Maine Wills

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

In the Name of God Amen.

   To all People to whom these presents Shall come Greeting,

   Know y^e , That I Thomas Cowling of Annapolis Royal in Nova Scotia now resident in Wells in the County of York in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Bricklayer being of a Sound disposing Mind, through the Divine Goodness, thô labouring under great bodily Indisposition in Consideration of my mortal State and the utter uncertainty of my present Life committing my never dying Spirit into the merciful Hands of a gracious God thrô the infinite merits & mediation of his dear Son : and my Body into the Hands of M^r Pelatiah Littlefield into whose House I am by divine Providence now cast to be by him decently interr'd in hopes of a glorious Resurrection to a life immortal by the mighty Power of God, thrô him who is the Resurrection and the Life, do dispose of the temporal Estate wherewith the Lord hath been pleased to bless me in the following Manner Viz^t.

   1. I will that all my just Debts & funeral Charges Shall be paid out of my Estate by my Executor hereafter named.

   2. I give & bequeath Twenty pounds Sterling unto my loving Brother William Cowling to be paid him by my Executor my Said Brother dwelling in Great Britain.

   3. I give & bequeath Fifteen pounds Sterling unto my loving Cousin Martha Davis of Annapolis Royal afores^d to be paid unto her by my Executor.

   4. I give & bequeath all the Remaining part of my Estate real or personal of what name or nature soever it be unto my loving Cousin Iohn Harris Bricklayer in Annapolis Royal aforesaid. And now revoking and disannulling by these presents all former Will or Wills made or Said to be made by me, I do pronounce and declare this to be my last Will & Testament, of which I do hereby constitute & appoint my good & trusty Friend the aforementioned John Harris Sole Executor. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal this fifth Day of March in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred & Fifty. And in the twenty fourth year of the Reign of His Maj^ty George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France & Ireland King Defender of the faith &c.

Signed Sealed pronounced &    declared in presence of us    Pelatiah Littlefield    Nehemiah Littlefield    Pelath Littlefield junr.		Thos Cowling (Seal)
Probated 1 July 1751. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 649, citing Probate Office, 8, 108.