Maine Wills

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

   In the Name of God Amen. The twenty fourth Day of July One Thousand Seven Hundred & Fifty Six, I Daniel Morrison of Wells in the County of York in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Yeoman, being aged & infirm in Body, but of perfect Mind & Memory, Thanks be to God for it, Calling to Mind my own Mortality, and knowing that it is appointed to Man once to die Do make & ordain this my last Will & Testam^t, that is to Say, principally & first of all, I recommend my Soul into y^e Hands of God who gave it, and my Body to y^e Earth to be buried in decent Christian Burial at y^e Discretion of my Executors hereafter named, nothing doubting but at y^e General Resurrection I Shall receive the Same again by the mighty Power of God, And as touching Such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life I bequeath & dispose of the Same in y^e Form & Manner following Viz^t.

   Imp^r. My Will & Desire is, that all my Just & lawful Debts be duly & honestly paid by my Execut^rs hereafter named, and that they be paid out of my moveable Estate.

   Item. I give & bequeath unto my beloved Son Daniel Morrison Ten Shillings lawful Money, besides what I have already given him to be paid by my Exec^rs within Six Months after my Decease.

   Item. I give & bequeath unto my beloved Son Nathan Littlefeild Morrison ten Shillings lawful Money besides what I have already given him to be paid by my Exec^rs within Six Months after my Decease.

   Item. I give & bequeath unto my beloved Son Joseph Morrison too acres of fresh Meadow at y^e Elmn Brook so called in Wells besides what I have already given him.

   Item I give & bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Hannah Allen ten Shillings lawful Money besides what I have already given her to be paid by my Execut^rs within Six Months after my Decease.

   Item. I give & bequeath unto my beloved Grandson Iohn Royall Baston Son of my beloved Daughter Eleoner Baston late Dec^d five pounds lawful Money to be paid unto him by my Execut^rs when he arrives to the Age of twenty one Years.

   Item. I give & bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Lydia Kimball ten Shillings lawful Money besides what I have already given her to be paid by my Execut^rs within Six Months after my Decease. I give & bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Abigail Maxwell ten Shillings lawful Money besides what I have already given her to be paid by my Executors within Six Months after my Decease.

   Item. I give & bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Mary Morrison Eight pounds lawful Money to be paid her by my Executors within Six Months after my Decease.

   Item. I give & bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Tabitha Stewart ten Shillings lawful Money besides what I have already given her to be paid by my Execut^rs within Six Months after my Decease.

   Item. I give & bequeath unto my beloved Son Samuel Morrison and his Heirs forever all my Homestead containing Sixty Acres bounded Southeasterly by y^e Head of y^e old Lots, Northeasterly by Land of Thomas Penny, Northwesterly partly by Land of Joseph Morrison Southwesterly by Land Seperated for a High Way adjoining Land of Daniel Morrison jun^r with y^e Sixteenth part of the Upper Saw Mill & Stream on Maryland River so called with the Common Right belonging to the Homestead, togather with my dwelling House & Barn Buildings & Fences on the Homestead : Only & Specially reserving to my Well beloved Wife Eleoner Morrison during her natural Life y^e Improvem^t of One half of my House & one half of my Barn, and half of the Improvement of my Homestead, And half y^e Improvem^t of y^e Saw Mill, and half the Improvem^t of the fresh Meadow, and after my Said Wife's Decease to be to my Said Son Samuel Morrison, And to Heirs & Assigns forever.

   Item I give & bequeath unto my beloved Wife Eleoner Morrison and to her Heirs & Assigns forever One Tract or parcel of Land containing Thirty Acres, be it more or less being thirty Rods in Breadth bounded Northwesterly by y^e Country Road Southwesterly by Land of Joseph Gatchel Southeasterly by y^e head of y^e old Lots Northeasterly by Land of Daniel Morrison jun^r together with all my Debts & moveable Estate within Doors & without of every Sort excepting what Shall or may be for paying all Legacys and Debts. I also give & bequeath unto my S^d beloved Wife during her natural Life, y^e Improvemt of one half of my dwelling House & one half of y^e Barn, and one half of the Improvemt of my Homestead, and one half of y^e Improvemt of the Saw Mill & fresh Meadow during her Said natural Life.

   I do hereby nominate Constitute & appoint my well beloved Wife Elenor Morrison & my beloved Son Sam^l Morrison of Wells in the County of York Labourer to be the Sole Executrix & Executor of this my last Will & Testam^t and I do hereby revoke & disannul all other & former Wills & Testam^ts by me made, and do hereby Ratify & Confirm this & no other to be my last Will & Testam^t In Witness where of I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal the Day & Year above written.

Daniel Morrison (seal)

   Signed Sealed published pronounced & declared by the above S^d Daniel Morrison to be his last Will & Testam^t in presence of us the Subscribers Iohn X Penny his mark Sarah Penny X her Mark Iohn Storer.