Last Will and Testament of Josh. Craford:
(transcribed by Hester Murray[1][2], formatted slightly by adding line breaks to make more readable by Jonathan Crawford)
In the Name of God Amen, This Thirteenth of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven, I, Josiah Crawford of the County of Washington and State of Pennsylvania, being weak of body but of perfect mind and memory, Do make and ordain this my last will and testament (that is to say)
Principally and first of all I give and recommend my Soul into the Hands of Almighty God who gave it, and my Body to be buried in a Decent Christian manner at the descreation of my Executors, and touching my worldly Estate, I give, Demise and Dispose of inn the following manner and Form: --
1st Item--I give and bequeath to my son Andrew Crawford his heirs and Assigns forever one hundred acres of land in Cecil Township & county afore-said including the mantian house and adjoining lands of Roger Dougherty,
2nd Item, I give and bequeath to my son John Craford his Heirs and Assigns forever, one hundred acres of land with all my personal Estate after my decease, to include the Hantian House and improvement where I now live and he is to pay all my lawful debts--,
3rd Item, I give and bequeath to my son Josias Craford his Heirs and Assigns forever, One hundred acres of land with half of the Improvement and house where he now lives, --
4th Item, I give and bequeath to my son James one hundred acres to him and his Assigns forever at the North end of this tract where I now live joining the Widow Craford heirs Land with half the Improvement where his brother Josiah now lives.
5th Item, I give and bequeath to my son Alexander One hundred Acres of land to him and his Heirs and Assigns forever the Land in Cecil Township, county aforesaid, joining land of John Miller his brother Andrew Craford,
6th Item, I give and bequeath to my son Gavin forever to his heirs and Assigns One hundred acres of land on the south end of this tract where I now live where Asa Quivey did live with Improvements,
7th Item, I give and bequeath on my son William Craford his heirs and Assigns forever, five acres of Meddow land in Cecil Township with the over-plus after Andrew and Alexander gets their part, if there can be no more land obtained but the above five acres, I allow him to be paid out of my estate one hundred and ninety pounds & if the Land is to be had he is to get it at forty shillings per acre and of the aforesaid one hundred ninety pounds he is to be taught to read and write and cipher the five Common rules of Arithmetic & is to be put to what Trade he chuses at sixteen years of age and to be kept free from all reasonable expence till he arrives to twenty-one years of age.
Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Laird Eight Dollars and no more. John is to pay this out of the personal Estate.
I give and bequeath to my Daughter Margaret Craford Fifty pounds current money with one feather bed and givening when She comes to the age of eighteen.
Item, I give and Bequeath to my daughter Hanna Craford Fifty pounds current money with one feather bed and givening when she comes to the Years of eighteen.
Item, I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Craford Fifty pounds current money with one feather bed and Givening when she comes to the years of Eighteen,
--Thoase three last mentioned girls is the be paid in the manner following; Andrew and Josias & James and Alexander & Gavin is equally to pay alike their shair in making up Margaret and Hanna and Polly's and likewise William's Dowereys agreeable to this will after my decease--
Item the care of my four youngest children to the Discreation of my Executors Together with Devine Aid--, and further I do hereby constitute appoint and ordain Moses Coe and my Son John Craford my sole Executors to Carry this Will and Testament into effect, and I do hereby utterly disallow Revoke and disanull all and every other Testament, Wills Legacies and Bequests and Executors by me in any way before named willed and bequeathed, Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be My Last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal the day and years above written.
(Signed) Josias Crawford.
Signed, Sealed, Published, Pronounced and Declared by the said Josiah Crawford as His Last Will and Testament in the presents of Hugh Thompson, John Shaw.
Registered 27th day of July, 1797, Will Book 1--320.
Sworn to and subscribed before me 21st day of May A. D. 1929.
L. Frank Baker,
Recorder of Deeds.
Sources
- ↑ Murray, Hester. Family Record of James Crawford (1774-1845) of Washington County, Pennsylvania and Medina County, Ohio. (Newberry's Print Shop, Creston, Ohio,194-?).. Repository Name Western Reserve Historical Society Address 10825 East Boulevard Cleveland, Ohio 44106 URL http://norton.wrhs.org/collections/search?keyword=&title=&creator=Hester+Murray&identifier=&subject=&year=&year-max=&smode=advanced
- ↑ "Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G991-MV6B?cc=1999196&wc=9PMX-4WL%3A268493301%2C282444001 : 3 July 2014), Washington > Wills 1781-1814 vol 1-2 > image 171 of 578; county courthouses, Pennsylvania.