Chester County Wills

Sebastian Root, 1843

Transcription of last will and testament of Sebastian Root. Will proven March 13, 1843 (taken from copy of original will):

Whereas, I Sebastian Root of the township of Vincent in the County of Chester and state of Pennyslvania, considering the uncertainty of this mortal life, and being of sound disposing mind and memory, Blessed be Almighty God for the same, Do make this my last will and testament, in manner & form as follows (to wit) Item, I will that all my just debts and funeral expenses be first fully paid by my executors whom I shall hereafter mention...........................

Item I will and bequeath unto my beloved wife Mary Roseanna Root as her dowry during her natural life or so long as she may remain my widow, the rooms below and above where I now occupy with the necessary privilege and use of kitchen, celler, and spring house, with liberty freely to pass and repass to each & every of them to garden, orchard, barn , ________ , and whre she has need to supply her wants as directed by this will. I also will and bequeath unto her also my stove and pipe with it, her choice of two best beds and the necessary clothing & furniture to them, one horse, one sadle & bridle one cow, with pasture in summer and hay in winter sufficient to keep them well, with stable room for each of them in the barn, also one case of drawers one fourth part of the garden, with privilege and use of apples from orchard sufficient for her private use, with a sufficency of fire wood cut & hauled to the door, & there cut & split small suitable for stove and fire place also one fat hog of at least 120 lb weight to be delivered to her yearly at the usual killing time also ten bushels of good clean rye and four bushels of good and clean wheat which must be carried to the grist mill and the flour and bran carried back to her again by David Root or his heirs or assigns and also David Root his heirs or assigns shall plow, manure, and plant, harrow and plow and tend a sufficiency of land yearly to plant one and a half bushels of potatoes the produce of which shall be the property of my said wife, I also will and bequeath to me wife the sum of twenty dollars lawful money of Penna. forever which my son John Root or his heirs or assigns are bound to pay unto her, by a certain bond under his signature which said bond I have kept or held since the date sold or conveyed to him my plantation and grist mill all which foregoing mentioned articles my wife Mary Roseanna Root shall hold and enjoy as long as she remains my widow and no longer except the twenty dollars to be paid to her by my son John Root which is hers forever....................................

Item, I will and bequeath unto my son David Root his heirs or assigns all my plantation messuge or tract of land lieing and being in the township of Vincent, County and state afforesaid togather with the wood lot in the hollow, containing both togather one hundred acres more of less to hold to him the said David Root his heirs or assigns forever, upon such conditions and exceptions that he shall be bound himself, his heirs and assigns to pay or render faithfully all such affore described articles and named that are to or may issue out of my said plantation unto my said beloved wife dureing her natural life or so long as she may remain my widow and all other described legacies that are or may be willed out of the above described lands ________ in Legacies..................................

Item, I will and bequeath unto my daughter Margaret (wife of Edward Brownback) her heirs or assigns the just and full sum of seven hundred dollars lawful money of Penna. to be paid to her, her heirs or assigns in instalments yearly (begining in one year after my decease) of sixty six dollars and sixty six cents and two thirds of a cent annually or yearly payments untill the above seven hundred dollars is fully paid as above, No interest is to be paid on any of the instalments if they are paid as they become due and further the said above mentioned seven hundred dollars shall be a lein on the land whereon I live and which is willed to my son David Root as above as long as any part of the above seven hundred dollars remain unpaid to her, her heirs or assigns..... Item I will & bequeath unto my son John Root his heirs or assigns the sum of one dollar..................

Item I will and bequeath unto my daughter Elenor (the wife of Henry Christman) her heirs or assigns the sum of one dollar..........Item I will and bequeath unto my daughter Mary (the wife of Peter Posey) her heirs or assigns the sum of one dollar..........Item I will and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah (wife of William Posey) her heirs and assigns the sum of one dollar...........

Item I will and bequeath unto my daughter Hannah (wife of Henry Miller) her heirs or assigns the sum of one dollar...........

It is my will that all the above legacies named or sums of money funeral expences and just debts be fully paid in one year after my decease by my executors whom I shall hereafter mention except the lagacy to my daughter Margaret which shall be paid in instalments as heretofore said as they become due, and further it is my will that all the residue of my personal property or estate (not heretofore willed) shall be equally divided share and share alike amongst all my sons and daughters or their heirs. And lastly I do constitute, ordain, and appoint my son John Root, my son David Root and my son in law Edward Brownback my executors to this my last will and testament, Hereby revokeing and disanuling all other wills and testaments heretofore made or executed by me in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this sixth day of the eleventh month one thousand eight hundred and twenty eight 1828.

Signed, sealed, & pronounced to be his last will and testament in the presence of Jonathan Thomas

Peter Shimer sworn March 13 1843