Maine Wills

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

   In the Name of God Amen. On the Sixth Day of April in the 26. Year of His Maj^ts Reign Annoque Domini 1753. I Samuel Adams of York in the County of York Husbandman being Sick & weak of Body but, Thanks be to God, of a Sound disposing Mind & Memory, and not knowing how soon it may please God to call me out of this World, willing 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, Do make & ordain this my last Will & Testam^t that is to Say,

   Imp^rs. My Will is and I do order that my Iust Debts & funeral Charges be first paid out of my personal Estate.

   Item. I give to my Wife Lydia one Cow, and one third part of the remainder of my personal Estate forever, and the Use and Improvement of one third part of my real Estate during Life.

   Item. My Will is that there Shall be Forty pounds worth of my Land divided & Set off for my three daughters Eleanor Zurviah and Lydia which I give them in equal Parts to be divided unless their Brother David will pay them the Said Forty pounds then in that Case he to have y^e Land intended as above for his S^d Sisters.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my Sons Samuel Nathan & David & to the Children of my Son Iohn Dec^d and the Surviving Child of my Son Richard Dec^d all the rest & residue of my real Estate with the reversion thereof as follows namely to my Son Samuel his Heirs & Assigns, one Share (the whole to be divided into five equal parts) he quitting all other Claims on my Estate as Book Debts &c. To my Son Nathan his Heirs & Assigns one Share, to my Son David His Heirs & Assigns one Share, to the Children of my Son John Dec^d their Heirs & Assigns one Share And to the only Surviving Child of my Son Richard Dec^d his Heirs & Assigns one Share : the whole to be divided as afores^d.

   Item. My Will is that the Surplusage of my personal Estate that is what remains after Iust Debts & funeral Charges are paid and what is herein before given to my Wife is taken out, Shall be to my Said Sons Samuel Nathan & David & to my Daughters Eleoner Zurviah & Lydia the Said Iohn's Children drawing a Share and the Said Richard's Child a Share.

   And finally, I appoint my afores^d Wife Lydia & my Said Son David Executors of this my last Will & Testament, hereby disannulling all other Wills Legacys Bequests & Executors by me in any wise before named willed & bequeathed, ratifying 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 Samuel    Adams as his last Will & Testament    in presence of us after the words    {he quitting all other Claims on    my Estate as Book Debts &c}    were interlined    Iohn Booker, Saml Bragdon Danl Moulton.		Samuel O Adams (Seal)         his mark
Probated 15 May 1753. Inventory returned 11 June 1753, at £259: 19: 10, by Sam Sewall, Saml Bragdon and Joseph Main, appraisers. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 701, citing Probate Office, 8, 227.