Maine Wills

 From York County Probate Records, Volume Six (1736-46)

   In the Name of God Amen. I John Staple of Kittery in the County of York in the Province of Maine in New-England Yeoman being of Sound Mind and Memory, But knowing the Uncertainty of this transitory Life do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in Manner and form following, that is to Say, First I commend my Soul into the Hands of Almighty God and my Body I commit to the Earth to be decently burried by my Executors herein hereafter named; and as touching the Disposition of all my temporal Estate I give & dispose thereof as followeth viz^t.

   Imprimis, I will that my Debts and funeral Charge be paid out of my Estate by my Executors.

   Item, I give my Sons Hezekiah & Solomon, whom I have advanced already, each of them Five Shillings.

   Item, I give my Son Samuel Four pounds.

   Item, I give my Son Thomas's three Children Four pounds to be paid thus Forty Shillings to the Eldest, and Twenty Shillings to each of the other Two.

   Item, I give my Daughter Hannah Whitehouse, and my Daughters Annah Brooks and Elizabeth Tomson each of them Four pounds.

   Item, I give my Daughter Mary Hanscomb Four pounds to be paid her if living when the time of paym^t hereafter mention'd comes.

   Item, I giue and bequeath to my well beloved Wife all my personal Estate Goods and Chattels within Doors and without and also the one Third of the Income of my Real Estate, and the Easterly End of my dwelling House from Ridge pole to the Bottom of the Cellar, and a Convenient part of the Barn and out Houses if She desires it.

   Item, I give and bequeath to my Son Mark Staple all my Real Estate, that I now have or ought to have in Kittery or elsewhere to him his Heirs and Assigns for ever : he paying the Legacies I have herein before given to his Brothers and Sisters and his Brother Thomas's Children and to pay them within two or three years after my Decease, and to Such first as he Shall think hath most need, and so on One after the other. And to pay his Mother the one Third of the Income of my Place Yearly during her Life. And I do hereby nominate and appoint my well beloved Wife and my Said Son Mark Staples Execut^rs to this my last Will and Testament. And I do hereby revoake disannul and make Void all former Wills and Testaments by me heretofore made by word or Writing.

   In Witness whereof I the Said John Staple hath hereunto Set my Hand and Seal the twenty first Day of November in the year of our Lord Christ One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty four.

Iohn Staples & a Seal.