Maine Wills

 From York County Probate Records, Volume Two (1698-1718)

   In the Name of God Amen the Eight day of February Anno Domini 1717/18 And in the fourth year of his Maj^tys Reign. I Nathaniel Clarke of Wells in the County of York in the Province of the MasachuSets Bay in New England Cordwinder being Sick and in firm of body but of Sound disposing mind & memory praised be God for the Same knowing the uncertainty of this preSent life, and being deSireous to Settle that outward Estate the Lord hath Sent me do make & ordain this my Last Will & Testament in manner and form following hereby revoaking & making void all Wills & Testaments by me formerly made Declaring & appointing this only to be my last will & Testament first & principally I Commit my Soul into the hands of Almighty God hoping to receive full pardon & remission of all my Sins & Salvation through the alone merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour & redeemer & my body I Commit to the Earth to be buried in Such decent manner as to my Executors hereafter Named Shall be thought meet & Convenient, And as for the disposing of my temporal Goods & Estate I will that the Same Shall be imployed & beStowed as in & by this my will is exprest.

   Imp^r I will that all my Iust debts & funeral expences be well & trvly payed or ordained to be paid out of my moveable Estate by my Executors hereafter Mentioned.

   Item. I give unto my Son Nathaniel Clarke two Sheep & my holbert & hereby Confirm to him all the Land & meadow which I gave him in my life time heretofore.

   Item. I give & bequeath unto my Son Isaac Clark five pounds to be payed by my Son Samuel Clark when my Son Samuel doth arrive to the age of twenty one years.

   Item. I give to my Son Eleazer Clarke all my upland which lyeth in my home lot betwene the land I have formerly given to my Son Nathaniel & the Town Commons at the head of my Lot, and halfe my fresh medow at Rankins his Creeck & also halfe my Salt marsh at Mousom river, & a pair of Steers now coming four years old & a Cow & horse my long guu & bajonet & Six Sheep to be payed to him at the age of twenty one years by my Executors out of my Estate.

   Item I give & bequeath to my Son Iames Clarke two yearling Steers & a heifer Calfe to be payed to him by my Executors out of my Stock at my decease.

   Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Sarah Burton Six pounds out of my Moveable Estate to be payed by my Executors at my decease.

   Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Mary ThomSon three ponnds to be payed out of my Moveable Estate by my Son Samuel Clark at his Coming to the age of twenty-one years.

   Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Abigail Clarke the Summ of twelve pounds to be payed by my Son Samuel Clarke when he comes to the age of twenty one years.

   Item I give to my daughter Esther Clark twelve pounds to be payed by my Son Samuel Clarke when he comes to the age of twenty one years.

   Item I give to my beloved wife Patiance Clarke the vse & Improvment of all my lower part of my homelot & my housing & barne lying betwene the Land I gave my Son Nathaniel & the Sea, as also halfe the Salt Marsh at Mousom river & halfe the fresh Medow at Rankins Creek and two acres of Salt marsh at little river & the vse of my Stock excepting what I have given out by this my Last Will and also of all my Moveable Estate untill my Son Samuel come to the age of twenty one years.

   Item I give & bequeath to my Son Samuel Clarke all my land below my Son Nathaniel Land; and housing & barns and the halfe of my Marsh at Mousom river & two acres at little river, and halfe my fresh meadow at Rankins his Creek, and my Stock & Moveables when he comes to the age of twenty one years Maintaining of my dearly beloved wife Patiance Clarke with a Comfertable Chamber & Comfertable & Suitable Maintainance during her widow hood, and if She Sees meet to Marry She Shall have in liev of what is herein bequeathed to her the vse of one third of the house & barn & Land & Salt & fresh medow & Stock & moveables herein bequeathed to her, and at her decease to be to my Son Samuel Clark, and further my will & Intent is that my Land & meadow in this my Last will & Testament, given & bequeathed to any of my Children is to be to them & the heirs of their own bodys.

   Lastly I do by these preSents & it is my will that my dearly beloved wife Patiance Clarke & my Sons Nathaniel & Samuel Clarke be the Executors to this my Last will & Testament, and doe hereby revoake & disannul all other Wills & Testaments by me heretofore made & declare this to be my Last will & Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand & Seal the day & year above written.

Signed Sealed Published &    pronounced in preSence of/    Iohn Wells    Thomas Wells    Iames SampSon		Nathn Clarke (Seal)
Probated 26 March 1718. Inventory returned at £375: 18: 0, by Nicholas Cole, Joseph Hill and Joseph Littlefield, appraisers, 9 Feby. 1717-18. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 202, citing Probate Office, 2, 155.