Maine Wills

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

   In the Name of God Amen. The twenty third Day of March in the 21^st year of His Maj^ts Reign Annoque : Domini 1747, I George Stover of York in the County of York & Province of the Massa. Bay Yeoman, being of a sound & perfect Mind and Memory, thanks be to God, and calling unto Mind the Mortality of my Body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men Once to die, to prevent Trouble & Disputes among such of my Children as may Survive me, concerning Such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life I make & ordain this my last Will & Testament, that is to Say, principally & first of all, I recommend my Soul into y^e Hands of God that gave it, and my Body to the Earth to be buried in decent Christian Burial at the Discretion of my Executor hereafter named in hopes of a glorious Resurrection. And as touching my worldly Estate afores^d after my just Debts & funeral Charges are paid I give demise & dispose of the Same in Manner & Form following,

   Imp^r. My Will is that my loving Wife Elizabeth, (besides her Dowry in my Estate as the Law allows) Shall have the Use and Improvem^t of all my Household Gods, during her Life, and after her Decease to be equally divided to & among my Children.

   Item. I give and bequeath to my two youngest Sons Iosiah and Abraham all my Nubble Pasture so called Situate on the Cape Neck in York afores^d as the Same is now within Fence to be equally divided between my Said Son Josiah and Abra^m both for quantity & quality, and to their Heirs and Assigns forever.

   Item. My Will is and I do hereby order & direct that all the rest & residue of my Upland, in York afores^d Shall be equally divided both for quantity & quality into two parts by a Line from the Sea Ward up thrô my Land lengthways to the Head & extent thereof leaving my dwelling House and Barn in the Southwesterly part or Division thereof And the Said Southwesterly part or Division together with my Dwelling House & Barn, I will & bequeath to my two afores^d Sons Iosiah & Abraham equally to be divided between them and to their Heirs & Assigns forever, and the Northeasterly part or Division I will & bequeath to my two elder Sons Isaac & Joseph to be equally divided between them and their Heirs & Assigns forever.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my Sons Isaac Ioseph Iosiah & Abraham all my Marsh or Meadow lying in the Cranbury Marsh so called equally to be divided between them both for Quantity & Quality and to their Heirs & Assigns forever.

   Item. My Will is that my Son Ioseph's part & Share of the Land herein before given & bequeathed to him Shall be taken up & laid out to him so as to include and take in where his dwelling House now Stands.

   Item. My Will is that my two afores^d Youngest Sons Josiah and Abraham Shall pay to my Daughter Abigail the Wife of George Rodick twenty five pounds new Tenor Bills of Credit so called equal to One Hundred pounds of the old Tenor out of what I have bequeathed before to them, and I do hereby Will to my Said Daughter Abigail the afores^d twenty five pounds which together with what I have before given her & not herein particularized Shall be in full of her Portion. And Finally, I appoint my Son Iosiah Sole Executor of this my last Will & Testament, and I do hereby utterly disannul all & every other Wills Testaments Legacys & Bequests & Exec^rs by me in any Ways before named willed & bequeathed ratify^g and confirming this & no other to be my last Will & Testament.

   In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal the Day & Year first herein before written.

Signed Sealed published pronounced    & declared by the Said George    Stover as his last Will & Testamt    in presence of us, after the Words    {after my just Debts & funeral    Charges are paid} and ye Words,    {Iosiah & Abram} were interlined    Iohn Millbery Dan. Moulton    Nathaniel Freeman		George Stover (Seal)
Probated 2 April 1753. Inventory returned 22 March 1753, at £689: 19: 8 by James Berry, John Milbery and Norton Woodbridge, appraisers. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 699, citing Probate Office, 8, 224.