Wills: Alexander Henderson, 1771: Upper Merion Twp, Philadelphia (now Montgomery) County, PA
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Will of Alexander Henderson-Philadelphia County, PA Will Book P, #60, pp
87-89
In the name of God Amen this third day of June in the Year One Thousand
Seven Hundred and Sixty Nine I Alexander Henderson of Upper Merion in the County
of Phiadelphia & Province of Pensilvania[sic] Yeoman being weak of Bodybut of Sound
& disposing Mind & Memory thanks be to God therefore and calling to mindthe
Mortality of this Body, and knowing it Appointed for all Men once to diedo make and
Ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner & form following Vizt Principally
and firs[sic] I recommend my Soul to God who Gave it and my Body to the Earth to be
Buried in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors hereafter named
And as to the Worldly Estate it hath pleased God to bless me with in this World I give &
divise and dispose thereof as Followeth that is to say. Imprimis my Will is that my Just
Debts & funeral Charges be fully paid. Item I give and divise to my loving Wife Jane
during her natural Life the Sole use & income of the Plantation whereon I now Live
being about two Hundred Acres of Land with all the moveables & improvements thereto
and after her Decease I do give and devise the said Plantation & improvements thereto belonging
to my Grandson Alexander Henderson & the Male Heirs of his Body &
failing of such to the next state Heirs of Kin to said Alexander & their Male Heirs for-
ever and if my Wife should Die before the said Alexander Henderson shall come of Age
that the Plantation shall be rented by my Executors for the space of Fifteen Years or
till my Grandson comes of Age and the Rent disposed of in the following manner the
first four years Rent at the Expiration of said four years shall be paid my Son Johns
Creditors in proportion to the Sums due to them by him provided the said Creditors
will accept the same in full satisfaction of their several debts Dues[?] & demands that
are now against the said John Henderson and if the[sic] refuse to accept it in the manner
aforesaid the said four years Rent shall be divided among my Grand Children each
receiving their share when the[sic] arive[sic] to the age of Twenty one Years & the remaining
Rent till my Grand son comes of Age shall be thus disposed of viz Five years Rent among
the Children of my Daughter Elizabeth Long; two years Rent equally divided between
Elijah and Elizabeth Stinson, one years Rent to my Daughter Mary & three years Rent
for the three Younger Children of my Son John Henderson & so in proportion if they
should not be so many years as fifteen after my decease & the decease of my Wife
before my Grandson comes of age it also is my Will that if my Daughter Mary should
hereafter become a Widow that she shall have the Small dwelling House near my
Mansion House also the little Field by the Barn, Pasturage for one Cow one Acre of meadow
[p 88] in such part as she shall Choose, the Priviledge of cutting & Hauling her firewood
with a Garden at the Head of the Orchard for and during the time of her Widowhood
& no longer. Item I give and devise to Samuel Henderson another of my Grand
sons all that Plantation situate in the Townsip affordsd adjoyning Edward
Powells Land One hundred and twenty five Acres (the said twenty five Acres
being part of fifty Acres conveyed to me by Edward Roberts & to be taken out of
said fifty Acres to the Westward so as to be most Convenient to the said Hundred
Acres) to hold the said Plantation of One hundred and Twenty five Acres to the
said Samuel Henderson & his Heirs Male & failing of such to the Heirs Male of
my Daughter Elizabeth Long & their Heirs Male forever. And it is my Will that till
the said Samuel Henderson shall come of age the Rents & Profits arising out of the said Plantation shall be laid out at the discretion of my Executors for
the Support
of my Son John Henderson & his Wife and Children. Item I give & bequeath to my
Son John the Sum of Five pounds, to my Son in Law Andrew Crawford five Shillings,
to my Daughter Sarah Crawford the Sum of Five pounds, to my Son in Law
Williiam Long One hundred pounds, to my Grand Son Alexander Crawford Five
pounds & to my Grand Daughter Sarah Crawford Five Shillings. All which
Legacies I Will & order to be paid to the Respective Legaties within on year after
my Decease unless my Wife should Survive me & then in one Year after her
Decease. Item I do Will & Give the Sum of Fifty pounds to my Grand Son Jon
athan James and the Sum of Forty pounds to my Grand Son Daniel James
to be paid them by my Executors on the day of their Respective Marriages and
if they or either of them Dye[sic] before Marriage the Money of both if both should
Die or the Share of such of them as may Die before Marriage shall be divided
equally among all my Grand Children. Item I give to my Gradson [sic] Alexander
Henderson my Clock to be in his Fathers care until he is of age. Item I give to
my Daughter Elizabeth Long my Brass Pann[sic] with the Second best Bed in
my House with the Furniture belonging thereto and to my Grand Daughter
Jane Henderson I give the best Bed and Furniture also my Chest of Drawers
& a Spinning Wheel and all the rest & residue of my real Estate whatsoever in
the said Province of Pensilvania I give to my Grand Son Alexander Henderson
& his Heirs Male under the Limitations afforsd and all the rest and residue of
my Personal Estate Goods & Chattels of what kind soever I give and bequeath
to my Son John Henderson my Daughter Mary & my Daughter Elizabeth Long
And do nominate Constitute and Appoint my Loving Wife Jane & my Son in Law
William Long and Joseph Inglis to be the Sole & Joynt Executors of this my last
Will & Testament and I do hereby disanull and revoke all other Wills & Testaments
Legacy, and Executors at anytime before this made Willed or Bequeathed by
Word or writing 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 /
his
Alexander X Henderson
Mark Seal
Sealed Published by the said Alexander Henderson / in the presence of us
Jonathan Roberts Samuel Holstein George George
Philada March 30th 1771 Personally appeared Jonathan Roberts and Samuel
Holstein two of the Witnesses to the foregoing Will and the said Jonathan Roberts
on his Solemn Affirmation according to Law and the said Samuel Holstein on Oath
did respectively declare that they saw and heard Alexander Henderson the
Testator
[p 89] Testator therein mentioned Sign, Seal, Publish and declare the Same Will for and as
his last Will and Testament and that at the Execution thereof he was of Sound disposing
Mind Memory and understanding to the best of their Knowledge & Belief
Coram Benjamin Chew Reg Genl
Be it Remembered that one the Thirtieth day of March 1771 the last Will
and Testament of Alexander Henderson deceased in due form of Law was proved and picked[?]
and Letters Testamentary thereof were Granted to Jane Henderson, William Long and Joseph
Inglis Executors in the Said Will named being first duly Sworn well and truly to
Administer the said deceaseds Estate and bring an Inventory thereof into the Register
Generals Office at Philadelphia on or before the Thirtieth day of April next and render
a True and Just Account of the Said Administration on or before the Thirtieth day of
March 1772 or when thereto Legally required. Given under the Seal of the Said Office
Benjamin Chew Reg Genl
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