thus will order and dispose of it.

   I. Whereas, there was a Grant made me by y^e Town of Scarbor^o at their Meeting March 1732/3, of Two Hundred pounds towards building me an House to be paid in Lumber at the then Market price, which Sum was never fully paid me, but Forty two pounds thereof remains still unpaid, My Will is that Said Forty two pounds be collected & appropriated to y^e Use of a School at Blackpoint End of said Town, which I do because of my Special Relation the latter part of my Life as pastor to that part of y^e Town; and because also said End have paid me their part of said two Hundred pounds.

   II. My Debts & Necessary Expences being paid out of my Estate, I give & bequeath to my beloved Wife Anna Tompson my dwelling House Barn & Land thereto adjoining in Scarbor^o as also the Use of all my Household Stuff and Furniture of said House to improve enjoy & likewise to Sell & dispose of if She sees fit. I likewise give her two Cows four Sheep with the Improvement of so much Marsh yearly as will yield Hay enough to winter them during her Life; I do likewise give her the Service of my Negro Man during her Life; also my Will is that She have a good easie going Horse & Furniture whenever she Shall see fit to Travel abroad or go on a Iourney; Also that She have yearly Ten Cord of Wood brought to her Door; likewise that She have Six pounds Cash paid out of my Estate.

   III. Having already given my Son William Tompson a valuable Tract of Land at Oak Hill, and also assisted him with Money to purchase another Tract of Land on Stroud Water River, I do now also give him a piece of Thatch Land bought of the late Captⁿ Iohn Libby near Libby's River. As also one half of the Thatch Land on said River that I bought of M^r Ionathan Libby. I do likewise give him half my Interest in the common & undivided Lands in Scarborô and my best Yoke of Oxen.

   IV. I give to my Son Iohn Tompson the other half of my Right in y^e common Lands of Scarborô also to each of my Children I give an equal Share in my Man Prince if he shall be living at their Mothers Decease leaving it to him to Choose which of my Sons to live with, and that the other Son & Daughter have paid to them the Value of their respective Shares in him by y^e Son he chuses to live with.

   V. Also my Will is that my Son Iohn Tompson and my Daughter Anna Tompson have each of them an equal Share in my Estate not otherwise above disposed of.

   VI. What may remain of my Estate given to my Wife as above which She shall not have actually Sold given away or disposed of in her lifetime, My Will is that after her Decease when her Debts she shall have contracted, and her funeral Expences shall be paid it be equally divided among my Children.

   VII. I nominate & appoint my Wife an Executrix & my Son William an Executor and also my Son Iohn another Executor of this my last Will & Testam^t if my last mentioned Son should be of age sufficient at my Decease.

   In Witness to all above I have hereunto after interlining the Word, two, hereunto Set my Hand and Seal, this thirtieth Day of Ianuary Anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred & Fifty nine.

W^m Tompson (Seal)

   Signed Sealed published pronounced & declared by y^e Said William Tompson as his last Will & Testament in presence of, Walter Warren, Edm^d Hagens, Abigail Small.