Wills: John Hopwood (1745-1802) Fayette County, PA
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John Hopwood (1745-1802)
Last Will & Testament
Written: March 4, 1802
Probated: May 6, 1802
Woodstock (Hopwood), Fayette County, Pennsylvania
In the name and will of God, Amen. I, John Hopwood of Fayette
County Woodstock Town and state of Pennsylvania being weak of body
but of sound mind taking into consideration the certainty of the
Death of this frail body and that the time when the place when or
manner here is uncertain to me and as I have some Earthly property
the which God and the laws of the land hath vested in me that the
right to dispose of according to my will therefore from a sense
of duty to God, to a my country and to my beloved wife and children
make ordain -- and publish this as my last will and Testament that
is to say. First, I recommend my soul to Almighty God, the Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ who gave it me to be disposed of according
to his will Trusting as I do in his mercy and goodness, wisdom and
Power for in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily and
my body to the Grave to be decently but plainly buryed at the discretion
of my Executors and friends. Secondly, my will and desire is that
my beloved wife Hannah have and enjoy during her natural life a
full third part of all my property according to law together with
her full right of dower in any property that ever was mine which
she has not relinquished fully of Opinion as I am that I could not
do her that justice which she deserves by any detached portion of
my little property which might Barr her of her dower I therefor
Recommend her to the Kind Care and protection of God and the laws
of the State for her support and maintenance during her natural
life the surplus of her said thirds or dower or over and above what
may be spent by her for her own use she may by will or gift to whom
she thinks fit excepting lands or freehold property which shall
return after her death to the then heirs according to Laws or this
State made and provided. Thirdly, I give and bequeath unto my
only son Moses Hopwood all the lands I now hold in Union and Wharton
Township Except as shall and is herein after excepted /to wit/ sixteen
acres of land in the same more or less including the saw mill Vulcan
Furnace Seat / so called / bounded by Markett Street in the town
of Woodstock on the west end of lots in said Town No. 37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,
by Straight Street on the south and by School Street on the north
holding the course of the two last mentioned streets until they
intersect the outline of my land Easterly which sixteen acres &
c with the appurtenances together with all the Iron Oar in any of
my lands with the liberty freely to dig quarry and carry it to the
said Seat for manufacture and not else where (till melted down)
I annex to and join with said Vulcan Furnace Seat as part of the
privilege weight and benefit of the owner or owners thereof and
I give and bequeath the same that is to say the before mentioned
sixteen acres of land & c all the Iron Oar as aforesaid and all
the wood which is on the tract of land called the Milstone quarry
tract to beloved Grandson John Hopwood (son of said Moses) to him
his heirs and assigns forever. And whereas I have provided Materials
in part and made other preparations for Building a furnace and Mill
& c at said Seat it is my will and desire that my son Moses Hopwood
carry the same into effect as soon as maybe or at least within three
years from the date of these presents then and in that case he shall
be entitled to three fourths of the profits thereof until my said
Grandson comes to the age of twenty one years the remaining one
fourth of the real profits made by said furnace mill & c I will
and desire should be appropriated to the Christian Religious Education
as held forth by the Society call the new Jerusalem Church as also
Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Mathematics, Logick and sound Philosophia
and any other useful Instruction or Science the aforesaid John Hopwood
my grandson together with his brother Moses Hopwood, son of Moses
Hopwood, aforesaid till they come of Age aforesaid at which time
the whole of the furnace mill seat of land, Sixteen acres of Land,
oar, timber and appurtenances shall be the right and persesion in
fee simple of the said John my grandson unimpaired Except so much
as shall be or ought at said Furnace Seat for the use and purpose
before mentioned or alluded too provided always that in case.
My son Moses Hopwood shall build said Furnace Mill & c and carry
them into complete effect and should see cause to sell said Seat
and land aforesaid before either of said children my said grandsons
John and Moses aforesaid come of the age of Twenty one as aforesaid
as the Natural guardian and friend of his own Children I hereby
will and desire an empower him so to do on the following condition
that he reserve and lay up in good secure hands fifteen hundred
pound current money of the State of Pennsylvania for the said John
and one thousand pounds like money for the use of said Moses two
before named Grandsons one third of each to be put to the use of
their education aforesaid and the remainder two thirds kept at interest
for them till they come of age as aforesaid excepting also the houses,
garden and orchard where I now live No. 45,46 and 47 fruit lots
in the town of Woodstock together with an acre of ground including
said Orchard called in general place Burying ground with the appurtenances
unto my Daughter Nancy Deford her lawful heirs and assigns forever
Excepting also for the use and benefit of Charlotte Sutton my Daughter
a house and lot in said town No. 77 which I fought of James Runier
and again excepting for the use and benefit of Lucinda Farr my daughter
a house and lot in said town NO. 70 to be held for her in right
of Moses Hopwood my said son till her daughter Hannah Farr comes
of age and then to her or to be sold for her use and whereas my
Daughters Elizabeth Deford, Nancy Deford, Charlotte Sutton and Lucinda
Fair has had their parts of land and moveables except as by are
Excepted my will and desire is that all debts due to me and all
my movable property except so much as comes to my wifes part be
collected or sold as the case may be to the best Bidder and Equally
divided after my just debts and funeral charges is paid Amongst
my five children, to wit, Moses Hopwood, Charlotte Sutton, Lucinda
Fair, Elizabeth Deford and Nancy Deford my son and four daughters
whereof Nancy Deford shall have an overplus or more than either
of the others of fifty dollars cash for her great care and attention
of or to me and her mother during my distress and I hereby nominate
and appoint Moses Hopwood my said Son, John Deford my Son in law
and John Young of Greensburg attorney at Law or any two of them
my whole and Soul Executors of this my Last will and Testament hereby
revoking, disannuling and making utterly void all other wills, Testaments
or writings which I have heretofore made done or executing and Publishing
this as my last will and testament Signed and Sealed with my own
hand after mature consideration as witness my hand and seal in presence
of the subscribing witness this 4 day of March 1802.
John Hopwood SEAL
Done in the presents of us who in presents of each other set our names as witnesses.
John Barns
Hezekiah Runier
Richard Hall
Fayette County ss
The sixth day May Anno Domini 1802 before me the subscriber Register
for the probate of wills and granting Letters of Administration
in and for the County aforesaid personally came Jesse Barns and
Hezekiah Runier the two first signing witnesses to the foregoing
last will and testament and being duly sworn did declare that they
saw the Testator sign the same and acknowledge it as his last will
when in his right mind -- And that there was no undue influence
used or late will made to their Knowledge or belief Given under
my hand and Seal of Office same day.
Alexander McClean Register
Registered and Compared Sixth day of May A Domini 1802