Maine Wills

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

   In the Name of God amen the Eighth Day of September in the Year of the Incarnation of Christ one thousand seven hundred and forty three I Robert Staple of Kittery in the County of York within the Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England Cordwainer being Sick and weak but of sound mind & memory Expecting that the time of my Death is near, Do make & Ordain this my last Will & testament Desireing with all humble submission to resign my Soul to Christ my Dear Redeemer whensoever he shall be pleased to call for it by Death and my Body also to him in hopes that he will Graciously accept y^e same and fashion it like unto his own glorious Body & unite it to him. And as to such worldly Estate as God hath been pleased to bestow upon me in this Life my Will is that all my Just Debts shall be duly paid out of the same in Convenient time by my Dear & Loving Wife who I hereby appoint Sole Executrix of this my last Will & testament And whereas it hath pleased God to Bless me and my Wife with seven Children all of them Daughters and some of them very young who I must leaue & Commit them (under the good providence of God) to the Care of my Dear & Loving Wife Injoyning her with all Love & faithfullness to use her best Endeavours that all my Children may be well instructed in the true Principles of Religion the fear of God—the way wherein they should go that when they are old they may not depart from it.

   I Giue to Each of my Children a new Bible to be be purchased for & given to Each of them by my Wife my said Executrix out of my Estate and to Enable my said Wife to pay my Debts and give my Body a Deacent Funeral; maintain & Educate my Children & give Each of them a Bible & for her own Comfortable support and subsistance I Give & bequeath unto my Dear & beloved Wife Hannah Staple & to her her Heirs in fee simple my House & Land where I now live with the out Houses & Buildings & all my Goods & Chattels Lands & tenements Rights & Credits and Estate Real & Personal whatsoever & wheresoever to have & to hold to her my said Wife to be at her Disposall as She shall see meet & to apply the use Improvement or price thereof as She shall have and see Occasion from time to time for her self & Children I the said Robert Staple hereby Revoaking all & Every former & other Wills testaments Legacies & Bequests by me in any manner before made Ratifying & Ordaining this & no other to be my last Will & testament Witness my Hand and Seal the Day abovesaid.

Signed Sealed published pronounced    & Declared by the said Robert    Staple as his Last Will & testa-    ment in presence of    Thomas Hanscom    George Rogers    John Rogers Jur.		Robert Staple (Seal)
Probated 17 April 1744; Inventory returned at £85: 1: 6, by Thomas Hanscom, George Rogers and John Rogers jun. 17 April 1744. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 488, citing Probate Office, 6, 99.