Maine Wills

 From York County Probate Records, Volume Five (1725-42)

   In the Name of God amen the Twenty first Day of April 1740. I Benjamin Cole of Arundel in y^e County of York Weaver being very sick & weak in Body but of perfect mind & memory thanks be given to God for it : Therefore calling to mind y^e Mortality of my Body & knowing it is appointed unto all men once to die Do make & Ordain this my last Will & Testament that is to say Principally & first of all I give & Recommend my Soul into y^e Hands of God that gave it & my Body I Recomend to y^e Earth to be Buried in decent & Christian Burial at y^e Discretion of my Executor nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive the same again by y^e almighty Power of God : and as touching my worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life I give demise & dispose of y^e same in y^e following manner & form, after my Just Debts & Funeral Charges are paid out of my Estate.

   Imprimis I Do give to my dearly beloved Wife Mary a Bead & beding during her being my Widow & House Roome.

   Item. I Give to my Son Solomon five Shillings to be paid by my Executor hereafter Named and y^e two years time that he went from me before he was one & twenty years old which I call fourty pounds.

   Item I give to my Dafter Mary a Bed Beding Curtins & Valiens. and I give to my Dafter Sarah a Cow or five pounds in Cash to be paid her when my Son Nathall comes to the age of one & twenty years.

   also I give to my Daughter Elizabeth fiue pounds in Cash to be paid her when my Son Natha^ll comes to y^e age of one & twenty years. and I give my Daughter Hannah five pounds in Cash to be paid to her when he my s^d Son Natha^ll when he Comes to y^e age of one & twenty years.

   Item. I give to my Son Natha^ll that fifty acres of Land which I bought of Cap^t Thomas Perkins (it being now my Homstead) as it was bounded in y^e Deed he gave to me of it to him his Heirs & assigns for ever. and my Son Natha^ll is to take care of my Dear wife Mary during her being my Widow and provide for her, and I give to my Son Nath^ll all my other moueables not before disposed of & my Dwelling House and my Will is that my Son Natha^ll shall have all my other Lands & buildings not mentioned & disposed of before by me lying & being in any part of y^e Province.

   And I Do appoint Thomas Perkins Ju^r of Arundel in the County afores^d to be my Sole Executor of this my last Will & Testament and to see that it is performed as far as my Estate will allow and I Do appoint the afores^d Perkins to be Guardian to my Son Nathaniel until He comes to the age of one & twenty Years and untill that time be Expired my said Executor to take the whole Estate into his care & to Improve the same for to pay y^e Debts & Legacies as he thinks will be most for the Advantage thereof in paying the same and to maintain my Wife with all while She remain my Widow or till my Son Natha^ll comes to y^e age of one & twenty years and I Do hereby utterly disallow revoak & Disannul all & every other former Testament Wills Legacies & bequests & Executors by me in any ways before Named willed & bequeathed Ratifying & Confirming this & no other to be my last Will & Testament in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the Day and Year above written.

Signed Sealed published & Delivered    by ye said Benja Cole as his last Will    in ye presence of us the Subscribers.    Jonathan Stone    Samll Averell    Simon Lovett    Jeremiah Lassell.		Benjamin Cole (Seal)
Probated 15 July 1740. Inventory returned 31 Dec. 1739, at £179: 3: 0, by Simon Lovett, Jeremiah Lassell and Samuel Averell, appraisers. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 422, citing Probate Office, 5, 201.