Wills: Mary Hastings, 1872: Washington County, Pa., Amwell Township Contributed by Michael Hastings mike hastings <captainmikeinla@yahoo.com> Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/washington/ _______________________________________________ Below is the "will" of Mary Hastings (1797-1875) of Amwell Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania. She most likely was married to a man who was the brother of Samuel and Thomas Hastings. We do not know her maiden name, but she bore a number of children bearing the Hastings name in Pennsylvania. Mary was born in Virginia, but later moved to Pennsylvania. Her "will" was signed and sealed in August of 1872, 4 months before Samuel Hastings made his will in January of 1873. Mary was apx 75 years old at the signing of the will. She mentions leaving some of her inheritance to Samuel Hastings. She died a few year later in the early spring of 1875 at the age of 78, a month after Samuel Hastings died. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I, Mary Hastings of Amwell Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania being of sound mind and memory and understanding do make and publish this my last will and testament hereby revoking and making void all former wills by me at anytime heretofore made. First, I direct that my body be decently buried at the lower terminal Presbyterian Church of Amity, and I direct that my executor put up decent head and foot stones to my grave. I leave my daughter Nancy Jane (Hastings) Clutter the interest of one thousand dollars to be paid to her annually and at her death, the above thousand dollars to be divided among all of the heirs , equal and share alike. I direct my executor (John C. Hastings-son) to invest the said thousand dollars as he may think best. I direct my son William Hastings to have one hundred dollars paid to him out of my estate, it is all he will get of my estate, but the one equal share of the one thousand dollars that Nancy Jane gets the interest of after her death. William is to have one equal share in the above thousand dollars. My household goods consist of bed, bedding, and other things is to be divided between Nancy Jane (Hastings) Clutter....(daughter) , Mary Ann (Hastings) Swart...(daughter), Samuel Hastings, and Henderson Hastings equally. The balance of my personal estate after all funeral expenses and all my debt are said to be divided among all my children, but William and Nancy Jane share and share alike. And I do hereby constitute and appoint my son John C. Hastings my Executor. Signed, Sealed, published, and declared by the above named, Mary Hastings as and for her last will and testament in the presence of us who have hereunto subscibed our names at her request as witnesses thereto in the presence of the said testator..and each other. August 19, 1872 Mary Hastings Workman Hughes James W. Huges Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Washington County, S.S. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Below are more legal details after the death of Mary: Be it remembered that upon this 16th day of March 1875 before one A.O. Day, Register for the probate of wills and granting letters of Administration within and for said county, came workman Hughes and James W. Huges, the subscribed witnesses to the foreging attached WILL OF MARY HASTINGS deceased, who after being duly qualified according to law, depose and say: that they were present at the execution of the said will , saw the testator sign the same, heard her publish it as and for her last will and testament..that they at her request, in her presence, and in the presence of each other, subscribed their names thereto as witnesses. Sworn and subscribed before Workman Hughes A.O. DAY - Register James W. Hughes And now March 16th, 1875 It being adjudged that the said will has been duly proved, letters are issued to JOHN C. HASTINGS who is duly qualified by A.O. DAY- Register. ------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: On the 1850 Amwell Census records, Mary's household does not include John or William Hastings. We find that Mary has 4 females living with her: Mary Hastings............age 53 Nancy J.......................age 24 Sarah Hastings..........age 21 Mary Ann Hastings....age 18 ?...................................age 5 What is interesting to note is that there is a John Hastings, age 22, who is living in Amwell Township with another family ...The Selah Baldwin Family. His age chronilogically fits in between the two girls above...Sarah and Nancy. This is most likely the John Hastings that is later named as executor and son of Mary Hastings in the will. William is probably living with another family as well, since Mary's household may have been small, and filled with all females. We are not sure why Sarah Hastings is not mentioned in Mary's will...She may have died, moved, or married well. Since we do not know the name of Mary's husband, it's safe to say that his name was probably either William or John, as named after her sons. At the signing of the "will" in 1872: Mary Hastings is 75 Nancy Jane is 46 Sarah is 43 Mary Ann is 40 young child 27 To view the location of Amwell Township and Washington County, go to: www.captainhastings.com and click on "genealogy" and scroll to the bottom.