Chester County Wills

WILL OF JOHN GEMMILL V.D.M.
PROVED 26 DEC 1814

Be it remembered that I John Gemmil D. V. M. of Chester County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania being of sound mind and memory but labouring under a complaint which threatens the dissolution of my mortal body, do make, ordain and establish this my last Will and Testament.

Imprimes, I order that all my Just debts and funeral expenses be paid out of my undivided estate . . .

Item I bequeath to my son John my Mahogany desk and bookcase, my silver Tankard, all my classical books on language, philosophy, Mathematics and History and my gold sleeve buttons with the initials of my name. The Tankard and desk shall be delivered to him when he begins to keep house and before he arrives to the Age of Twenty one Years, in either of which cases he shall then possess them.

Item. I bequeath to my faithful, dearly beloved and inestimable Wife Rebecka Gemmil the whole use of all my household furniture of every description during her Widowhood, and if she Marry, then and in that the case, the absolute use and disposal of so much of it as may amount in value to One Hundred and fifty dollars, and the residue of it I order to be equally divided among my three daughters or the survivors of them, the articles above mentioned excepted, and over and above the plate engraved with the initials of her name Viz., R.I . . . . .

Item I bequeath to my son John Gemmil his Heirs and Assigns forever the whole of my farm in East Whiteland Township and County of Chester serving to my wife during her widowhood the use of all the room east of the entry. One fourth part of the garden and Springhouse and Stable Room pasture and Hay Sufficient for the keeping of one Horse and One cow . . . .

Item I bequeath to each of my three daughters ELIZA V.P. GEMMILL, CAROLINE GEMMIL and AMELIA GEMMIL, to each of them the Sum of Four Thousand Dollars Specie to be paid to them Respectively at the Age of twenty one Years or if they or any of them should marry before they arrive at that age, I order that the Executors of this Will do pay to such one or ones such part of the said sum as such Executors may think proper for a Marriage outfit . . .

Item That my widow and children may have an easy and comfortable support until the latter come of Age or Married, and that the Children may be well educated without diminishing the bequests herein made to them respectively, I do order that all the Yearly proceeds of my Whole Estate real and personal (if all should in the judgment of my Executors be necessary) be under the direction of my Executors, appropriated to those purposes; My meaning is that my widow and four Children live together as at present and as one family; that they shall have all the Yearly proceeds aforesaid for their support, that in Sending any of the Children abroad for education or in any other important concern, my Widow shall have the advice and consent of the Executors, and if the said proceeds be more than sufficient for the said purposes I order the surplusage, whenever there shall be any, be put to Interest as the property of my Widow, and that she shall have the disposal of it among my children according to her pleasure . . .

Item In addition to the bequests already made to my beloved wife, it is my hope that after my children have arrived at the age of twenty one years and entitled to the legacies herein bequeathed to them respectively she shall have paid to her the Annual sum of Three Hundred and Fifty Dollars in half yearly payments during her Widowhood, and, if she shall, marry, then in that case the Sum of One Hundred and Fifty dollars from the time of such during her natural life; this sum or sums as the case may be shall be paid out of the legacies of my four children in shares proportional to the value of their said legacies; and it shall be the duty of my Executors to Tender an adequate proportion to each child's legacy a proper (?) security for the payment of each children's share

Item I bequeath to my dearly beloved wife my gold watch and as many books of her own choosing out of my library as may amount in the opinion of my Executors, to fifty Dollars in Value---

Item The residue of my books not above bequeathed I order to be equally divided among my three daughters . . .

Item, I bequeath to my beloved wife my cows, horse and gig with the pileated harness . . .

Item if there be any money or other property more than is bequeathed in this last Will, I order that it be divided equally among my Wife, my son and three daughters. Further if any difference shall hereafter arrive between any of the within(?) mentioned heirs or those with whom they may intermarry respecting the meaning of any part of this last will in that case I order that the Meaning shall be left to three honest Judicious disinterested persons chosen by the parties differing, which three persons shall judge and determine the true meaning of the disputed sentence or part, and the party or parties refusing to submit to such Judgment and decisions shall forfeit all right to every part of property bequeathed in this will, and the legacy claimed by such party or parties shall be equally divided among the rest of my heirs herein mentioned...

Item It is my will that the provision by this my last will made for my said wife shall be in lieu and full satisfactions of her right of dower of and in all my Estate real and personal...

Item I do constitute and appoint my beloved wife Rebecka Gemmil Executrice my good and highly esteemed friends JOSEPH MCLELLAN and Doctor WILLIAM DARLINGTON of the Borough of West Chest and WILLIAM FINDLAY Esquire Treasurer of Harrisburg all of the State of Pennsylvania to be the Executors of this my last will and Testament, and I do hereby vest them with power and authority required for carrying the same into full effect. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the Twenty days of May in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and fourteen

Signed

CHARLES KENNY
JOHN W. TOWNSEND