Maine Wills

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

   The last Will & Testament of Peter Nowel of York in y^e County of York in New-England Esq^r made this twenty Eighth Day of August Anno Domini 1738.

   As to that worldly Estate which God in his Providence has seen meet to bestow upon me (after my just Debts & Funeral Charges are paid) I Dispose thereof in manner following

   Imp^s I Give & bequeath to my welbeloved Wife Mary Nowel the Use of one of my Female Servants Flora Phillis or Pegg which She shall choose during her Natural Life, if She shall continue a Widow; also a Yoak of handy Oxen for her own proper Goods; & Yearly to be paid in equal Proportion by my two Sons John & Ebenezer Two Barrels of Cyder, Ten Bushels of Apples & one Load of Salt hay as long as She shall continue a Widow (besides one hundred pounds in money Three Cows such as She shall choose & the Houshold goods She brought with her which She was to have had by virtue of an agreement made betwixt us before Marriage which agreement I Do hereby ratifie & Confirm).

   Item. I give to my Eldest Son John Nowel all that Tract of Land which I bought of James Smith whereon my s^d Son now Dwells & the Land & Marsh on the opposite Side of the way begining at Daniel Mac Intier's Land & running by the high way till it comes one Rod to the South Eastword of Curtis's Cove & so runs down one Rod distant from y^e Marsh till it comes to a little Cove of Marsh runing into the Farm & across s^d Cove down to a small Pine Stump which is y^e bounds between Ebenezer Cobourns Marsh & mine Paying as herein is provided.

   Item. I Give to my second Son Peter Nowel that Land whereon he now lives beginning at the Lane from the Mill & runs across the Way there as the Lots were first laid out to the Head of my Land there and runing Down so as to take in all my Land & fresh Marsh below s^d Lane as far as the Corner of Ramsdals Fence about Eight or ten Rods below the Bridge there as it is now staked out & to the turn of the River. & so over to John Mack Intires Land to a certain Spring in the River. also one half of all my Land & fresh Meadow lying near Agamenticus Hill & a certain Piece of salt Marsh I bought of Cap^t Caleb Preble Deces^d below York Bridge & one half part of y^e Saw Mill near his House & of y^e Privilidge whereon it stands.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my Third Son Ebenezer Nowel all my Home place where I now live on Each side of y^e way below my Son John's both Land & Marsh with the Buildings thereon (Except as hereafter is Excepted) But if Said Ebenezer shold die without an Heir of his Body lawfully begotten then the s^d Home place both Land & Marsh to be to John the Eldest Son of my Son John Nowel s^d John Nowel Ju^r paying one Hundred & fifty pounds to Peter eldest Son of my Son Peter Nowel & one Hundred & fifty pounds more to Paul Eldest Son of my Son Paul Nowel s^d Ebenezer paying as herein is provided.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my fourth Son Abraham Nowel all my Right & Interest in the House Land Wharf &c where he now lives which I bought of Cap^t Edward Preble also all that two Hundred acres of Land more or Less which I have at Bald Head adjoyning to Wells Bounds.

   Item I give & bequeath to my Fifth Son Paul Nowel that Lot of Land where he now lives lying between the Land of Deacon Bragdon & Joseph Freethey with y^e House thereon also Twenty Acres of Land lying on y^e South East side of y^e Bell Marsh Brook also Thirty Eight Acres of Land lying on y^e North West side of s^d Brook being all the Land there which I bought of Deacon Bragdon also a Piece of Salt Marsh containing about four Acres below M^r Moody's Cove which I bought of Adams & Black & also all my Interest iu the fresh Meadow called the Bell Marsh.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my Youngest Son Silas Nowel all that Tract of Land lying on the North West side of the Bell Marsh Brook between the Land herein given to my Son Peter & the Land given to my Son Paul & also one half of my Mill & Privilidge aforementioned & one half of my Land & fresh meadow lying near Agamenticus Hill aforementioned also a small Piece Land & Marsh lying on each side y^e River above York Bridge & adjoyning to my Son Peter's Land & Marsh there & also my two Pieces of Salt Marsh lying aboue M^r Moody's Cove afores^d.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my Eldest Daughter Sarah Bane one Hundred & fifty Pounds besides what She has already had to be paid out of my Estate by my Execu^rs Fifty pounds within Six Months after my Decease & fifty pounds more with Interest within Six Months after & the remaining fifty pounds within six Months more with Interest.

   Item. I give & Bequeath to my Daughter Mary Lane fifty pounds to be paid by my Son John within Six Months after my Decease & also I give to John Lane Son of my said Daughter fifty pounds to be paid by my s^d Son John wⁿ s^d John Lane shall come to be one and twenty Years of age if he shall live thereto.

   Item. I give to my youngest Daughter Ester Nowel two Hundred pounds to be paid by my Son Ebenezer within twelve Months after my Decease & also my little Negro Girl called Phillis.

   Item. It is my Will That my Wife Mary Nowel afores^d shall have the use of the large lower Room at y^e East end of my Dwelling House & one third Part of y^e Cellar if She see cause to Dwell here while She remains a Widow & that my Daughter Ester should have the use of y^e two little Chambers at y^e Westerly End of s^d House while She remains single unless my Daughter Mary should be left a Widow & then She to have an equal Interest in s^d privildge while She remains a Widow.

   Item. I give to my three Sons Abraham, Paul & Silas all my Rights in y^e Common & undivided Land in York to be equally Divided between them.

   Item. It is my Will that any other Lands or Rights which I shall leave not particularly disposed of shall be sold if need be for the payment of my Debts & Legacies; but if there shall be any over plus it shall be equally Divided among all my Children, and if what I have hereby ordered of real and personal Estate shall be insufficient to pay my Debts & Legacies then the same to be paid by my Six Sons in proportion to what they Receive of my Estate.

   Item. I give unto my Eldest Son John Nowel my Silver Hilted sword & my walking Staff & I Do hereby make & appoint my s^d Son John & my Son Ebenezer the Executors of this my last Will & Testament hereby revokeing all other Wills and Testaments.

   Lastly. It is my Will that this Instrument be read in the Presence of as many of my Children as conveniently may be got together before Witnesses & then Delivered to my Executors abovenamed Witness my Hand & Seal y^e Day & Year afore written

Signed Sealed Published pronounced    & Declared by ye within named Peter    Nowel Esqr to be his last Will &    Testament in Presence of Us.    Zebulon Whitum    Hannah Harrison    Mary + Bradon       her mark		Peter Nowel (seal)
Probated 30 May 1740. Inventory returned 14 July, 1740 at £2035: 14: 3, by Samll Sewall, Samll Milberry and John Bradbury, appraisers. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 413, citing Probate Office, 5, 183.