Chester County Wills

THE WILL OF HANNAH WOOD

I Hannah Wood of Darby in the County of Chester and province of Pennsylvania Widow being weak and infirm in Body but of disposing & sound and well disposing mind and memory praise be humbly given to the Lord for the same and all other his favors and blessings towards me but in consideration of my Mortality and of the Certainty that all flesh must yield unto Death do think fit while strength is contained to settle my Temporal concerns by making my last Will and Testament which I do in Manner and form following that is to say.

Imprimis: my Will is and I do order that all my just Debts and funeral expenses be in the first place duly paid and discharged.

Item: I give to my three Daughters Jane, Sarah and Ann all my wearing apparel to be divided even & equally between them to share and share alike except my gold sleeve buttons and pair of Silk Mittens which I give to my Daughter Sarah over and besides her equal share of my apparel with her two sisters and all the rest and residue of my Estate whatsoever and wheresoever let it consist in what it will. I give and bequeath to my four dear children Namely, Jonathan, Jane, Sarah and Ann and to the five children of my son George Wood deceased and to their heirs and assign severally and respectively forever to be shared and divided in friendly & and amicable manner into five equal shares or division and that if it can conveniently be done within six months after my decease my five grand children before mentioned to wit: Hannah, Margaret, Mary, Henry and Harriet taking one equal Division or fifth part of the whole and my four children above mentioned the other four fifths share and share a like and further my Will is that the part which belongs to my grand Children afforsaid shall be in equal Division amongst them or the survivors of them but if any of said Children should die before they come to age and without issue then their share or shares to be equally divided amongst the survivors of them and I nominate constitute and appoint my son in law Henry Hayes and my daughter Ann his wife to be executor and executrix of this my last will and testament yet not intending hereby or by means of this appointment to release or extinguish any sum or sums of money owing and Payable to me from my said son in law and Daughter or Either of them, but that they account for the same to my Estate and I do hereby annul, Revoke and make Void all former or other Will or wills by me at any time heretofore made and do ratify and confirm this and only this to be my last Will and Testament.

In Witness whereof I Hannah Wood the Testator aforesaid have hereunto set my hand and seal the 29th day of the second month called February in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and Seventy and two. Hannah (her mark) Wood Signed, Sealed, Published and Declared by the above named Testatrix for and as her last Will and Testament in the Presence of us. Jesse Bonsall. Joseph Pearson.

Chester January 18th 1773. Then Personally appeared Jess Bonsall & Joseph Pearson & on their solemn affirmations according to law did declare affirm & say that they were personally present & did see & hear Hannah Wood the Testatrix in the foregoing writing named sign seal publish pronounce & declare the same writing as and for her Last Will & Testament and that at the doing thereof she was of a sound & well disposing mind memory to the best of their understandings.

P. Affirmed Coram H. H. Graham d. Regr.

Be it Remembered that on the eighteenth day of January Anno Dom. 1773. The last Will & Testament of Hannah Wood deceased was proved in due form of law & letters. Testamentary were granted to Henry Hayes & Ann Hayes sole Executors therein named they being solemnly affirmed well & truly to administer & bring in an Inventory of the said deceased estate into the Register’s Office at Chester on or before the Eighteenth day of April next and to render a true & just account of their administration in a year or when legally required. Given under the seal of said Office.

P. H. H. Graham D. Regr.