Beaver County PA Archives: Wills.....DEENS, James L., Rev., 1892: Moon Twp, Beaver Co, PA
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  File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
  Harry W. Kier kierh@charter.net Dec, 2005
  
  Last Will and Testament of Rev. James L. Deens
  Late of Moon Township, Deceased, Registered 21st day of May, 1892
  
   Know all persons who are in anywise concerned that I, James L. Deens, of
  Moon Township, Beaver County, State of Pennsylvania, being of sound mind &
  memory & and in the Seventy Third year of my age, conclude that it is quite
  time that I arrange my temporal affairs with a view to the close of life at
  any time, & I do at last,  & herein indicate, record & register the
  disposition I desire & appoint to be made of whatever property I may be at
  the time of my death the owner of.
  
   And first I direct that all the live stock, wagons, carriages & farming
  utensils on the farm be sold within a reasonable time after my death & that
  all my debt, doctor bill, & the cost of a plain, inexpensive, funeral be
  paid as early as convenient.  Furthermore I direct that all my letters &
  manuscripts be destroyed except such as may have a money value & that my
  books be retained in & for the use of the family.
  
   To my son John L. Deens I bequeath my watch, which he may dispose of only
  to one of the family.
  
   All the remainder of my property real, personal, and mixed, if there be
  such a thing as mixed property, I bequeath to my wife, Mary E. Deens & my
  daughters, Margaret A. Deens & Anna M. Deens during the natural life of my
  wife, Mary E. Deens.
  
  Said wife Mary E. Deens to have one half of the annual revenue of said
  property & each of my daughters, Margaret A. Deens & Anna M. Deens so long
  as unmarried to have one forth of said revenue.  In the event of marriage
  or death of either or both of the aforesaid, Margaret A. or Anna M. Deens
  before the death of their mother, then the portion bequeathed above to said
  party or parties so marrying or dying shall go to her, their mother, during
  her life.
  
   I direct further that at the death of my wife, Mary E. Deens, my farm in
  Moon Township, Beaver Co., Pa., be divided among my children & that eleven
  acres on the north end of Deens farm & joining the land of  the heirs of
  Wisemann be given to & become the property of my daughter, Minnie G. 
   Dowdell, & that the next adjoining twenty one acres including the dwelling
  house & out buildings become the property of my daughters, Margaret A. Deens
  & Anna M. Deens jointly.  The adjoining thirteen acres I leave to & shall
  become the property of my son James L. Deens.  The next adjoining fifteen
  acres bequeath to my son, John L.  Deens & the next & remaining Ten Acres
  adjoining the lands of the County home I give to & shall become the
  property of my son Charles H. A. Deens. Each of the above divisions is to
  have its front on the county road & to run to low water mark.  Should there
  be more than seventy acres in the tract, each of the divisions shall receive
  its portion of the surplus & should there be less than seventy acres, each
  of the divisions shall bear its portion of the decrease.
  
  I do further direct and appoint that none of the portions of land herein
  bequeathed to my children shall be sold or pass out of the possession of
  the party to whom it is herein bequeathed until the expiration of ten years
  after my death.
  
   Whatever of my personal property may be remaining at the death of my wife,
  Mary E. Deens, I direct shall be divided among my surviving daughters, one
  half to be given to Minnie G. Dowdell, to be expended on the education of
  her children, and the other half in equal proportions to my remaining
  surviving daughters or if deceased, the portion of each deceased daughter
  or daughters to their heirs.
  
   I appoint as executors to carry out the provisions of the within will my
  sons James C. Deens & John L. Deens & Anna M. Deens without bond.
  
   Made, signed, & published as my last will & testament this seventh day of
  February, Eighteen Hundred and Ninety Two.
  
          James L. Deens
  
  P. S. An item is omitted in the forgoing that is of special interest to
  me.  Should anything mark my grave, it must be of the plainest character,
  may not cost more than fifty dollars, and must contain no inscription other
  than my name and age.
          James L. Deens
  
  Transcribed from the County record and digitized 19 Apr 2003
  By his great great grandson, Harry W. Kier