Chester County Wills

Richard Woodward, 1706

In the name of God amen: the Sixth of September Ano Do 1706, in ye fifth year of the Reign of Queen Anne over England &ct. I Richard Woodward of Middletown in the County of Chester & Province of Pensilvania yeom being sick and weak of body but of sound and perfect memory; praise be unto God for ye same and knowing the uncertainty of this life and desirous to settle things in order do make this my last Will & Testament in manner and form following viz:

Imprimis. First I commend my Soul to Almighty God believing that I shall receive remission of all my sins & be saved by the precious Death and merits of Jesus Christ and my body to the Earth to be buried in such decent & Christian manner as my Executors hereafter named shall think fitt & convenient. As for my worldly estate which God hath given me my will & meaning is, it shall be employed and bestowed as by this Will is expressed and I do revoke renounce frustrate and make void all Wills by me formerly made & declare this my last Will & Testament.

Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved wife Jane Woodward half of the profits that yearly accrues in the Plantation where I now live so long as she keep a Widdow and when she marrys to quit claim said Plantation and my will is she shall ever after be Yearly paid out of the profits of the said Plantation in pounds currant monys of this Province during her naturall life.

Item I give and bequeath unto my son Joseph Woodward ye other half of the said Plantation during his mother's widdowhood and my will is he shall have and enjoy the whole Plantation (If his mother shall remarry) to the use & behoofe of him & his Heirs forever paying as aforesaid six pounds current mony to his mother during her naturall life. And ever after be the ffree Estate of him & his Heirs.

Item I give and bequeath to my Daughter Martha Baker five .. in monys or a Cow equivalent to the sum.

Item I give and bequeath to my Daughter Jane Woodward twenty pound in current monys of this Province.

Item I give and bequeath to my Daughter Mary Woodward twenty pound Current monys of this Province.

Item I give and bequeath to my Daughter Sarah Woodward twenty pounds current monys of this Province.

Item I give and bequeath to my Eldest son Richard Woodward four shillings or a pair of gloves.

Item I give and bequeath to my son Thomas Woodward four shillings or a pair of gloves.

Item I give and bequeath to my son Edward Woodward four shillings or a pair of gloves and my Will is that the said Richard Thomas and Edward shall quit all claims to the remaining part of my estate, real and personal.

Item I constitute and appoint my well beloved wife Jane Woodward and my son Joseph Woodward my true and lawfull Executors of this my last Will & Testament faithfully executed and performed according to the true intent & meaning hereof. And do order them my said Executors to pay all my funerall charges & all my just debts out of my personal Estate as household goods &ct & then the remaining part of my personall Estate to be equally divided betwixt my said Executors my wife to enjoy half part of the said personal Estate during her naturall life and then to be equally divided amongst all my children or their Heirs.

Lastly I appoint my son Richard Woodward of Thornbury and my son Edward Woodward to be my overseers that my Will be faithfully performed.

And I hereby state this to be my Will and sett to my hand & seal the day & year aforementioned. Richard Woodward his mark "R" (Seal)

Sealed and delivered in the presence of ...Jervis, ...Worilaw... Cooper