Maine Wills

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

   In the Name of God Amen. The Sixteenth Day of Ianuary Annoque Domini 1756. I Benjamin Nason of Berwick in the County of York Yeoman, being aged and Sick & weak of Body but thrô divine Goodness I have the Exercise of my Reason & Understanding & of perfect Memory, and calling to Mind the Mortality of my Body, and the Uncertainty of Life, I do make and ordain this to be my last Will & Testament in which I recommend my Body to the Earth to be buried in decent Manner at the Discretion of my Executor, And my Soul to God who gave it hoping for Mercy thrô Iesus Christ; And as to the worldly Goods or Estate it has pleased God to bless me with here on Earth, other than Such as I have already disposed of, I now give & dispose of the Same in the following Manner Vizt.

   1. In the first place, I give & bequeath to my beloved Son Noah Nason all that Tract of Land in Berwick afores^d on which he now lives containing about Thirty more or less, and also the one half of that hundred acres of Land above little River, which fell to me by Virtue of my common Rights to him his Heirs & Assigns in Fee Simple. I also give my Said Son one Yoke of Steers four Years old the next Spring to be delivered him by my Executor after my Decease, I also give him a young Horse which he now has of mine.

   2. In the next place I give & bequeath to my two Sons Viz^t Benjamin & Iohn in equal Halves in Fee Simple all that part of my Common Rights in Berwick afores^d which Shall fall to me below the little River as y^e Same is or Shall hereafter be divided.

   3, I likewise give to my Son Ioshua Nason y^e other half of that Hundred Acres of Land above little River which fell to me out of my common Rights, and also one Yoke of Oxen to be delivered him by him Executor Said Land is given in Fee Simple.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth Goodwin my best Bed & Furniture Viz^t one pair of Sheets, one pair of Blankets a pair of Pillows & Cases a Bolster & Case & a Coverlet & my Warming pan, and what that wants on a just Apprizal of Ten Pounds lawful Money is to be made up & paid her by my Executor.

   Item. I likewise give to my Daughter Martha Goodwin my other Bed & Beding Consisting of one pair of Sheets one pair of Blankets a pair of Pillows & Cases, a Bolster & Case & Coverlet, And what that wants of Ten Pounds lawful Money is to be made up & paid her by my Execut^r.

   Item. I likewise give unto my other three Daughters Viz^t Mary Morrison Iane Warren & Abigail Libby all my other Household Goods of all kinds to be equally divided amongst them, and what that wants of Ten pounds lawful Money to each of them is to be made up and paid them by my Executor.

   Item. I give to my Grand Daughter Hannah Hodsdon the only Child of my Daughter Sarah Hodsdon Dec^d ten Shillings lawful Money to be paid her by my Execu^r, I having already given my Said Daughter Sarah her full Portion of my Estate.

   I likewise give to my three Sons Viz^t Noah Benj^a and John my Pew in the new Meeting House in Berwick aforesaid in equal Shares.

   And in the last place, I give to my Son William Nason his Heirs & Assignes forever in Fee Simple all my other Estate real & personal in Berwick or else where which I have not before disposed of he paying my just Debts and funeral Charges and the Several Legacys before mentioned within Six Months from my Decease.

   And I do hereby appoint make & ordain my Said Son William Nason Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testam^t renouncing & hereby making void all other Wills or Testam^ts by me at any time before made And do now declare the foregoing to be my last Will and Testam^t.

   In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand & affixed my Seal the Day & Year first above mentioned.

Benjamin X Nason (Seal)
his mark               

   Signed Sealed publish^d pronounced & declared by the Said Benj^a Nason to be his last Will & Testament in presence of Caleb Emery, Darling Huntriss, Elisha Hearl, Stephen Wood jun^r.