Maine Wills

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

   In the Name of God Amen. The twenty sixth Day of July Annoque Domini 1749, one Thousand Seven Hundred & fortynine. I Richard Clarenbole of Kittery in the County of York in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Shipwright, being very weak in Body but of perfect Mind & & Memory Thanks be given unto God, Therefore calling unto Mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die; do make and ordain this my last Will & Testament, That is to Say principally & first of all, I give & recommend my Soul into the Hands of God that gave it, and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in decent & Christian Burial at the Discretion of my Executors, nothing doubting but at y^e 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 and dispose of the Same in the following Manner & Form.

   Imp^r. My Will is first, That all my just & lawful Debts be raised and paid out of my Estate as Soon as may be conveniently after my Decease together with my funeral Charges by my Executrix hereafter named.

   Item. I give & bequeath unto Ann Clarenbole my dearly beloved Wife all my Estate both real & personal of every kind & nature (only excepting the half Acre Lot I purchased of M^r Sam^ll Leighton) to dispose of as She Sees meet or think proper for her Support and for the Support of my Children as She and they Shall have need thereof giving & granting unto my Said Wife full Power & Authority to make and execute good Deeds & Conveyances in the Law for the Same for Intent afores^d and for the Payment of my Debts; and what of my Estate Shall be remaining after the afores^d Debts & Charges are paid & Satisfied and my Children brought up I give to my Children Viz^t Hezekiah Susanna Elizabeth & Anne to be divided between them.

   Item. If my Son Hezekiah Should See Cause to build a House on the Half Acre Land I purchased of Said Samuel Leighton I give to him the one Third part thereof at the North End of the Same, and if he does not See Cause to build on it, it is to go to his Brother Richard hereafter named.

   Item. I give & bequeath unto my Son Richard Clarenbole his Heirs Heirs and assigns, all that my Tract of Land whereon I now dwell and possess, which I purchased of the Said Samuel Leighton with all the Buildings thereon standing or being only excepting the one Third part before mentioned, which I give to his Brother Hezekiah provided he Sees Cause to build a House on & Settle upon the Same, but during the time that the Said Hezekiah Shall not dwell thereon the whole to remain for the Improvem^t of the Said Richard only my Wife to have part of the House to dwell in during the time of her Widowhood.

   Item. I do likewise constitute make & ordain Anne Clarenbole my Said Wife my Sole Executrix of this my last Will & Testam^t and do hereby utterly disallow revoke & disannul all and every other for Testaments Wills Legacys & Bequests & Executors by in any Ways before named willed & bequeathed ratifying & confirming this & no other to be my last Will & Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal the Day & Year above written.

Signed Sealed & published pro-    nounced & declared by the Sd    Richd Clarenbole as his last    Will & Testament. In the    presence of us the Subscribers    Ionathan Dam. Elizabeth Worster    Abigail Dam Iohn Godsoe.		Ricd Clarenbole (Seal)
Probated 1 January, 1749. Inventory returned 3 Feby 1749, at £832: 16: 8 by Ebenezer Fernald, Elihu Gunnison jr. and John Godsoe, appraisers. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 625, citing Probate Office, 8, 31.