Wills: Will of Christian Hollebush (1777): Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Bob Bickhart
<rlbickhart@hotmail.com>.
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LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF CHRISTIAN HOLLEBUSH
In the Name of god amen I Christian Hollebush of Fredarich Town Ship in
Philada. Yeoman Being far Advanced in years and weak in Body But of Sound Mind
mamory and unterstanding And Considaring The Mortality of men I Therefor Do
ordain and Publish my least will and Testament this fifteenth Day of march in
the year of our Lord one thousend seven Hundred [and] Seventy Seven That is To
say first I Do Deliver my Soul in [do the hands of] god allmighty And my Body
unto the Earth to [be buried in] Christian Like manner And Concarning My
worldly [Estate], werewith it has pleased god to Blease me with I Do Dispose of
the Same in the following manner I will That all my Just and Lawfull Debts
Shall be Just and fully paid By my hereafter Named Executors Item I give and
Devise unto my loving wife Anna Mary our Bed with Bedsted Couttings and all
beloning to the Same one Cow one Sheep a Swein to Choose which She will Two
iron pots a frying pan five Brass Leadles a halfe Dozen pewder Spoons Two
plats and Two Bassons Two Books her Spinning wheel a Lamp Two pails a wash
Tub a Smal Table and of the meat what will be in the House at my Deseace So
much as Shee will and Ten Bushel Rey [and three Bushel of Wheat And] the fifth
part of all my money and [moveable Estate all that I give] and Devise unto her
for her one use and Desposal And further I give and Devise unto her During her
Natural Life or So long Shee Remainds My Widow the Smal place wheron I now
Dwell in the above Said Town Ship Containing Twenty Two acres with Eight acres
more to the Same from my other pleace which is allrady Survayed to the Same To
have and to hold the Same unto her During the Time beforesaid And after her
Deseace or if She Should marry agin then it is my will that the [Place shall]
besold on Publick Sale And further I give and [devise unto] her the Sum of Two
Hundred Pounds or Batter [to Say the] Intrest thereof Solong She Remainds My
widow Which Sum Shall beleaft on my other Place Whih Shall be Sold on Publick
Sale after my Deseace and the Said Two Hundred Pounds Shall be the first three
yearly payments to Be made Equaly to the Purchaser of the pleace and as the
become Due the Purchaser Shall pay the Intrest to my wife During her widowhood
And after her widowhood the Intrest of the Said Two Hundred Pounds Shall case
And the Purchaser of the pleace Shall pay the Said Two Hundred Pounds in four
[yearly Equal Shares Payments without Intrest All my moveable] Estate shall be
Sold on Publick Sale Item I give and Devise unto my grand Son the Eldest Son
of My Daughter Catharina named Christian the Sum of Ten Pounds Current money
of Pensilvania to Be paid to him when he Shall be at his Lawfull age But in
Case he Should Die befor then the said Sum Shall Devolve to his Mother or her
Heirs And the Resedue of my Estate I give and Devise unto my four Childern
named Catharina, Mary Elisabeth, Jacobina, and Margret in Equal Shares to Be
Devided or the Heirs of their Bodys Item It is my will that my outstanding
money and my movable Estate Shall be Devided Betwen my wife and Childern as Soon
as possable after my Deseace Item it is my will that the Sums which are Set
Down in my Account Book Shall be Charged to their Equal Shares And after this
the Purchas money of my Real Estate my Eldest Daughter Shall have her full
Share first thereof and then as the follow in age the shall Recive Their Shares
as the payments of my Real Estate Shall become Due Item it is further my will
that my Executors Shall have for Their Time and Trouble which the Shall have
about my Estate the Sum of fifteen Pounds Equal Betwen them to be Devided And
I Do Nominat and apoint my Two Son in Laws Conrad Bighart And Paul Kneper
Executors of this My last will and Testament And give them full Power To give
and to Execute Such Deeds to the Purchaser of my land and Improvments as I
Personaly Could Do my Selfes And I Do Annihilate her with all my other And
former mad wills and Testaments Ratefeying this to Be my only Active Least will
and Testament As Witniss my hand and Seal the Day and year first above Written
Signed Sealed and Declared by the Said Christian Hollebush
as his least will & Testament in the present of us -
Christian Hollebush
Adam Holbush Jurt Proved 26 feby
1779
Henrich Beyer Jurt Exr Jurty Eo. di
John Barkey
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES:
The above Last Will and Testament (which is handwritten in English) was
transcribed verbatim (as much as possible) from a somewhat poor copy of the
original Will (Philadelphia County No. 172). The original document is nearly
void of punctuation. Obvious misspelled words were underlined by the
transcriber. Brackets were added to denote words which were apparently obscured
by tape on the folds of the original document, or missing from the copy being
transcribed. The obscured and missing words were taken from a copy of the Will
as it appears in the Will Book (Philadelphia County Will Book R, pages 165 and
166).
The text of the Will, as it was transcribed into the Will Book, was somewhat
altered grammatically, some word spelling was corrected, and some punctuation
was added. Also, the names of the children are given as Catharine, Mary.
Elizabeth, Jacobina & Margret, and the names of the sons-in-law are given as
Conrad Bigheart & Paul Kneeper.
The signatures of Adam Holbush and Henrich Beyer are in German script. The
signature of John Barkey is in English script. The signature of the Testator is
in German script and, though bold, is partially obscured and altogether quite
undecipherable. The abbreviation Jurt [Jurant] after two of the signatures
denotes those who took an oath and, together with the Proved ... notation,
were likely added by the Register at the time the Will was proved.
The following words appear after the Will, as it was copied into the Will Book:
Philada. Feby. 26:1779. personally appeard Adam Holbush and Henry Beyer, the
witnesses to the foregoing Will and on their Oath did declare, that they saw &
heard Christian Hollebush the Testator therein named, sign, seal, publish and
declare the Same for and as his last Will and Testament and that at the doing
thereof he was of sound, disposing Mind, Memory & Understanding to the best of
their Knowledge & Belief ......... Coram.Saml Morris Regist.
Be it remembered that on the 26th day of feby 1779. the last Will and Testament
of Christian Hollebush dec'ed, in due Form of Law was proved, and probate &
Letters Testamentary thereof granted to Conrad Bighart & Paul Kneeper, Exrs.
therein named, they having first been duly sworn well and truly to Admr. the
said decd's Estate & bring an Invy. thereof into the Register's Office at
Philada. on or before the 26th day of March next, and to render a true & just
Acct of the said Adms. on or before the 26th Day of Feby. 1780. Given under the
Seal of the said Office ....... p. Saml Morris Regist.
Transcribed by: Bob Bickhart