Last Will and Testament of James GRAHAM (1779), Chester Co., PA
Contributed to the USGenWeb Archives by Anna Brown [elijahf1@comcast.net]
Copyright 2004. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm
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James Graham's Will Chester Co PA
Dated March 1779 & Proved 20 February 1784 Recorded Book G page 207 Estate #
3539
In the Name of God Amen This Day of March One Thousand Seven hundred
and Seventy Nine
I James Graham of West Nantmell Township Chester County & ComenWelth of
Pennsylvania Farmer Being frail of Body But of perfect Mind and memory thanks be
to God therefore Calling into Mind the Mortality of My Body and knowing that it
is appointed for all men once to Die Do make and Ordain this my last Will and
Testament first and Principally of all I Recommend my Soul into the Hands of
Almighty God that Gave it and my Body to the earth to be Buried In a Decent and
Christian Burial at the Discretion of My Executors nothing Doubting But at the
General resurrection I Shall Receive the Same again and as touching Such worldly
Estate Wherewith it hath pleased god to Bless me in this life I Do Give Demise
and Dispose of the
Same in the way and manner following It is my Will that all my Legal
Debts Funeral Charges Doctors be paid by my Executors . . . . .
. . . . . . .
Imprimis I Do Give and Bequeth to Mary my Well Beloved Wife the Sum of three
Hundred pounds In Cash also I allow her my Negro Wench Named Sall to Wait on her
During her life also I allow my Wife two Cows & one Horse or Mare at her
Choosing and the sd Cows and horse Kept in Good Order Sumer and Winter at the
Expence of my Real Estate During my Wifes life and at her Death it is my Will
that the above dowry Be Divided amongst My Daughters
that will be afterward Mentioned as my wife Sees Cause also I allow to my
wife Thirty pounds worth of Furniture that She may Choose valued at the old
valuation and at her Death to be Disposed of in the Manner as the Above Dowry
also it is my Will that my wife Shall have her Choose of any two Rooms In my
dwelling house to live In and Sufficiant Mantainance for her and her Negro
During her widdowhood of my Real Estate also it is my will that my wife Shall
have her Choose of any Bed and furniture in My House and all the aBove Dowry at
my wifes Death Shall Be Divided as above Mentioned Item, I Do Give and Bequeth
to My Daughter Esther the Sum of fifty pounds In Cash Item, I Do Give and
Bequeth to My Daughter Mary the Sum of Fourty pounds In Cash Item, I Do Give and
Bequeth to My Son John the Sum of fifty pounds In Cash Item, I Do Give and
Bequeth to My Daughter Margret the Sum of Fourty pounds In Cash and the Negro
Wench Named Nance Item, I Do Give and Bequeth to My Son Michael one third of all
my Real Estate that I now live on and My Negro Named Jack to him or to his heirs
or assigns for Ever --------------- Item, I Do Give and Bequeth to My Daughter
Margret Son James Campbell the one third of all my Real estate I now live on to
him to his Heirs or assigns For Ever Item, I Do Give and Bequeth to My Son James
Son James the other third of all my Real Estate I now Live on to him his heirs
or assigns for Ever It is my Will that my Son Michael My Grand Son James
Campbell and my grand Son James Graham pay unto my Son Samuel two hundred pounds
in Cash five Years after my Decease and that Each of them or their Guardines
Shall pay each of them An equal Sum of the Sd two hundred pounds But if the Sd
James Campbell Shall See Cause to sell his third to My Son Michael he Shall not
Receive More than Six Hundred pounds for it & if my Grandson James Graham Sees
Cause to Sell his third to My Son Michael he Shall not Receive more than three
Hundred pounds for it and in this Case My Son Michael Shall pay
the above Mentioned two hundred pounds unto My Son Samuel . . .
. .
Item, I Do Give and Bequeth to My Son James the Sum of ten pounds in Cash Item,
I Do Give and Bequeth to My Son Samuel the Sum of two Hundred pounds in Cash at
my Decease and if any of the two Heirs of my Real Estate (viz) James Campbell
and James Graham Shall Die Before they Comes of age or Before they have any
Heirs Legally Begotten off their Body their part Shall
go to their heir at Law . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
Item, I Do Give and Bequeth to My Daughter Abigail two Hundred pounds In Cash at
my Decease exclusive of what I have given her and My Negro Child
Called Bill . . . . . . ..
Item, I Do Give and Bequeth all the Rights I have of that Improvment or Tract of
Land I purchased of Laverty to be Equally Divided Between my two Sons John and
Michael, or to their Heirs or assigns for Ever Item, I Do Give and Bequeth to my
Son Johns Daughter Mary Graham the Sum of fifty pounds In Cash Item, I Do Give
and Bequeth to my Daughter Esther Son James Robison fourty pounds In Cash Item,
I Do Give and Bequeth To my Grand Daughter Esther Robison the Sum of twenty
pounds . . .
I Do Give and Bequeth to each of my Grand Children now Born not mentioned in
this will the Sum of five pounds and if my Personal Estate Shall amount to more
at the time of My Decese then what will pay the Legacies and other uses I have
mentioned to be paid in Cash I allow the Remainder or over plush Mony to be
Divided Equally Between My Son Samuel & all my Daughters Each of them to get
alike and if it Should amount to less these that have their part in money Shall
Share In Proportion to the Sum left them It is my Will that my executors Shall
pay all the Legacies I have Bequethed as Soon as they Can Conveniently Collect
the Money and I Do hereby Constitute make and ordain Mary my well Beloved Wife
My Son Michael and My Son In Law James McCamant To be my whole and Sole
executors of this my Last will and Testament and I Do utterly Disalow Revoke and
Disanull and and Every other former Testament Wills Legacies and Bequeths and
executors By me in any Way Before Mentioned willed and Bequethed Ratifying and
Confirming This and no other to be my Last will and Testament In Witness whereof
I have hereunto Set my hand and seal the Day and Year above written Signed
Sealed published pronounced
and Declared By the said James his
Graham as his Last will and James J Graham seal
Testament in the presence of us mark
the Subscribers
William Cuningham
Samuel McCamant
James Wilson
Memorandum. That before the proving of the foregoing Will Mary Graham Widow of
the Testator Claimed her Dower Out of the said Testators Estate according to Law
before Jn Beaton Regr
East Caln 20th Feby 1784 then personally appeared William Cunningham and
Samuel McCamant and on their Solemn Oaths According to Law did declare depose
and say that they were personally present and did see and hear James Graham the
Testator above named Sign Seal publish pronounce & declare the foregoing writing
as & for his Last Will & testament and that at the doing thereof he was of a
sound and well disposing Mind & Memory to the best of their Understandings -----
Sworn before Jn Beaton Regr
Persons named in the will of James Graham, dated 3/1779 and proved
20/2/1784:
wife Mary
sons: Michael, John, James, & Samuel
daughters: Esther, Mary, Margret, Abigail
grandsons: James Graham(son of son James), James Campbell(son of daughter
Margret), James Robison(son of daughter Esther)
granddaughters: Mary Graham(daughter of son John), Esther Robison(daughter of
daughter Esther) Son in law: James McCamant
Executors: wife Mary, son Michael, & son-in-law James McCamant
Negroes: Sall, Nance, Jack, & Bill
witnesses: William Cunningham, Samuel McCamant, & James Wilson
Registrar: John Beaton
Mr. Laverty - sold land to James Graham
---------------------------
transcribed by Anna Brown 7 March 2004 from photocopy of the will
(from estate file 3539)