Maine Wills

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

   In the Name of God Amen. I Dominicus Iordan of Falmouth in the County of York within the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Gentⁿ having been by many repeated Calls of Divine Providence put in mind of the Mortality of my Body and the Uncertainty of this Life, and being of a good perfect & of a disposing Memory (Thanks be given unto a gracious God therefor) do make & ordain this my last Will & Testament, revoking & disannulling all other Wills & Testaments by me heretofore made either by Word or Writing. And first of all I resign and commend my Soul into the Hands of God that gave it, hoping for the pardon & remission of all my Sins thrô Iesus Christ my Redeemer, and my Body I commit to the Earth to be buried in a decent & Christian Manner at the Discretion of my Executrix, Nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I Shall receive the Same again by the Mighty Power of God. and as to such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me, I give demise of the Same in the Manner following Viz:

   Imp^r. I give & bequeath unto Ioanna Iordan my dearly beloved Wife all & Singular my personal Estate of what Nature kind & quality soever it be, either Household Goods, Cattle, Stock, Wares Goods, Money, Bonds, Notes Book Debts Chattels & whatever else I am in Possession of, and am intitled to, (except what hereafter given & bequeathed unto my Children) to her own proper Use Benefit & disposal in order to enable her to pay my just Debts and funeral Charges and to support her Self. I likewise give and bequeath unto my Said Wife the Sole Use Income and Improvement & Advantage of the Homestead which contains about One Hundred & Fifty Acres with the Houses & Barns on the Same Standing during her natural Life; together with all the Utensils of Husbandry to the Same belonging.

   2. I give & bequeath unto my Son Dominicus Iordan y^e House and Land where he now dwells (which was the place where my Hon^d Father Dominicus Iordan formerly lived) with the additional purchase unto the Same belonging made by me of of [sic] Ieremiah Jordan together with the Marsh & Thatch Banks being at & adjoining to Spurwink River, also one Hundred & Fifty Acres of Land above the Marsh adjoining to my Sister Arabella's Land being part of the Two Hundred & eighty six acres formerly belonging to my s^d Father Dominicus Iordan, being my part as Set off to me of his Estate. Also one full Third part of all my Marsh, except what hereafter & heretofore given and bequeathed. As also one full third part of all my Land & Meadow except as herein before excepted. All the Land Marsh and Meadow abovementioned given & bequeathed unto my Son Dominicus Jordan, I give & bequeath unto him & his Heirs lawfully begotten of his Body & descending therefrom from Generation to Generation and for want of lawful Issue then to descend to the next lawful Heir in my Family.

   3. I give & bequeath unto my Son Nathaniel Iordan Seventy Six Acres of Land being the remaining part of the Two Hundred and eighty six Acres, my part of my Fathers Estate as Set off to me (having herein above bequeathed unto my Son Dominicus Iordan, Two Hundred & Ten Acres of the Said Two Hundred & Eighty Six Acres), Thus One Hundred & Fifty Acres adjoining to my Sister Arrabella's Land, and Sixty Acres part of the Seventy where my Son Dominicus now dwells. Also the Gore of Land & Marsh containing about one Hundred and Ten acres on which he the Said Nathaniel lately dwelt. Also Forty Acres a Town Grant adjoining the Said Gore of Land. Also my Right to a Tract of Land & Marsh lying in Scarborô and adjoining Said Gore of Land, which Said Tract I purchased of John Gatchell. Also one full Third part of all my Land Marsh & Meadow, (except what heretofore & hereafter given and bequeathed). All the Land Marsh & Meadow above mentioned given & bequeathed unto my Son Nathaniel Jordan I give & bequeath unto him & his Heirs lawfully begotten of his Body & decending therefrom from Genera^ion to Generation and for want of lawful Issue then to descend to the next lawful Heir in my Family.

   4. I give & bequeath unto my Son Clement Iordan all that Island called Richmond Island, with all the Buildings on the Same erected, and on the Same Standing. Also one full Third part of all my Land Marsh & Meadow (except what heretofore and hereafter given & bequeathed). All the Land Marsh and Meadow above mentioned given & bequeathed unto my Son Clement Jordan, I give & bequeath unto him, & his Heirs lawfully begotten of his Body & descending therefrom from Generaion to Generation, and for want of lawful Issue then to descend to the next lawful Heir in my Family.

   5. I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Cushing the Wife of Ezekiel Cushing the Three Hundred Acres of Land Province Grant laid out above Gorham Town on the Western Side of Presumpscot River in the County of York, Which Said Three Hundred Acres of Land I give & bequeath unto my Said Daughter Mary Cushing and her Heirs lawfully begotten of her Body, & descending therefrom from Generation to Generation, and for Want of Lawful Issue, then to descend to the next lawful Heir in my Family.

