Maine Wills

 From York County Probate Records, Volume Eight (1705-53)

   In the Name of God Amen. The twenty seventh Day of December One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty one I Benjamin Parker of Kittery in the County of York in New England Gentⁿ being very weak in Body but of perfect Mind & Memory, Thanks be given to God, therefore calling to Mind the Mortality of my Body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make & ordain this my last Will & Testament, that is to Say, principally and first of all, I give & recommend my Soul into the Hands of God that gave it and my Body I recommend to y^e Earth to be buried in decent christian Burial at the Discretion of my Executor, Nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I Shall receive the Same again by the mighty Power of God, thrô the Merits of a glorious Redeemer : and as touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with in this Life, I give demise & dispose of the Same in the following Manner and Form.

   Imp^r. I give & bequeath to my well beloved son Thomas Parker all my Houses and Lands that I have in Newcastle Portsmouth Epsom or in any other Town or precinct in the Province of New Hampshire (except that House & Land in Portsm^o which I purchasded of Nath^l Lang, and that House and Land which I purchased in the afores^d Portsmouth of Ioseph Peirce) to him the Said Thomas Parker his Heirs and Assigns forever; I also give him One Hundred pounds lawful Money of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England to be paid by my Executor to the afores^d Thomas Parker, or his Heirs.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my well beloved Daughter Eliz^a Peirce her Heirs & Assigns forever that House & Land in Portsmouth afores^d wherein She now dwells, which I purchased of her Husband Joseph Peirce aboves^d and also that House & Land in Portsmouth afores^d which I purchased of the aboves^d Nath^ll Lang, and also fifty pounds in lawful Money of the Said Province of the Massachusetts Bay to be paid by Said Executor to her the Said Elizabeth Peirce or her Heirs, and also my Bed with furniture for y^e Same to be delivered to the Said Eliz^a Peirce by my S^d Executor.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my well beloved Son Benj^a Parker whom I likewise constitute make & ordain my Sole Executor of this my last Will & Testam^t all my Houses & Lands in the Said Town of Kittery & Town of Berwick or in any other Town or precinct in the Said County of York, to him the Said Benj^a Parker and his Heirs & Assigns forever. I also give to my Said Son Benj^a Parker, and his Heirs & Assigns forever all the residue & remainder of all my Estate both real & personal of what kind or nature soever, And in what Town or place Soever (except what I have here before given in this my Will) to be the Said Benj^a Parkers & his Heirs and Assigns forever, who I likewise order to pay all my just Debts. And I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannul all & every other or former Testam^tent [sic] Wills Legacies & Requests & Executors by me in any Ways before named willed & bequeathed, Ratifying & confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. I Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand & Seal the Day and Year Year before written.

Benj^a Parker (Seal)

   Signed Sealed published pronounced & declared by the Said Benj^a Parker as his last Will & Testament in presence of us the Subscribers, W^m Pepperrell Iohn Godsoe Richard Weeks William Roberts.