Maine Wills

 From York County Probate Records, Volume Three (1709-28)

   In the Name of God Amen This 21^st day of March 1714/15

   I John Pickerin of Portsmouth in y^e Province of New Hampsh^r in New England Son of Cap^tn John Pickerin of y^e Same Place, being at Present of Sound Memory and Well Disposing mind though Very weak and Infirm in body And Calling to mind Certainty of Death and how Soon it may Pleas allmighty God me hence I know not I now Do make and Declare this to be my last Will & Testament Nulling and Revoakeing all Former and other Wills Verbal or in wrighting and this only to be taken for my last Will & Testament

   Imprimis I Commit my Soul to God that gave it me hopeing and beliveing in y^e Lord Jesus Christ my blessed Saviour and Redeemer for Salvation and that he Will for his Great Mercy Sake Pardon all my Manyfold Sins and Transgressions my body to be Decently buried at y^e Discretion of my Executors herein after Named as for my Temporal Estate I Give Will and Dispose of as herein after Exprest (all my Just Debts being paid and Funeral Charges Defrayed) my Estate Shall be Disposed of in Manner Following

   Whereas my abovesaid Father by Deed of Gift baring Date the twenty Sixth day of Sept^r one thousand Six hundred in y^e twelth year of his Maj^ts Reign did Give and bequeath unto my Self Wife and Children a Certain Estate of Lands Mills and Stream of Water &c^t as in Said Deed at large Expressed which Deed My Said Father Intailed Said Estate on my Children reserving Liberty to himself to Cutt of Said Intailment and leave to my Disposal to and Amongst my Children as I should See cause I Do therefore Declare that my Will is that all that S^d Estate given as aforeS^d and my Now Wife She Shall have hold Possess and Injoy all her part as Specifyed in my Said Fathers Deed all y^e rest Specifyed in Said Deed I Give and bequeath unto my Son John Pickerin and the Heir Male of his body Lawfully begotton on this Condition and I do Order my Son pay out of said Estate to his two Sisters Deborah and Sarah Four score pounds in four Years after my Decease for their part and Portion of Said Estate also my Will is that if my Said Son Should Dye leaveing No Heir as aforeS^d then Said Estate given as aforesaid Shall fall Into the hands of my Son Thomas Pickerin to him and his Heir Lawfully begotton if he dye without Such Heir then Said Estate Shall fall to his Next Brother and his Heir as aforeS^d and So from Son to Son As long as any of the Name and blood of y^e Pickerins remain None being found of y^e Males then to the Next of y^e females Surviving the Males as afores^d

   2^ly I Give and bequeath unto my beloved Wife Elizabeth My Dwelling house and the Lott of Land Whereon it Standeth Dureing her Natural Life & after her Decease I Give Said House and Land unto my Son Sam^ll and Daniel Pickerin to be Equally Divided between them after their Mothers Decease not before without her leave and Consent. I also Give unto my Said Wife the Vse of all my houshold Goods Dureing her life after her Decease to be Equally Divided Amongst my Children and if She Cause to Let either Child have its due Proportion before her Death She may I also Give her Liberty if Occation be that She Shall Sell a Lot or two of Land for her Comfortable Subsistance and bringing up the Children to learning.

   3^ly I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Mary the Wife of Ambross Sloper to Say five pounds besides the Lot of Land I formerly gave her for her Portion.

   4^ly The Land my father gave me about my house from the river up to the way at Westerly End of the Land be Divided Into two parts & a way of about twenty foot wide to go through the Midle of it from the river to y^e way at Westerly End and house Lotts on both Sides Said Way.

   5^ly I give and bequeath unto my Son Thomas Pickerin one house lot Next y^e Water side with the Priviledges of Said Water Side, Said Lot to be in bredth on y^e North Side of y^e Way fifty foot and One Hundred in Length from high Water Mark along Said Way Westerly to be to him his heirs Executors &c^t forever.

   6^ly I Give and bequeath unto my Son Sam^ll Pickerin and Daniel Deborah and Sarah Pickerin each of them a house Lot of Land to be Laid out for bigness on both Sides y^e Way Specifyed by their brother Thomas lot at the Discretion of my Executors and to be to them and each of them their Heirs Executors Administrators & Assignes forever.

   7^ly As to What land I have at Kingstone and What land I have at York Not belonging to that Which I have Given to my Son leave to my Executors to Sell or Dispose of as they Shall See Meet for the bringing up my Children &c^t.

   8^ly If more lots of Land left then what I have given I leave to the Discretion of my Executors how to Dispose of them and Dispose of amongst My Children to Say Sam^ll Daniel Deborah and Sarah Pickerin I also Will that if Possable those Children be brought up to larning And the boys bound out to Some Good Trade.

   9^ly I Do make my Honoured Father and beloved Wife Elizabeth whole and Sole Executor and Executrix to See this my Will Compleated within all respects for the Confirmation hereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this 28^th day of March 1715

Signed Sealed & Declared to be    My Will In Presence of Vs.     Hugh Banfield    John X Lang       his mark    John X Burton       his mark		John Pickerin Junr (Seal)
Sworn to by two of the attesting witnesses 17 Sept. 1715, and Recorded in New Hampshire 18 Sept. 1715. Administration granted 10 May 1722. Inventory of so much of said estate as lay in York County returned 10 Feby 1721-2, at £386: 12: 6, by Arthur Bragdon, Daniel Simpson and Joseph Moulton, appraisers. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 249, citing Probate Office, 3, 107.