Maine Wills

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

   In the Name of God Amen. The thirtieth Day of March Anno Domini One Thousand and Seven Hundred & fifty six. I Solomon Libbey of Kittery in the County of York & Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Housewright being aged & infirm in Body but of perfect Mind and Memory, and calling to mind the uncertainty of this Life do make & ordain this & no other to be my last Will and Testament in the following Manner Viz^t Imprimis, I recommend my Soul to God who gave it, and my Body to y^e Earth to be buried in such christian decent & frugal Manner as my Executrix hereafter named Shall See meet, In hopes I Shall receive the Same again, and enjoy a glorious Immortality thrô the Merits & Mediation of Iesus Christ my Strong & mighty Redeemer. And as touching such worldly Estate as God in his Providence has given me, my Will is Shall be disposed of as followeth Viz^t.

   Item. I give & bequeath unto Martha my dearly beloved Wife and to her Heirs & Assigns forever, Twelve Acres of my Land at a Place called Pudden Hole in Kittery aforesaid beginning at the Southeast Side of Said Land, and to extend Northwestward the whole length of my Land toward Moses Hanscoms Land until Said Twelve Acres be compleated. Also I bequeath to my Said Wife her Heirs & Assigns forever the one Moiety or half part of all that Tract of Land I purchased of       Proctor lying & being in the Town of Biddeford in the County Afores^d be the Same more or less. Also I bequeath to Martha my Said Wife all my personal Estate of every kind whatsoever after my funeral Charges & just Debts are paid; And also all the Profits and yearly Income of my Housing Buildings & Homestead Lands where I now dwell until my Son Nathan Libby comes to y^e Age of twenty four years; And afterward, I give to my Said Wife the moiety or half part of the clear profits & yearly Income of my Homestead Lands before mentioned during her natural Life.

   Item. I give & bequeath unto my beloved Son Ioseph Libby and to his Heirs & assigns forever all that my Tract of Land in Biddeford afores^d whereon he now dwells containing twenty Acres more or less the which I purchased of Humphrey Scammon.

   I also give & bequeath to my Said Son Joseph Libby his Heirs & Assigns forever, The one half of my certain Tract of Land in Biddeford afores^d which I purchased of       Proctor aforesaid.

   Item, I give & bequeath unto my beloved Son Ruben Libby his Heirs & Assigns forever twenty acres of my Land at a Place called Pudding Hole in Kittery afores^d lying & being between the Lands of Moses Hanscom on y^e North west & the Land herein given to my Wife on y^e Southeast be y^e Same more or less.

   Item, I give & bequeath unto my beloved Son Nathan Libby his Heirs & Assigns forever one moiety or half part of all that Tract or parcel of Land whereon I now dwell with half the Buildings & Appurtenances thereon when he comes to the Age of twenty four years.

   Item I give & bequeath unto my beloved Son Simon Libby his Heirs & Assigns forever the remaining half part of my Homestead Land & Buildings where I now live in Kittery aforesaid when he Arrives to y^e Age of twenty two Years, And if either of my two Sons namely Nathan or Simon Should depart this Life before they receive the Legacy given them in this my Will leaving no issue of his body lawfully begotten then my Will & Meaning is the Son Surviving Shall have the whole of my Homestead Lands & Buildings to him his Heirs and Assigns forever. Item I give & bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Anne Libby thirteen pounds Six Shillings and eight pence in Money or Cattle at Money Price within two Years after my Decease. Item, I give & bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Martha Libby thirteen pounds Six Shillings & eight pence in Money or other things for her Support which She may Stand in need of at Money Price as She wants them. Item, I give & bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Unice, Thirteen pounds Six Shillings & eight pence in Money or in Cattle at Money Price when She arrives to the Age of twenty Years. All which Legacys are to be paid by my Executrix; and the Legacy given to my Executrix is Subjected to the Payment thereof.

   Item, I give & bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Martha afores^d If She Should live Single & unmarried to old Age, and not able to Support her Self the Sum of two pounds thirteen Shillings & four pence per annum to be paid by my four Sons Joseph Ruben Nathan & Simon and the Legacys given them are Subjected to y^e Payment their in equal Proportions. And I do hereby ordain and appoint Martha my beloved Wife Sole Executrix of this my last Will & Testament.

   In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand & affixed my Seal on the Day and Date first above written.

Solomon Libbey (Seal)
his mark            

   Signed Sealed published pronounced & declared by y^e Said Solomon Libby as his last Will & Testament, In presence of us the Subscribers,

   Ioshua Staple, Moses Hanscom, Ioseph Hammond.