Maine Wills

 From York County Probate Records, Volume Seven (1721-49)

   In the Name of God Amen. The Ninth Day of March Anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty six seven, I Iohn Rogers of Kittery in the County of York and Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Yeoman, being aged and infirm of Body but thrô Gods Goodness and Mercy of perfect Mind and Memory and knowing the Uncertainty of this Life do make and ordain this and none other to be my last Will and Testament in the following Manner Vizt. Imprimis, I Commend my Soul into the Hands of God who gave it, and my Body to y^e Earth to be buried in Such decent and Christian Manner as my Executors hereafter named Shall See meet, and touching Such Worldly Estate as God in His Providence hath given me my Will is Shall be disposed of in the following Manner after my Funeral Charges and just Debts are paid & Satisfied.

   Item. I give and bequeath unto my dearly beloved Wife Hannah Rogers a Moeity or half part of my personal Estate forever, and one Half of my dwelling House during her Natural Life, and one quarter part of the yearly profit and Income of my Real Estate during Life as afores^d That is to Say, One full Quarter part of the Lands produce without any Charge to her for Improvement thereof.

   Item. I give and bequeath unto my beloved Son George Rogers and to his Heirs and Assigns forever one Moiety or half part of my Lands in Kittery afores^d including what I have already given him by Deed which is to be accounted part of his half, to be divided by a Northeast and by East Line through the Middle of every part of my Land, he to haue the South east part thereof, and also my Dwelling House with the Land it Stands on, and to extend Two Rods Northwest from Said House, and Two Rods South West and to run Square over Southeastward to his own Line of his half part and Northeastward by the High Way The Kitchin on the Southwest Side of the House is included in the Said Two Rods.

   I also give him the Said George his Heirs and Assigns forever the Moiety or half part of all the Right I have or hereafter may or ought to haue in the Common and undivided Lands in the Town of Kittery or Berwick To Have and to Hold to him the Said George Rogers his Heirs and Assigns forever, he paying his part of the Legacys hereafter mentioned to my four Daughters.

   Item. I give and bequeath unto beloved Son John Rogers his Heirs and Assigns forever all the remaining half part of all my Lands in Kittery afores^d being the Northwest part thereof and also the remaining half part of my Right in the common and undivided Lands afores^d with the remaining half part of my personal Estate, To have and To Hold to him the Said John Rogers his Heirs and Assigns forever, he paying his part of the Legacys hereafter mentioned to my four Daughters.

   Item. I give and bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Hannah Fernald besides what I have already given her the Sum of Five pounds.

   Item. I give and bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Mary Godsoe the Sum of Five pounds besides what I have already given her.

   Item. I give and bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Margaret Libby the Sum of Five pounds besides what I have already given her.

   Item. I give and bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Keziah Hanscom besides what I have already given her the Sum of Six pounds & Five Shillings. All the aforesaid Legacys to be paid by my Said Sons George and John within Four years after my Decease in good Bills of Credit of the new Tenor so called or in old Tenor Four for one, Each of them to pay one Half : And further my Will and Meaning is that if either of my Sons afores^d Should die and leave no Surviving Issue of his Body lawfully begotten, that then the Surviver Shall have hold and enjoy all the aboves^d Lands and Premisses to him his Heirs and Assigns forever he discharging and paying the aforesaid Legacys; Saving to the Widow if any be of the Dec^d her Dower during Widowhood

   And I do ordain and appoint my afores^d Sons George and Iohn Rogers Executors of this my last Will and Testament and do hereby utterly disallow revoke and make void all or any former Will or Testament, confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand & affixed my Seal on the Day and Date first above written.

Signed Sealed published and    declared by John Rogers    the Testatr to be his last Will    and Testament in presence    of us the Subscribers,    Iames Fogg    Ino Hammond    Iona Hammond		Iohn Rogers (Seal)
Probated 6 July 1747. Inventory returned 28 Sept. 1747, at £2436: 16: 0, by William Tetherly, Joseph Hammond jun. and Nathl Remick, appraisers, besides 14½ acres of land and 6 sheep returned by the Executors and not priced. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 548, citing Probate Office, 7, 84.