Maine Wills

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

   In the Name of God Amen I Nathan Lord Sen^r of Berwick in the County of York in the province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Yeoman being weak in body but of perfect mind & memory Thanks be unto God Therefore calling unto mind the Mortallity of my body And knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Dye Do make & Ordain this my last Will & Testament (that is to Say) Principally and first of all I Give and recommend my Soul into the hands of God that gave it Trusting in the Merits of Jesus Christ for the pardon of all my Sins and Eternal life And my body I recommend to the Earth to be Decently Interr'd at the Discresion of my Exec^rs hereafter Named Nothing Doubting but at the Gen^ll Resurrection I Shall receive the Same Again by y^e Mighty power of God And as Touching Such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I Give Demise and Dispose of the Same in the Following Manner and Form.

   Imp^rs I Give and Bequeath to my well beloved Wife Martha one halfe of my Real Estate Dureing her Natural life and the one halfe of my personal Estate forever to be Disposed off by her Will or other Instrument in writing as She Sees meet.

   Item I Give & bequeath to my Son Nathan all my land on the South Side of the way that leads to York Called y^e great Field with all Trees Fences and all the Appurtenances thereto belonging to him his Heirs & Assignes forever Excepting one Acree Next to Joseph Hodsdon's Land by the brook which I reserve for a burying place with Liberty of Egress and Regress forever And Excepting also that the Spring in the said Field by the highway Shall be Common to y^e rest of my Children that may have Occation to use it.

   Item I Give and bequeath to my Son William all my Right Title Interest Claim & Demand to and in the Land that was my Brother Abraham Lords formerly of Berwick Deceased and after him was my Cozen William Lords &c^t And on part of which Robert Knight Sen^r who Married my S^d Brothers Widow Now Lives &c^t to him his heirs and Assignes forever Together with five pounds in good province Bills of Credit to be paid within a Twelve month after my Decease by my Exec^rs.

   Item I Give and bequeath to my Son Richard Twenty Acres of land at Piles's brook to him his heirs and assigns forever also Five pounds in Good publick bills of Credit to be paid within a Twelve month after my Decease by my Exec^rs I have done Considerably for him in the Purchases he has made.

   Item I Give and Bequeath to my Son Samuel for whom I have done Considerably already Two Acres and halfe of Marsh at Sturgeon Creek which is now in his Improvement To him his Heirs and Assigns forever And also five pounds in good Publick bills of Credit to be paid him within a Twelve month after my Decease Together with all that Land that lies to the Southward of the brook that Runs Through the Land I bought of the Grants and is a part of that Tract & which he has Improved for Some time to him his Heirs and Assignes forever.

   Item I give and Bequeath to my Son Iohn all that Land now in his Tenure and Occupation where he lives which I formerly bought of Silvanus Nock And Contains Twenty five Acres Be it more or less with all the Appurten nces to him his Heirs and Assignes forever also my Wood lot part of the Land I bought of the Grants & lyes Next Adjoyning to his own Land which he bought of M^r Emery to him his Heires & Assignes Forever Provided he leave away for his Brethren to pass to and from their own Land in Said Tracts & provided he pay Fifteen pounds in good publick bills of Credit to my Execut^rs within a Twelve Month after my Decease. . .

   Item I give my Son Abraham all the Land on the North Side of the Highway where he now lives with all Biuldings Trees Fences and all the Appurtenances to the Same belonging to him his heirs and Assignes forever.

   Item I give to and among my Sons Nathan William Richard Samuel Iohn and Abraham all my Right to and in the Common And undivided Land in Berwick afores^d to them their heirs and Assigns forever.

   Item I Give and bequeath to my Daughters Martha Chick Judith Hambleton Mary Emery Sarah Roberts and Ann Furbuish Twenty pounds Each in good Publick bills of Credit to be paid them Respectively or their Representatives in the Law within a Twelve Month after my Decease by my Execut^rs And I give also to my Said Daughters one halfe of my houshold goods to be Equally Divided amongst them after my Decease.

   Item I give and bequeath to my grand Daughter Eliz^a the Wife of Noah Emery Five pounds in good Publick bills of Credit to be paid by my Executors within a Twelve after my Decease.

   Item I give to the Church in Berwick Twenty pounds in good publick bills of Credit to be Laid out in apeice of Plate for the Communion Table to be paid by my Executors within Twelve Months after my Decease.

   Item I give to my Minister a Gold ring to Rememb^r me by after my Decease.

   Finally I Constitute make and ordain My Sons Nathan And Abraham (To whom I Give and Bequeath the Remainder of my Estate Both Real & personal to them their Heirs and Assignes forever) to be the Executors of this my last Will and Testament hereby Utterly Dissallowing Revokeing and Dissannulling all & Every other Former Testaments Wills Legacies and Bequests & Execut^rs by me in any ways before Named Willed and Bequeathed Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my last Will & Testament.

   In Wittness where of I have hereto Set my hand and Seal the Sixth Day of Iuly In the Seventh year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord George the Second by the grace of God of Great Brittian France & Ireland King Defend^r of the Faith &c^t Annoque Domini 1733.

Signed Sealed Published pronounced    And Declared by the Said    Nathan Lord As his Last    Will & Testament.    In the presence of us the Subscribrs    Joseph Hodsdon    Samuel Hodsdon    Richd Shackley		Nathan Z Lord (Seal)        his mark
Probated 24 Sept. 1733. Inventory returned 15 Oct. 1733, at £1876: 2: 2 by James Grant, Benj Libby, and Joseph Chadbourn, appraisers. Debts due the Estate from Joseph Killgore, Robt Gray, Ebenezr Hilton, Richard Chick, William Moore, Jno Smith, Ichad Goodwin, John Cooper & Nathan Lord Junr. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 339, citing Probate Office, 4, 159.