Will of Philip KEEFER (1826); Frederick County, MD

Contributed to the USGenWeb Archives by Sharon L. Casteel 
<castiron@the-casteels.com>

http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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Will of Philip Keefer

In the name of God, Amen - I, Philip Keefer of Frederick County, state of 
Maryland, being sick and weak in body, but of sound and disposing mind, memory, 
and understanding, considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the 
time thereof,  and being desirous to settle any worldly affairs, and thereby be 
the better prepared to leave this world when it shall please God to call me 
hence,do therefore make and publish this my last will and testament in manner 
and form following, that is to say:  First and principally, I commit my soul 
into the hands of Almighty God, and my body to the earth to be decently buried 
at the discretion of my executrix or executor herinafter named, and after my 
debts and funeral charges are paid I devise and bequeath as follows.  I give and 
bequeath unto my wife Margaret Keefer all my property real personal and mixed to 
have and hold the same during her natural life, and after her deasase to fall to 
my two children Peter Keefer & Mary Elkins to have and to hold the same during 
their natural life's and after their deceaseto fall to their children to be 
disposed of by them as they may deem most proper.  And lastly I do hereby 
constitute and appoint my dear wife Margaret Keefer and David Sprengle to be 
executors of this my last will and testament, revoking and annulling all former 
wills by me heretofore made; ratifying and confirming this and none other to be 
my (last will and) last will and testament.  In Testimony whereof I have 
hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal, this first day of May in the year of 
our Lord one thousand eight hundred twenty six.

Signed, sealed, published, and declared by Philip Keefer the above named 
Testator as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us, who at 
his request in his prescence and in the presence of each other have subscribed 
our names as witnesses thereto - M. E. Bartgis - George Lambrecht - George 
Gebhardt

[note in margin:  See widow's renunciation filed June 27th 1826, and entered on 
the minute books of the proceedings of the orphans court on that day (original 
filed with the will)  
           Er[illlegible] ]

Frederick County, to wit - on the 3d day of June 1826 came Mathias E. Bartgiss 
and made oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God, that the foregoing 
instrument of writing is the true  whole will and testament of Philip Keefer, 
late of Frederick County, deceased, that hath come to his hands and possession, 
and that he doth not know of any other.G. M. Eichelberger, Reg.

Frederick County, to wit - on the 3d day of June 1826 came Mathias E. Bartgiss, 
George Lambrecht and George Gebhardt, the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing 
last will and testament of Philip Keefer, late of said county, decesased, and 
made oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God, that they did see the Testator 
therein named sign and seal this will, that they heard him publish, pronounce 
and decalre the same to be his last will and testament, that at the time of his 
so doing he was to the best of their apprehensions of a sound and disposing mind 
memory and understanding, that they respectfully subscribd their names as 
witnesses thereto at the request of the Testator,and his prescence, and all in 
the prescence of each other.
Test, G. M. Eichelberger, Reg.