Maine Wills

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

   In the Name of God Amen. The twenty second Day of Aug^st 1753 I John Bryant of Scarbor^o in the County of York Yeoman, being very Sick and 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 & first of all I give and recommend my Soul into the Hands of God that gave it, and my Body I recomend to the Earth to be buried in decent christian Burial at the Discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I Shall receive the Same again by the mighty Power of God; and as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life I give demise & dispose of y^e Same in y^e following Manner & Form.

   Imp^r. I give & bequeath to my two Sons the eldest & youngest Viz^t. Samuel Davis Bryant & Iohn Bryant all my homestead Lands with the Building thereon equally to be divided betwixt them.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my Son Bartholomew Bryant all that Forty Acres of Land which I bought of Samuel Scott.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my Son Eleazer Bryant Five pounds to be paid out of my Said Estate as Soon as he Shall arrive at y^e Age of twenty one Years.

   Item I give & bequeath to my Daughter Charity Five pounds to be paid her out of my Estate as Soon as She come to the Age of Eighteen Years.

   Item I give & bequeath to my Daughter Martha Five pounds to be paid her out of my Estate as Soon as She come to the Age of eighteen Years.

   Item. I give to my Daughter Rebecca Five pounds to be paid her out of my Estate as Soon as She come to y^e Age of eighteen years.

   I Will that my eldest Son Samuel Davis pay to my Daughter Charity the Five pounds given to her. I Will that my Son Bartholomew pay to my Son Eleazer & to my Daughter Martha the Five pounds given to each of them. I Will that my youngest Son Iohn pay to my Daughter Rebecca the five pounds given to her.

   Item. I give to my Said three Daughters all my Household Goods equally amongst them. Item. I will & ordain that all my Stock be to pay my just Debts, and in Case it Should not be Sufficient to pay my Debts that then my three Said Sons Shall pay the remainder equally betwixt them. And in Case the Said Stock Should be more than pay my Debts the remainder to be to my Son, Samuel Davis.

   I do hereby constitute make & ordain my hon^d Father John Bryant & my Son Samuel Davis Bryant my Executors of this my last Will & Testament, ratifying this & no other to be my last Will & Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal the Day and Year above written.

Signed Sealed published pronounced &    declard by the Said John Briant as his    last Will & Testament in the presence    of us the Subscribrs.    Ioseph Waterhouse  Richd Dresser  Saml Small.		Iohn Briant (seal)
Probated 5 October 1753. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 716, citing Probate Office, 8, 260.