Will of Moses Hall—Transcription

A true copy of that which appears handwritten in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Will Book 1, pp. 53-54.

In the Name of God, Amen, I Moses Hall of Union Township, Fayette County and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania being weak in Body but of sound mind & memory Blessed be God for the same but knowing that it is appointed for all Men once to die, therefore I resign my Body to Earth from whence it came hoping for a joyful Resurrection through the merits of our Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ. And as for the Worldly Estate it has been pleased God to bless me with in my lifetime, my Will is that it shall be divided and disposed of in manner and form following Viz: first I order that my moveable property be sold (except what shall be hereafter mentioned and given) and the Plantation wheron I now live to be sold to the best advantage, and the debts due me now to be collected, and the money arising therefrom to be disposed as follows, first my lawful debts to be paid, then I give my well beloved Wife Elizabeth the Sum of one hundred pounds to be paid out of my Moveable Estate. And to my Daughter Ann I give the sum of fifty pound and the feather Bed and Beding, and wearing apperrel which her Mother left her the fifty pound to put to lntrest untill she shall Marry or arrive to the age of eighteen then she is to receive the Intrest and Principal. And to my Daughter Sarah I give the sum of forty pound to put to Interest as aforesaid and she to received Principal and lnterst when she shall arive at the age of eighteen or Marry. And to my Daughter Rebecca I give the sum of forty pound to be put to lnterst, and to be paid her Principal and Interest when she shall arrive at the age of eighteen or Marry. And after the sum or Sums which is two hundred and thirty pound shall be taken out of the money aforesaid and my Debts paid then the Remainer be the same more or less shall be put out to Interst and my Wife to Recive the same Yearly so long as she shall remain my Widow and no longer -- And when she shall Marry or die then the money shall be eaqually divided among my Children -- I give to my eldest son Richard the sum of three pound and the Use of the place whereon he now lives untill his eldest son Moses shall arrive at the age of twenty one years and then the said Moses my Grandson shall have the said land to him and his Heirs forever -- I give to my two Sons Ephriam and John the old Plantation whereon I formally lived, containing eight hundred Acres more or less, to be eaqually divided between them according to quantity and quality they that is to say Ephram and John or their heirs are to pay the sums of money at the times and to whom hereafter mentioned. To my son Daniel the sum of fifty pound to be paid two years after my death. And to my Son Squire the sum of one hundred and twenty five pounds to be paid to him three years after he come to the age of twenty one years and to my son James the sum of one hundred and twenty five pounds to be paid four years after he shall be of the age of twenty one years. And too my Son 'Benjamin the sum of one hundred and twenty five pound to be paid when he shall come to the age of twenty one years. And to my son Aaron the sum of one hundred and twenty five pound to be paid him when he shall come to the age of twenty one years. I farther Order that if my two Sons should sell the old place then they are to put out the several Sums at Interst and to be paid at the times aforesaid with the Interst. I also give to my youngest Son Moses the parcel of Land wheron one Harrison now lives it being the same which John Potter Esq. has a leese for it Containing seventy Acres more or less. I give to my Wife the Rents that may become due from Potter or his Assigns which is twelve Bushel of wheat per year for the term of ten years after my Death after that the rent to be for the Use of my son Moses. My Will is that the Land that I have in the State of Virginia in Harrison County which is about one hundred Acres, shall be sold the money put out on Interest and eaqually divided between my Children. Any one or more of my Children dying before they come of Age or leave no Heirs lawful begotten then their share of the foregoing [grant?] shall be equally divided between their Surviving Brothers and Sisters. I also direct that my Son Ephriam shall take his Brother Benj. and find him Lodging wearing apparrel and without any Chareg whatsoever untill he shall arrive at the age sixteen or seventeen and my son John are to keep his Brother Aaaron on the Condition Ephriam does Benj. and likewise they are to give Benj. and Aaron reasonable schooling & further my Will is that my Wife shall remain and keep Possession of the westren Room of the House where we now live, untill the place shall be sold and Possession given unto the purchasers and then if she should make it her choice to move up to the place where now lives the Ephriam & John shall build her a small House at there own expence near some good Spring an she may Reap the same during her Widowhood. I also direct that if it should be the unhappy case, that there should any misunderstanding or dispute arrise concerning this my Will and Testament between my Wife and Children or any of them my Will is that they shall Chuse two or three indifferent men to settle the same and anyone not complying with their Virdict and will stand out and go to Law about the same shall forfit and loose all their Right and Title to any Share to them granted -- Lastly I do hereby appoint my two Sons Ephriam and John and my trusty friend Thirman Frazer of my Executors of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby lmpore my Executors to Seal and deliver and acknowledge any Deed or Deeds that may be nessary for the Conveying of any of any of the Lands before mentioned to be sold, hereby Revoking all former Wills or Testaments by me made In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affixed my Seal this Second day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and one--

Sealed and Acknowledged             Moses Hall (seal)
in the presence of us
John Gray
Isaac Sutton

I Thurman Frazee of Alleginny County Maryland do hereby Renounce my right of Administering the Goods and Chattels of Moses Hall late of Union Township Fayette County deceased Witness my hand at Union Town the I O~ day of June 1801.
Thurman Frazee

To Alexander MClean Register etc. Fayette County 
Jn. Hall renounced in person on 13th Ju (seal)

The thirteenth and fourteenth day of June Anno Domini 1801 Before me Alexander MClean Register for the probate of Wills and granting Letters of administration in and for said County personally came John Gray and Isaac Sutton the Witnesses to the foregoing last Will and Testament and on their solemn Oaths did declare and say that the Testator Acknowledged the same in their presence to be his last Will and Testament that he was then of disposing mind and memory that no undue influence was used to their Knowledge or belief whereby his inclination could be thwarted and that they knew of no later Will made by him In Witness whereof I have set my Hand and the seal of said Office the fourteenth day of June Anno Domini 1801 as aforesaid. Alexander MClean Register

Registered and Compared l3th' and 14th June 1801.
Fayette County