   6. I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Miriam Mitchell the Wife of Robert Mitchell all that Tract of Land I purchased of Iohn Iordan, which lies adjoining to Alewife Cove-Brook on the North Side thereof & contains about Forty Six Acres Also my part of fresh Marsh that lies on the Northerly Side of the Brook at the Head of the old Marsh. All the Land & Marsh above mention^d given & bequeathed unto my Daughter Miriam Mitchell, I give and bequeath unto her & her Heirs, lawfully begotten of her Body and descending therefrom from Generaion to Generaion and for Want of lawful Issue then to descend to the next lawful Heir of my Family.

   7. I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Hannah Iordan, after her Mother Ioanna Iordans Decease, The Homestead containing about one Hundred & Fifty Acres with all the Houses & Buildings on the Same erected and Standing, and all the Appurtenances & priviledges to the Same belonging. All which I give unto my Said Daughter Hannah Iordan & her Heirs lawfully begotten of her Body & descending therefrom from Genera^ion to Genera^ion, and for want of lawful Issue to descend to the next lawful Heir in my Family.

   I do ordain constitute & appoint my dearly beloved Wife Ioanna Iordan my Sole Executrix of this my last Will & Testament, and I do desire my well beloved Friends Charles Frost Esq^r of Falm^o the rev^d M^r W^m Thompson of Scarborô & my beloved Son in Law Col^o Ezekiel Cushing of Falm^o all within the afores^d County of York to be the Overseers of this my last Will & Testam^t desiring them to advise aid & assist my Execut^x in ordering & deciding all Difficulties that may arise on any Acco^t about this my Will, and that any two of them may determine on the Same.

   In Testimony that this is my last Will & Testam^t I hereunto Set my Hand & Seal this 10^th Day of June Annoque Domⁱ 1746

Signed Sealed published & de-    clared by Dominicus Iordan    to be his last Will & Testa-    ment in presence of and be-    fore us the Subscribers    Iohn Wight, Cha : ffrost    Ioanna ffrost, Anna X Cloutman                           her mark

Dominicus Iordan (Seal)

   Be it known to all men by these presents that whereas I Dominicus Iordan of Falmouth in the County of York within the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Gentlⁿ have made & declared my last Will & Testament in Writing bearing Date the tenth Day of Iune A. D. 1746. I the Said Dominicus Iordan by this present Codicil do ratify & confirm all my Said last Will & Testament, except that Seventh Article wherein I say & declare to give & bequeath unto my Daughter Hannah Iordan after her Mother Ioanna Iordans Decease the Homestead containing about One Hundred & Fifty Acres with all the Houses & Buildings on the Same erected & Standing, and all the Appurtenances and Priviledges to the Same belonging. And also except the Fifth Article wherein I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Cushing the Wife of Ezekiel Cushing the Three Hundred Acres of Land Province Grant laid out above Gorham Town on the Western Side of Presumpscot River. Now Know y^e , That it is my last Will and Testament, with regard to the above Fifth & Seventh Articles And I hereby give & bequeath the above mentioned One Hundred and Fifty Acres with all the Houses & Buildings &c as above mentioned unto my Son Nathaniel Iordan & Clement Iordan in equal Halves (after their Mother Ioanna Iordans Decease) and to their Heirs lawfully begotten of their Bodys, and for want of lawful Issue to descend to the next lawful Heir in my Family, They the Said Nathaniel & Clement paying unto my afores^d Daughter Hannah Iordan (now Hannah Prout) one Hundred pounds old Tenor each within twelve Months after my Decease. And I further declare that it is now my last Will & Testament with Regard to the Fifth Article above mentioned, That I hereby give & bequeath unto my Said Hannah Iordan, (now Prout) the full one half Part & Proportion of the above mentioned Three Hundred Acres of Land the Province Grant unto her & Her Heirs lawfully begotten of her Body & descending therefrom, and for want of lawful Issue then to descend to the next lawful Heir in my Family; and my Will & true meaning is that that this Codicil or Schedule be & be adjudged to be part & Parcell of my Said last Will, and y^e true meaning of that part thereof; and that all things herein mentioned & contained be faithfully & truly performed, and as fully & amply in every Respect as if the Same were so declared and Set down in my Said last Will & Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal this 7^th Day of March in the 22^d year of His Maj^ts Reign A. D. 1748.

Domini. Iordan (Seal)

Signed Sealed published & declared by the Said Dominicus
Jordan in presence of Ia^z Fox Cha : ffrost Sarah X Conner
                                                                 her mark