Maine Wills

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

   In the Name of God Amen. The Seventh Day of Ianuary in y^e Year of our Lord 1756. I Moses Welch of Kittery in the County of York in New England Wheelwright being very Sick & weak in Body, but of perfect Mind and Memory thanks be given unto God, therefore calling unto Mind the Mortality of my Body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testam^t that is to Say, principally & first of all, I give & recommend my Soul into the Hands of God that gave it, hoping thro y^e Merits Death & Passion of my Saviour Iesus Christ to have full & free pardon & forgiveness of all my Sins; And to inherit everlasting Life : And my Body I commit to the Earth to be decently buried at the Discretion of my Executrix hereafter named, nothing doubting but at the 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 give demise & dispose of the Same in y^e following Manner & form, that is to Say.

   First I will that all those Debts & Duties as I do owe in Right & Conscience to any Manner of person or persons whatsoever Shall be well & truly contented & paid or ordered to be paid in convenient time after my Decease by my Executrix hereafter named.

   Item I give & bequeath to Rebecca my dearly beloved Wife all my Estate both real and personal during her natural Life, and likewise appoint her to be my Sole Execut^x of this my last Will & Testament, all & Singular my Lands & Buildings thereon by her freely to be possessed & enjoyed.

   Item. I give to my well belov^d Son Ioseph Welch five Shillings old Tenor to be paid my Executrix within one Year after my Decease.

   Item. I give unto my well beloved Son Moses Welch five Shillings old Tenor to be paid by my Executr^x within one year after my Decease.

   Item. I give unto my well beloved Son Benj^a Welch five Shillings old Tenor to be paid by my Executrix within one Year after my Decease.

   Item. I give unto my well beloved Son Thomas Welch five Shillings old Tenor to be paid by my Execut^x within one year after my Decease.

   Item. I give unto my well beloved Son Daniel Welch five Shillings old Tenor to be paid by my Execut^x within one Year after my Decease.

   Item. I give unto my Well beloved Son John Welch five Shillings old Tenor to be paid by my Execut^x within one year after my Decease.

   Item. I give to my well beloved Son David Welch five Shillings old Tenor to be paid by my Execut^x within one year after my Decease.

   Item. I give unto my well beloved Son Samuel Welch five Shillings Old Tenor to be paid by my Execut^x within one year after my Decease.

   Item. I give unto my well beloved Daughter Sarah Page all my real Estate after my Wife Rebecca's Decease to her, her Heirs & Assigns forever And half of my personal Estate after my Wife Rebecca's Decease.

   Item. I give unto my well beloved Daughter Hannah Vinnen half of my personal Estate after my Wife Rebecca's Decease to be possessed by her & her Heirs & Assigns forever. And I do hereby utterly disallow revoke & disannul all and every other former Testaments Wills & Legacies Bequests and Executors by me in any Ways before this time named willed & bequeathed, ratifying & confirming this & no other to be my last Will & Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand & Seal y^e Day & Year above written.

Signed Sealed published pro-    nounced & declared by the    Sd Moses Welch as his last    Will & Testament in the    presence of us the Subscrib-    ers, Timo Gerrish Isaac Chap-    man Iane Chapman		Moses Welch (Seal)       his mark
Probated 19 October 1756. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 786, citing Probate Office, 9, 170.