Chester County Wills

George Hoffman, 1830

Be it remembered that I, George Hoffman, of the township of West Whiteland, county of Chester and state of Pennsylvania being aged and infirm of body but of a sound and disposing mind and memory, thanks be to god for the same- calling to mind the uncertainty of this life and that it is appointed for all men once to die: for settling my worldly Estate wherewith I have been favored, do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following ---

First of all, I recommend my soul to God who gave it and my Body to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner by my Executors herein after named, nothing doubting but that at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God.

Item, I order and direct my Executors to pay my funeral expenses and just debts soon as may be after my decease--- Having by deed dated the ninth day of March ADom.1805 granted and conveyed my land whereas I now live to my son Benjamin Hoffman, reserving the same to myself and my beloved wife and the survivor of us during our natural lives, he to take the same at the decease of the longer liver of us, to hold the same in fee simple, to encourage him to improve the same in our life time for his benefit after our decease, he my said son paying out of the same at that period the sum of five hundred and fifty pounds as mentioned in the said recited deed or as I might in and by my last will and testament direct and appoint.

Item, I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Mary Eve Hoffman all my right title and interest so as aforesaid reserved of in or out of the above mentioned premises with the appurtenances during her natural life if she survive me. I also give unto her all interest due to me, either from my own children or others at my decease to be collected by my executors soon as may be after my decease and paid over to her. I also give unto her all my household and kitchen furniture and I order and direct that my executors after paying my just debts and funeral expenses shall place the surplus monies at interest on safe security at interest, and collect and pay over to my said beloved wife annually all the interest arising thereon toward her support in lieu of and in full barr of her dower of and in my estate.

Item, I give and bequeath to my sons Jacob, John, Henry, Isaac and Benjamin Hoffman, to each of them the sum of five shillings, careful money, they having respectively had their shares or portions of my estate heretofore--

Item, I give and bequeath to my daughter, Rosanna Elton, the sum of one hundred pounds lawful money.

Item, I give and bequeath to the children of my late daughter, Betsy Early, dec'd, the sum of three hundred and fifty dollars to be equally divided among them share and shared alike, in case of any of them dying before me, the survivors to take the part of those dying equally, unless they leave issue, such issue then to take the parents part equally.

Item, I give and devise that after my decease and the decease of my beloved wife, my executors or the survivor of them collect all my estate and effects as well all monies at interest, and the sum of five hundred and fifty pounds to be paid by my son, Benjamin, out of the land as any other property and convert the whole into money and pay all my just debts and funeral expenses and the above mentioned legacies and after selling my estate to pay over the residue and remainder thereof in equal shares to my son Joseph Hoffman and my daughter Judith, the wife of David Souder and Hannah, the wife of Abraham Wells, share and share alike. If any of the aforesaid legatees should decease before me leaving issue, the issue to take the parents share equally.

Item, my son George being deceased and having been helped in his lifetime, I make no provision for his heirs.

Item, I barr all claims of any of my children for services rendered me after they arrived to lawful age.

And lastly, I hereby nominate and appoint my sons John Hoffman and Joseph Hoffman executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking disannulling and making void all other and former wills and testaments by me heretofore made confirming this and this only as and for my last will and testament.

In witness whereof I the said George Hoffman have hereunto set my hand and seal this thirtyfirst day of August--in the year of our lord one thousand eight hundred and twentyone.

Signed sealed published pronounced and declared by the said testator as his and for his last will and testament in the presence of us, who at his request George Hoffman and in his presence and the presence of each other have hereunto set our names | mark as witnesses-- the testator being now | blind---and the writing distinctly | read to him.
v Joshua Weaver

F. Ehrenzeller--- aff'd the 9th Jan'y 1830

(recorded in the Chester County Archives, Chester County, Pennsylvania. retyped from the original by Robert L. Hadley) I, George Hoffman, do make and publish this Indorsement as a codicil to my written last Will and Testament.

Having in the within Will given to my daughter Rosanna Elton among other things the sum of one hundred pounds, which I now consider more than her share, I therefore revoke and make void the said bequest and in lieu thereof give unto her the sum of fifty pounds only, and this bequest not to interfere with any other bequest made to her.

My son John having deceased, I appoint my son Jacob Hoffman to be one of my executors in his stead so deceased,

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this Twentyfifth day of September ADom. One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twentytwo.

Signed and sealed by the said Testator as and for a his Codicil to his written last George Hoffman (Seal) will and Testament in the presence of us seal

Joshua Weaver

John Graves
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I, George Hoffman, do make this Codicil to my foregoing last Will and Testament.

Having in my written will left my daughter Rosanna Elton One Hundred pounds-- I do by this Codicil make void the said bequest and in lieu thereof do give unto my said daughter the sum of one dollar, she having before and since the date of my said Will had what I intend to give her and that in lieu of all services- Witness my hand and seal this fourteenth day of April ADom. 1825

Signed Sealed and declared by the said testator as a part his of his last will and testament George __|__ Hoffman as a Codicil thereto mark

Joshua Weaver

Thomas Ogden
sworn the 9th Jan'y 1830

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Chester County, Pa

David McCorkey being affirmed in due form of law doth depose and say that he was well acquainted with Joshua Weaver a subscribing witness to the foregoing instrument of writing purporting to be last will and testament of George Hoofman and the Codicils thereto amended. That he frequently saw him write, and was well acquainted with his hand.