Maine Wills

 From York County Probate Records, Volume Four (1677-1734)

   In the Name of God Amen I Jeremiah Moulton of York in y^e County of York in y^e Province of y^e Massachusetts Bay in New England Expecting Daily my Great Change by Reason of y^e many Infirmities of old age which I find Continually increasing upon me altho at Present Blessed be God I am in health & of sound Iudgment & Memory and knowing that it is my Duty to Set my House in order, and willing as much as in me lies to Prevent Contention & the Said Fruits thereof Between my Dear Children after my Decease and to this End looking up to heaven for Guidance in So Important an affair I Do Revoking & Nulling all other & former Wills & Testaments by me made now make this as my Last Will and Testam^t in Manner and form as followeth.

   First and above all I committ my Precious & immortal Soul into the hands of my faithfull Creator & Mercifull Redeemer Desiring to be found in Christ having on his Righteousness not my own and my Body I Committ to y^e Earth Deceantly and in Christian Manner to be Buried by my Executors hereafter Mentioned in hope of a Glorious Resurrection to Life Eternal and then as to that Worldly Estate which God hath Mercifully given me I Dispose of it in Manner Following.

   Imprimis I give unto my only Joseph Moulton all that my Farm on which he Some Time Since Lived Together with all the Priviledges Common Rights & Appurtenances thereunto Belonging (Excepting Twenty acres hereafter Given to my Grand Son Abel Moulton Eldest Son of s^d Joseph Moulton) with which Farm aboveS^d I give and bequeath all y^e Housing whether dwelling House Barns &c : that now Stands on Said Farm I Do also bequeath unto my Said Son Joseph all my upland Lying in that Part of y^e Town Called Scotland Extending as far As york Bridge

   Item : I Give and Bequeath unto my Son Johnson Harmon and mary his Wife my only Daughter all that my home Stead on which I now Live about Ten acres be it more or Less Together with my now Dwelling House as also my Ware-house & Barns on Said Home Place Excepting only y^e use of one half of my s^d Dwelling House to my beloved Wife Alice if She Shall See Cause to Dwell in it and as Long as She Shall Please to make use of it &c : I Do further give unto my Said Son and Daughter Harmon all that my Pasture whether upland or Meadow Ground Containing betwixt fourty and fifty acres be it more or Less Lying between y^e Land now in y^e Possession of Nathanael Donnel and the Land in the Possession of y^e Widow Blacks or her Son Samuel Together with all the Priviledges Common Rights and appurtenances beloing both to my HomStead & Pasture aboves^d to my Said Son and Daughter Harmon During their Natural Lives and after both their Decease both y^e Home Place and y^e Pasture aboves^d with all Priviledges & Common Rights or Appurtenances whatsoever to be Equally Divided between my Two Grand Sons Johnson Harmon & Joseph Harmon.

   I Do also give & Bequeath unto my s^d Son & Daughter Harmon all that my Piece of Salt Marsh Lying Near y^e Partings of York River Adjoyning to the Land of Cap^t Samuel Came & the Marsh of JoSeph Harmon Containing about five acres be it more or Less which Marsh Shall also be Equally Divided betwixt my Two Grand Sons Johnson Harmon & Joseph Harmon after y^e Death of their and Mother.

   Item I give & bequeath unto my Grand Son Abel Moulton Twenty acres of Land Lying on that Side of my Farm above the Mill Creek Next to the Land of William Bracy. as also one acre of my Salt Marsh Lying at or Near the Place Called Scotland where he Shall Choose the Same.

   Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Grand : Son Jeremiah Moulton and my Two Grand Daughters Abigail Bane & Mary Jaques all the Residue of my Salt Marsh Lynig at the Place afores^d Called Scotland besides y^e one acre above bequeathed to my Grand Son Abel Moulton as also all my Salt Marsh Lying Near York Bridge y^e whole of s^d Marsh to be Equally Divided between the S^d Jeremiah Moulton, Abigail Bane & Mary Jaques.

   Item I Give & Bequeath unto my Loving & Faithfull Wife Alice besides her Thirds of my Estate & what She might Claime of it by Virtue of y^e Laws of this Province, all that was her Right in the Estate of her former Husband Samuel Donnel of s^d York Esq^r Deceased even The whole of what I am Entituled to by Virtue of this my Second Marriage with S^d Allice my now Wife I Give and Bequeath it to my Said now Wife & her Heirs forever So that it Shall not be in y^e Power of any by from or under me whether Heirs Executors Administrators or assigns &c : to Enter into Possession of or Lay Claim unto any part what was my s^d Wife her Estate at the Time and before my Marriage with my Present Wife This I Mention and this I ordain in my Will to Prevent any Trouble to my Dear Wife or any of hers after my Decease.

   Finally I Do Constitute & appoint my Son Joseph Moulton & my in Law Johnson Harmon to be the Exec^rs of this my Last Will & Testament to Take Care that my Iust Debts and funerall Charges be Paid out of my Moveable Estate & what Shall be left of my Personal and Moueable Estate after my said Debts & funeral Charges Shall be paid I Do hereby Give and Bequeath unto my s^d Son in Law Johnson Harmon whether the Same be Stock House Hold Goods or any other Moveables whatsoever : only that the Said Abigail Bean the Wife of Lewis Beane & the Said Mary Jaquesh the Wife of Richard Jaques my Two Eldest Grand Daughters Shall have all my Pewter Platers and Plates to be Equally Divided between them.

   and now I Ratifie and Confirm the whole of this my Last Will & Testament & Every Paragraph article & Clause thereof.

   In Witness whereof I y^e said Jeremiah Moulton have hereunto Set my hand & Seal this Ninth Day of May in the thirteenth Year of King George's Reign Annoque Domini 1727.

Signed Sealed Published    Pronounced & Declared by    the afore Named Ieremiah    Moulton to be his Last    Will & Testament in    Presence of us    Ioseph X Abbot         his mark    Sarah X Aris         her mark    Joseph Moody		Ieremiah Moulton (Seal)          his Mark
Probated 28 Jan. 1731-2. Inventory returned 24 Jan. 1731-2, at £577: 10: 0, by Samuel Sewal, John Sayward and Caleb Preble, appraisers. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 326, citing Probate Office, 4, 122.