Maine Wills

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

   In the Name of God Amen. The twenty first Day of August Anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred & Forty seven I Nathan Raynes of York in the County of York in y^e Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Yeoman being weak in Body but of perfect Mind & Memory, thanks be given unto God, therefore calling unto Mind the Mortality of my Body Do make and ordain this my last Will & Testament, That is to Say principally and first of all, I give & recommend my Soul into the Hands of God that gave it, and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in decent christian Burial at the Discretion of my Executor believing that 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 the following Manner & Form,

   Item, I give unto my eldest Son Ioseph Raynes if he be living five Shillings old Tenor Money more besides what I haue already given him to be paid by my Executor.

   Item I give unto my Second Son Nathan Raynes five Shillings old Tenor more besides what I haue already given him to be paid him by my Executor one year after my Decease.

   Item, I give & bequeath unto my Son Iohn Raynes his Heirs and Assigns forever that Land he now lives on which is in Fence being Fifty Acres be the Same more or less lying next y^e Sea and joining to the Land that I gave to his Brother Nathan.

   Item. I give to my eldest Daughter Jane Raynes three Acres of my Salt Marsh in York lying at a place calld Broad Boat Harbour, and two Cows & Six Sheep, likewise my Wills is that the Cows & Sheep Should be pastured on the Land I now live on while She continues unmarried, And it is my Will that my Daughter Iane Shall take her choice of one of the Rooms of my dwelling House and Cellar Room convenient for her while She continues a Single Woman & furthermore I give to the S^d Iane Raynes two Feather Beds & Bedding all my Pewter Chairs & Household Goods excepting on Bed & Coverlet here after mentioned.

   Item, I give unto my Daughter Elizabeth Sergeant three Acres of my Salt Marsh in York at Broad Boat Harbour

   Item, I give unto my Grand Daughter Sarah Raynes one Feather Bed and a Coverlet to be delivered to her when She comes to the Age of Eighteen Years, or time of Marriage by my Executor,

   Item, I give & bequeath all the rest & residue of my Estate both real & personal of what name or Denomination soever or whatsoever I give it unto my youngest Son Samuel Raynes and his Heirs & Assigns forever; And I make & ordain him the Said Samuel Raynes Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testam^t, and that he pay all my just Debts. And I do hereby utterly disallow revoke & disannul all & every other & former Testam^ts, Wills Legacys & bequests & Executors by me in any ways before named willed & bequeathed ratifying & confirming this & no other to be my last Will & Testament. In Witness where of I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal the Day & Year above written

Signed Sealed published & declared    by ye Sd Nathan Rayns as & for    his last Will & Testamt in ye Pres-    ence of us who were present at ye    Signing and Sealing thereof    Norton Woodbridge Thomas Payne    Daniel Payne		Nathan Rayns (Seal)
Probated 16 Oct. 1754. Inventory returned 19 Oct. 1754, at £477: 5: 9, by Saml Bragdon, William Dunning and Saml Sewall 3d, appraisers. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 738, citing Probate Office, 9, 60.