Maine Wills

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

   In the Name of God Amen. The fourth Day of April Anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred & Fifty two. I Richard Rice of Kittery in the County of York & Province of the Massa^ts Bay in New England yeoman being aged & weak in Body but of perfect Mind & Memory thanks be given unto God, therefore calling unto Mind the Mortality of my Body & knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, Do make this my last Will & Testament, that is to Say, principally and first of all, I give & recomend 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 Execut^r hereafter named, nothing doubting but at the Gen^l Resurrection I shall receive the Same again by the mighty Power of God and as touching Such worldly Estate where with it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life I give demise & dispose of y^e Same in the following Manner & Form. Imp^s. I will that all my Just Debts & funeral Charges be raised & paid out of my Estate by my Executor hereafter named as Soon as may be conveniently after my Decease.

   Item. I give & bequeath unto my well beloved Son Samuel Rice all my Estate both real & personal as Lands & Buildings Household Goods Debts Reversions & moveable Effects of every kind & nature whatsoever & wheresoever the Same is & may be found or any part thereof to him his Heirs & Assigns forever to his and their Sole Use forever.

   Item I give & bequeath to my well beloved Daughter Anne Hammond the Wife of Ionathan Hammond the Sum of Ten pounds lawful Money of the Province afores^d to be paid unto her or her legal Representatives out of my Estate by my Son Samuel Rice within two years after my Decease it being in full of her Portion of my Estate with what I have already given and delivered to her. Item I do likewise constitute and appoint my Said Son Samuel Rice my Sole Executor of this my last Will & Testament, and do hereby utterly disallow revoke & disannul all & every other former Testaments Wills Legacys & Bequests & Executors by me any ways before named Willed & bequeathed, ratifying and confirming this & no other to be my last Will & Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal the Day and Year above written.

Richard Rice (Seal)

   Signed Sealed published pronounced and declared by the Said Rich^d Rice as his last Will & Testament In the presence of us the Subscribers, Sam^l Newmarch Joseph Curtis John Wamoth John Godsoe.