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Will of Robert Houston of Somerset Co., MD, 1694

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Peggy Miller.

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Somerset County Will
Robert Houston of Somerset County
Written 25 Apr 1693
Probated 20 Jan 1693/4

This will was found at the Maryland Archives in Annapolis by Peggy Miller. 
pmiller@olg.com

In the name of god amen.
To all Christian People to whom these presents shall  come Know yee that the 
25 Day of April in the year of our Lord 1693 I ROBERT HOUSTON of Pocomoke be 
in the County of Somerset in the province of Maryland planter being weak of 
body yet of good and perfect memory Thanks be to God Calling to Remembrance 
the uncertainty of this Transitory Life and that all flesh must yield unto 
Death whensoever it shall please God to call Do make Constitute ordain and 
Declare this my Last will and Testament in the manner and form following 
Revoking and annulling by these presents all and Every Testament and 
Testament will or wills heretofore by me made and Declared Either by word 
of mouth or writing and this to be taken only for my Last Will and Testament 
and none other.  And first being penitent and sorry from the bottom of my 
heart for my Sins past most humbly Desiring forgiveness for the Same I give 
and Commit my soul unto almighty god my Savior and Redeemer in whom and by 
the Merits of Jesus Christ I trust and believe assuredly to be Saved and to 
have full remission and forgiveness of all my Sins and that my Soul with my 
Body at the general Day of Judgment and Resurrection Shall rise again with 
Joy and through the Merrits of Christs Death and passion Inherite the Kingdom
of Heaven prepared for his Elect and Chosen and my body to be buried in such 
place where it shall please my Executors after named to appoint and now for 
the Settling of my Temporall Estate and Such Goods and Chattels and Debts as 
it hath pleased god far above my Deserts to bestow upon me  I do order give 
and Dispose the Same in manner and form following that is to Say first I will
that all those Debts and Duties that I owe in right or Conscience to any 
Manner of person or persons Shall be well and truly contented and paid or 
ordained to be paid within convenient after my decease by my Executors 
hereafter named
Item I give and bequeath to my wife GRACE HOUSTON her thirds of the 
plantation whereon I now live during the time of her widowhood but in case 
she marry's again then she shall have only a bed and furniture, and what 
wearing Cloaths She hath.   Also I give and bequeath unto my Eldest Son JOHN 
HOUSTON one hundred acres of LAND called SCOTS LOTT and which he is now 
possessed of, to him and his heir male procreate of his own body and so to 
continue from heir male to heir male Entailed for Ever.    Item I give to my 
Son ROBERT HOUSTON the Plantation whereon I now Live and to be bounded by a 
branch coming out of a Creek Called HOUSTONS CREEK and running up the 
southern most side of and  to field called Capt. Thomas old field to him and 
his heirs male procreate of his own body and to continue from heir male to 
heir male Entailed for Ever.   Item I give to my son JAMES all that Land from
the last mentioned branch to the Northwards of it and to run across the head 
of the plantation as so far as shall take in two hundred and fifty acres of 
Land to him and his heirs male procreate of his body and to continue from 
heir male to heir male Entailed for Ever.   Item I give and bequeath Seventy 
five acres of Marish Lying and being on the North side of Pocomoke River part
of a parcel of Marish Called HOUSTONS CHOICE to be Equally divided between my
Said Sons ROBERT and JAMES and their heirs male and to continue from heir 
male to heir male Entailed for Ever.  I give to my son THOMAS HOUSTON one 
piece of Land Lying in the forked Neck called SECOND CHOICE to him and his 
heirs male procreate of his own body and to continue from heir male to heir 
male Entailed for Ever.  Also I will that if any of my Said Sons JOHN, ROBERT
JAMES and THOMAS should happen to dye without heir male procreate of their 
bodys - in Such Case the Lands hereby given to that person Shall descend to 
my sons JOSEPH and BENJAMIN to be equally shared between them and to remain 
in the Same Nature as is above Expressed to hem and their heirs for Ever.  
