Maine Wills

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

   In the Name of God Amen. I Thomas Knight of Kittery in the County of York in the Province of the Massa : Bay in New England Cordwainer, being aged & infirm of Body but of sound Mind & Memory, and considering the Uncertainty of Life, Do make & ordain this to be my last Will & Testament And after humbly committing my Soul into the Hands of God the Father of Spirits hoping for his pardoning Mercy thrô the Merits of Iesus Christ our Lord, and my Body to the Dust to be decently buried according to the Discretion of my Executors herein after named, believing in y^e Resurrection of the Body, and hoping for eternal Life. That worldly Estate which in his good Providence has given me I give devise and bequeath the Same in the following Manner & Form.

   Imp^r. My Will is that all my just Debts & funeral Charges be paid out of my Estate by my Exec^rs within conven^t time after my Decease.

   Item. I give bequeath & devise to Susannah my well beloved Wife all my personal Estate, excepting one Feather Bed, one Coverlet & Blanket, one pair of Handjrons one jron pot and one Tramell, fire Shovel & Tongs & Six Chairs, to be at her own Disposal, and all my real Estate excepting one Acre & half of Land with the Buildings thereon, to hold to her so long as She continues a Widow.

   Item. I give & devise to my Son Daniel Knight a piece of Land containing one Acre & half bounded with Stephen Paul's Land on the Westerly Side, and with the High Way on the Easterly, and with Lydson's Land on the Northerly, being that piece of Land where my Said Son's dwelling House Stands to him his Heirs & Assigns. I also give my Said Son Daniel after the Decease of my Wife a piece of Land bounded on the Westerly by the afores^d bequeathed Land to my Said Son Daniel and on the Northerly with Lydson's Land, and on y^e Easterly with Field's Land on the Southerly with the afores^d Way, to him his Heirs & Assigns.

   Item. I give & devise to my Son Gideon Knight after y^e Decease of my Said Wife a piece of Land bounded as follows Viz^t. beginning at the High Way about two poles Westerly from my Barn, and to run on a Square from Said Way which is Southeasterly three poles then to run near Northeast or parallel to Said High Way to Amos Pauls Land, and then three poles by Pauls Land to the afores^d High Way, and by Said Highway to the beginning, together with my House & Barn and all the Buildings thereon to him his Heirs & Assigns.

   Item. I give to my Daughter Miriam Libby the Sum of Six pounds thirteen Shillings & four pence lawful Money.

   Item. I give to my Grandson Samuel Knight one Bed one Coverlet one Blanket one pair of Handjrons one jron pot one Tramell one fire Shovel & Tongs & Six Chairs.

   Item. I give to my Grand Children Susannah Knight, Mary Knight & Elizabeth Knight they being the Children of my Son George Knight to each of them five Shillings lawful Money.

   Item. I give to my Grand Children Ioseph Barns, John, Thomas Sarah & Mary Barns to each of them five Shillings lawful Money.

   Item. I give & devise unto my two Sons Daniel & Gideon Knight after the Decease of my Wife all the Residue of my Estate with the Reversion & Remainder, thereof or any part thereof or depending thereon to be equally divided to them their Heirs & Assigns. All these Legacies before mentioned I do order my Executors to pay out of my Estate within five Years after the Decease of my Said Wife. Be it understood That if my Wife Should Marry, my Will is that my Sons Daniel & Gideon Shall have full Power to enter on and become seized of the Real Estate given to my S^d Wife. and also my meaning is that my Wife have full Power to dispose of all my personal Estate excepting what I have given to my Grandson Samuel Knight.

   Lastly. I do hereby constitute & appoint my Sons Daniel & Gideon Knight to be my joint Executors of this my last Will & Testament, and revoke all other Wills by me in any Manner heretofore made.

   In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal the Second Day of May Anno Domini 1753. And in the 26^th year of His Majestys Reign.

Signed Sealed & declared by the Said    Thomas Knight to be his last Will    & Testamt in ye presence of us ye    Subscribers    Nathan Bartlet, Edmd Coffin, Joseph Hill,    Nathl Remick, George Fernald.		Thomas Knight (Seal)
Probated 16 October 1753. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 718, citing Probate Office, 8, 270.