Maine Wills

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

   In the Name of God Amen, the Eighth Day of December Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred & forty one I Joseph Sayword of York in the County of York in y^e County of York & Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England being very sick & weak in Body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God therefore calling unto mind the mortality of my Body & knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Die Do make & Ordain this my last Will & testament that is to say Principally & first of all I give & recomend my Soul into y^e Hands of God that gaue it and 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 y^e General Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty Power of God. And as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life I Give Demise & Dispose of y^e same in following manner and form.

   Imprimis, I Give and bequeath to Mary my Dearly beloved Wife, all and singular my one halfe of the Dwelling Hous I now live in & Land thereto belonging with half y^e Barn & garden together with my Eight Shares of the Common & undivided Lands in York afores^d and all my Grist & Saw Mills all situated in York afores^d by her freely to be possessed and enjoyed during her natural Life only its my Will that my Just Debts Funeral Charges & Legacies hereafter named be paid out of y^e Incomes & profits of my aforesaid Mills if they be sufficient to pay y^e same besides the support of my Family and if not then such a part of y^e said Mill or Mills as shall be sufficient shall be sold for the payment thereof.

   Item, I Give & Bequeath to my two Daughters Mary the the Wife of James Donnel & Susanna the Wife of John Milberry five pounds each besides what they have already Received.

   Item, I Give & Bequeath to my four Sons Jonathan, Joseph, Henry & Jeremiah, all my aforesaid Grist & Saw Mills in York afores^d to be possessed & enjoyed by them immediately after my Wifes Decease & to be Divided among them in the following manner, that is to say to my Son Jonathan one quarter part of my said Mills & privilidge, to my Son Joseph one half part of my said Mills & privilidge, and to my Sons Henry & Jeremiah the remaining quarter part to be Divided between them.

   Item, I Give & bequeath to my two youngest Daughters Miriam & Hannah Fifty five pounds Each to be paid them respectively at their Marriage Day.

   Item, I Give to my Son Jeremiah aforenamed my half of my dwelling Hous aforesaid with y^e Land belonging threunto one half the Barn and Garden to be possessed by him immediately after my Wifes Decease.

   Item, my Will is that after my Wifes Decease my Common Rights or Shares aforesaid shall be equally Divided among my Sons which shall then be liveing.

   And I hereby Constitute make & Ordain my afores^d Wife Mary & my Son Jonathan my joint Executors of this my last Will & Testament and I Do also hereby utterly Disallow Revoak & Disannul all & every other former testaments 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 y^e Day & Year first afore written.

Signed Sealed Published pronounced    & Declared by ye sd Joseph Say-    word as his last Will & testament    in the presence of us the Subs-    cribers.    Samll Milberry    Nathaniel Preble    Danl Moulton		Joseph Sayword (Seal)
Probated 17 May 1742. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 451, citing Probate Office, 6, 15.