Item (here the will was broke) Item I give, Have given unto my Son JOHN 
HOUSTON Girl called MARY who is now in his possession and has been ever Since
she was twelve month old which said negros I have freely given as a gift to 
my said Son and his heirs before sufficient Evidences before this my last 
will was writt and one chest marked JH and one gun one iron Kettle one brass 
skillet one table and one feather bed all which he hath in his possession.  
Item I give unto my Said Son JOHN HOUSTON one case of pistolls and Holsters 
with my great  Saddle murb? Bridle and all other furniture thereunto 
belonging and all my wearing Cloathes as also four Ewes and two hides of 
upper Leather and two hides of Sole Leather.  Item I give to my Son ROBERT 
one musket marked RH one mare called good Willie the increase Male of the 
Said mare the female increase of the said mare to be for the use of my Son's 
THOMAS, JOSEPH and BENJAMIN and their heirs and the profits of them to be 
Equally Shared among them Likewise I give unto my Son ROBERT one long table 
and form one great cupboard three black walnut chairs and one great Chair(?) 
with my name on it which are now in my dwelling house.  
Item I give unto my Son JAMES HOUSTON one long Chest one Small long table 
with a cedar frame one long gun called up Shott, one young filly of a ____ 
colour and three black walnut chairs which are in JOHN PITTS custody and two 
Cows and Calves and four Ewes to be delivered to him when he is at age.
Item I give unto my Eldest son (viz?) JOHN four black walnut chairs.   Item 
I give unto my Daughter GRACE BENSTON three Ewes three weathers(?) and the 
first Live child which my Negro Betty shall happen to bear to recovered by 
my said Daughter when it is weanable One hide of Tanned Sole Leather one hide
of curryed upper Leather.  Item I give and bequeath unto my Son THOMAS the 
next child Live child that my Said Negro woman Betty doth bear whether it be 
male or female to be received by my Said Son THOMAS when it is weanable and 
three chairs that is in JOHN PITTS custody.  Item I give unto my Son JOSEPH 
one Negro woman called Betty to him and his heirs for Ever with Encrease 
(except before excepted) and two chairs which are in the custody of the Said 
PITTS.
Item I give unto my Son BENJAMIN one Negro Boy called Dick to him and his 
heirs for Ever.
Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter COMFORT HOUSTON two Ewes and ____ 
weathers.
Further more I will and Desire that all the rest of my Goods Chattels and 
household  Stuff Shale remain and be for the use and in the possession of 
my Wife GRACE HOUSTON during the time She remains my widow and afterwards 
to be Equally Shared and distributed between my Children JAMES, COMFORT, 
THOMAS, JOSEPH and BENJAMIN and their heirs and if either of my Sons JOSEPH 
or BENJAMIN or both of them should dye without issue then the Negro hereby 
given to that party Shall fall to my Son THOMAS for the use of him and his 
heirs and if my son THOMAS shall dye without heir then the said Negro or 
Negroes so given shall fall to my son ROBERT .  I do also will and desire 
that those Children above Said shall not sell or dispose of any thing hereby 
given them without the consent of their guardians hereafter in these presents
nominated until they  ___ either of them comes to age which shall be at 
Sixteen years if my wife GRACE marrys but if she remains in her widowhood 
not at age till  one and Twenty Except my Daughter COMFORT HOUSTON and also 
I desire my Executors Wm. SMITH and JOHN TAYLOR of Pocomoke in the County of 
Somerset and province of Maryland to see that this  my Last Will and 
Testament be well and truly Executed and fulfilled and do Commit the Care of 
my Said Children and Estate to the Said Executors during their minority and 
this I Declare to be my Last Will and Testament As witness my hand and Seal 
this 25th of April annog Dom 1693.
Robert R. Houston (His Mark) (Seale)
Signed Sealed in the Presence of Us:
John Taylor, William Benson, Henry Scholafield

The following was written on the bottom of the will:
Memorand in that this day being the 20th day of January 1693/4 Probate of 
this Will was made by the oaths of JOHN TAYLOR Wm BENSTON and HENRY 
SCHOLEFIELD who were all Sworn before me on the holy Evangolist.
Witness my hand  ------------ Samule Hopkins Dep This County(?) 

© 2000 Peggy Miller