Maine Wills

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

In the Name of God Amen.

   The 29^th Day of April 1756, I Peter Grant of Berwick in the County of York in the Province of y^e Massachusetts Bay in New England Gentlⁿ being Sick & weak in Body, but of perfect Mind & Memory, Thanks be given to God; And calling to Mind the Mortality of my Body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make & ordain this my last Will & Testament, that is to Say, principally & first of all, I commend my Soul into the Hands of God that gave it, and my Body I recommend to y^e Earth to be buried in a christian decent Burial at y^e Discretion of my Executors, nothing doubting but at y^e General I Shall receive y^e Same again by y^e mighty power of God. And as for Such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life, I give demise & dispose of y^e Same in y^e following Manner & Form.

   I give & bequeath to my dearly beloved Wife Mary Grant all my homestead or home place House Barn Orchard Improvements, all my Utensils of farming Work, as Carts Wheels Plows Harrows Small Chains Axes & Crow and all other Utensils or Implements of that kind; As also all my Stock of What kind soever as Cows Oxen Sheep Swine & my Mair, for her and my young Family's Support & Maintenance until my two Sons Iames & Samuel Grant comes to lawful Age, and all my household Good & Furniture I give & bequeath to my afores^d Wife to be her's & at her Disposal to distribute & give among my Children as She Sees Cause to dispose of them, reserving a Yoke of Oxen & a Cow for my funeral Charges.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my two well beloved Sons Iames & Samuel Grant, a hundred Acres of Land more or less in equal Shares or halves joining by y^e South Side of Hoopers Land & by great Works River from y^e Pond to Benj^a Hodsdons Southwest Corner; And from Said Corner Strait to y^e Cove at great Works River to them & their respective Heirs lawfully begotten of their Bodies to be possessed & enjoyed by them with the House Barn and other Improvemts, when they shall come to y^e Age of twenty one as also a yoke of the Calves for each of my Said Sons out of the above Stock.

   My Will also is, that my Son Alexand^r if he Sees Cause may have the Improvem^t of y^e Ten Acres of Land where his House & Barn now is for Ten Years.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my well beloved Son Peter Grant jun^r all my Right in my hon^d Fathers Estate or homestead down in Town; And all that I purchased of my Uncles Daniel and Alexander Grant, and that I bought of Ioseph Woodsom, and also a piece of Land at Love's Brook, beginning at Mine & Chadbourns Corner by the High Way & running down the Brook on y^e Eastern Side of y^e Brook to the Pond Brook, then running twelve Rods East from the Mouth of y^e pond Brook to y^e old Fence where Joshua Abbot lately clear'd, and from thence to Chadbourn's Line reserving a Way to me and my Heirs & Assigns to pass and repass to the Country Road forever, To be my Said Sons Peter Grant j^r and his Heirs lawfully begotten of his Body forever.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my three well beloved Sons Landers Daniel & Alexander Grant Seventy five Acres of Land at Love's Brook beginning at the Highway at y^e South Side of Love's Brook running as the fence now Stands until it comes to Miles Thomsons & my dividing Fence; then running down the Fence to Biles Marsh as the Fence now Stands, then Northeast to Biles & my Corner at Love's Brook, then to Hodsdon's & Plaisteds till y^e Said Seventy five Acres be fully Accomplished, to them & their respective Heirs lawfully begotten of their Bodies in equal Shares, forever to divide among themselves according to quantity & quality as they see proper, reserving to me my Heirs & Assigns Liberty to pass & repass thrô any of the above given Lands, at Love's Brook to the Country Road forever.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my loving Brother & Sister Andrew Walker & Mary Walker two Acres of Land in y^e old Cornfield at Love's Brook and the Liberty of Cutting twenty five Cocks of Hay yearly during their natural Life, if they See Cause to improve it, And the remainder of my Land at Love's Brook not disposed of in this my Will, I leave to pay my lawfull Debts if needs be. And if what I leave hereafter to pay my honest & lawful Debts be Sufficient then the Said remainder part of Land at Love's Brook I give & bequeath in equal Shares to my afores^d Six Sons. My Will is further that Ioshua Abbot be allowed the Improvement of what he cleard at Love's Brook for four Years in Consideration of his Labour, Still reserving to my Son Peter Grant for his own Use, the wood on y^e point on the South Side of Love's Brook at the Mouth of y^e Brook as Deacⁿ Libby's Land & mine runs to Bile's Marsh.

   Item, I give & bequeath to my well beloved Daughter Mary Hambleton her Heirs or Assigns Ten pounds thirteen Shill^gs and four pence to be paid her in lawful Money by me two Sons Peter & Daniel equally in Six Years after my Decease.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my well beloved Daughter Sarah Hambleton her Heirs or Assigns Ten pounds thirteen Shillings and four pence lawful Money to be paid her by my two Sons Landras & Alexander Grant in Six years after my Decease.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my well beloved Daughter Lydia Grant, Ten pounds thirteen Shillings & four pence lawful Money a Cow Bed & Bedding to be paid her by my Wife at a proper apprizal in part of the above Sum, and y^e remainder if any Shall be wanting to make up y^e above Sum to be paid her by Son James when he comes of full Age. Item. I give & bequeath unto my well beloved Daughter Dorcas Grant Ten pounds thirteen Shillings & four pence L. M. a Cow Bed & Bedding to be paid her by her Mother at a proper Apprizal to discharge Said Sum the Remainder if any there be to be paid her by my Son Samuel when he comes to full Age. Item. I give & bequeath to my well beloved Daughter Martha Grant a Cow & a great Pot to be paid her by my Wife at a proper Apprizal to make up y^e like Sum of Ten pounds thirteen Shillings & four pence, & y^e Remainder to be paid her by my Son James Grant.

   Item. I give & bequeath to my Daughter Grizzel Grant Ten pounds thirteen Shillings & four pence, two great Pewter Platters half a Dozⁿ Plates to be paid her by her Mother in part thereof, The Over plus by my Son Samuel when he comes of full Age.

   My Will is further that John Key and his Heirs may enjoy that part in the little Mill which he has improved provided he clears me & my Heirs from Col^o Ichabod Plaisted & his Heirs, and produce, Receipts to that Effect otherwise y^e S^d part of S^d Mill be Sold to discharge Said Debt.

   Item I give to my Son Landras one Acre of Land in the Beaver Dam Country my new french Gun I give to my Son James my old french Gun I give to my Son Sam^l my other Six Guns two Pistols & Sword my Land in y^e New Township —— Beaker Grant all my other out Lands all my Mill (excepting three Days —— I leave with my two Sons Peter & James Grant) I leave to pay my honest Debts, as also my three great Chains Canting Dog & great Clavis I leave to pay my Debts after my Sons has fulfilled their Contract.

   My Will is further that my White Oak Logs cutt & to be cutt be Sawed & my part of them to pay Samuel Wentworths Debt My pine Logs in the River Brow & Mill pond I leave to discharge my Debts, and Support my Family with Bread Corn.

   My Will is further that all Debts due to me go twoards y^e Payment of my honest Debts —

   Finally I make constitute appoint & ordain my well beloved Sons Peter Grant jun^r and Landras Grant to be the Sole Executors of this my last Will & Testament, utterly revoking disannulling & making void all former or other Wills Executors Legacys & Bequests heretofore by me in any wise made willed or named ratifying & Confirming this & none other to be my last Will & Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand & Seal the Day & Date above written.

Peter Grant (Seal)

   Signed Sealed published pronounced & declared by the Said Peter Grant as his last Will & Testam^t in the presence of us Witnesses, Grindal Knight, Ephraim Joy, John Sullivan