Maine Wills

 From York County Probate Records, Volume Nine (1743-58)

   The Sixteenth Day of March in the Year of our Lord one Thousand Seven Hundred & fifty Six : I Andrew Neal of Kittery in the County of York in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Husbandman being Sick or weak of Body, but of perfect Mind & Memory Thanks be given to God for the Same, Therefore calling to mind the Mortality of my Body and that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make & ordain this my last Will & Testament That is to Say, first of all, I recommend my Soul to God that gave it, and my Body I recommend to y^e Earth to be buried in decent Manner according to y^e Discretion of my Executor hereafter named : And as touching Such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life, I give & dispose of y^e Same in y^e following Manner & Form.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my Son Johnson Neal Fifty Acres of Land it being my part of a hundred Acre Lot in Berwick which was divided between me & my Brother Iohn on part of which Lot he now lives to him & to his Heirs & Assigns forever, He the Said Johnson Neal paying to his three Sisters namely Phebe Brown Catharine Neal & Dorcas Neal twenty pounds lawful Money or in other Things to their acceptance in two years after my Decease to each of them equally.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my Son Andrew Neal, and to his Heirs & assigns forever all my other Lands that I own lying and being in the Township of Berwick aforesaid.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my Son Iames Neal whom I constitute make & ordain my Sole Executor of this my last Will & Testament to him & to his Heirs & Assigns forever all my Lands that I possess or own lying & being in y^e Township of Kittery with all the Priviledges & appurtenances to y^e Same belonging, he the Said Iames Neal paying to his four Sisters namely Hannah Hubbard Phebe Brown Catherine Neal & Dorcas Neal to each of them four pounds lawful Money in two years after my Decease. I also give to my Said Executor my Carts Plows Chains & all Instruments for Husbandry Business; And I give one of my Guns to Iames, and the other two to Andrew above named. I also give to my Son James his Heirs & Assigns forever two Acres of Salt Marsh which my Father gave to me, lying in the town of York.

   Item I give & bequeath further to my Son Iames two thirds of my live Stock as Cattle Sheep and Swine, and my Negro Boy Called Cesar & my Wearing Apparel I give to be divided between Iames & Andrew above named, and that my Said Executor Shall pay all my Just Debts, and demand & call in all Debts that are due to me.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my beloved Wife Dorcas one Third part of my Homestead Lands & dwelling House & Cellar and Barn, and one third part of my live Stock (& Household Goods all of them) for her Use and that She may dispose of them as She Shall See meet : And my Said Executr Shall improve her Thirds for her, And Shall bring home all Sorts of Grain Corn Hay & Cyder, and secure it in good Season according to her Direction, And Shall bring home her Firewood & cut it fit for burning : And Shall carry her corn to Mill & bring home the Meal : And if he Shall neglect or refuse so to do then She Shall or may take the Negro above mentioned into her own Hands to improve her Thirds for her. And I do further Will & hereby order that if my Son Andrew Should (when he comes of Age) Settle in Berwick that the Negrow above mentioned Shall Serve him two Years he the Said Andrew returning him as well cloathed as he took him. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal, And do hereby disallow revoke and disallow all & every other or former Testaments Wills Legacys Bequests & Executors by me in any Wise before named willed & bequeathed, Ratifying & confirming this and no other to be my last Will & Testament (The Word (in Berwick & Goods) being first entered.

Signed Sealed published pro-    nounced & declared by ye Sd    Andrew Neal to be his last    Will & Testament in presence    of us. Iohn Heard Bartlet    Josiah Bridges Abraham Lord terts		Andrew X Neal (Seal)       his mark
Probated 13 February 1758. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 814, citing Probate Office, 9, 258.