Transcribed Will of Ignatius Joy Sr.

Date: 26 Jul 1777 to 26 Jul 1777
Location: St. Mary's, Maryland

The Last Will of Ignatius Joy Sr (1687-bef.1780)

Maryland, [?]

In the Name of God, amen -- I Ignatius Joy, Senr. of St. Marys County being sick and weak of body but of sound and disposing mind and memory, thanks be to God, and calling to mind, the uncertainty of this Life, do make and ordain this to be my last will and Testament, revoking + making voyd all will or wills before by me made, and do ordain this to be my only will and Testament, in manner + form following, viz --

1st. I give and bequeath unto my son Ignatius Joy, all my tracts of Land which I possess at the hour of my death, upon the [porviser?] he will let all my Daughters live on the said Land, as long as they live single, and I likewise give unto my said son, all my right and title of Land that I have a right to at the Eastern shore, to him and his heirs forever. --

2. I give and bequeath unto my said son Ign's. Joy, Two Negros, one named Rachael, the other named Ben, to him and his heirs forever.

3.ly I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Sary Joy, one negro woman named Torry, and her Child called Stephen, to her and her heirs forever. --

4.ly I give an bequeath unto my Daughter Elenor Clark Joy, one negro named Nan and one Negro named Joe, to her + her heirs forever. --

5.ly I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Joan Joy one Negro named Ned, and one negro named Rose, and one negro Child that Suck has sucking now, to her and her heirs forever. --

6.ly I give and bequeath unto my grand Daughter Joan Greenwell one negro Boy named Barned, to him and his heirs forever. -- [should be her and hers, but it says him and his]

7.ly I leave three negros, namely, George, Suck, and Jude, for the use of the plantation, as long as their is one of my Daughters living single on the said plantation, to be for the use of the children schooling, clothing, + c.

8.ly I leave all the remainder part of my personal Estate to be equally divided between my four Children, that is now living with me, namely, Sary, Ignatius Elenor and Joan.

In testimony thereof I do also ordain Constitute make and appoint my Son in Law John Greenwell whole and sole Executor, of this my last will and Testament. In witness hereof I have set my hand, and affix my seal this 26 day of Jul,y 1777

Signed, sealed, published, + delivered by the above Ignas. Joy, to be his last will and Testament, in the presents of

Ign. Fenwick (of Enoch) Robert Well Edmund Bart Greenwell

My will and desire is, that if any difference should arise between my Executor, and any of my s. Children, that it should be left to John Reiley and Igns. Joy, to determine as they think proper.

On the back of the foregoing was as follows, to wit. --

Saint Marys County to wit. the 19th day of December, 1780. Then came John Greenwell (of George) and made oath on the holy evangels of almighty God, that the within instrument of writing, is the true and whole will of Ignatius Joy, late of Saint Marys County, deceased, that hath come to his hands or possession, + that he doth not know of any other. --

Certified [?] Jeremiah Jordan Re of wills

Saint Marys County [?] the 19th day of December, 1780. Then came Ignatius Fenwick (of Enoch) and Edmund Barton Greenwell, two of the subscribing witnesses to the within last will and Testament of Ignatius Joy, late of Saint Marys County, deceased, and made oath on the holy evangels of almighty God, that they did see the Testator therein named, sign and seal this will, and that they heard him publish, pronounce, and declare the same, to be his last will and Testament; that at the time of his so doing, he was to the best of their apprehensions of sound and disposing mind, memory, and understanding; and, that they respectively subscribed their names as witnesses to this will, in the presence, + at the request of the Testator, + in the presence of each other, and also that they did see Robert Abell, the other subscribing witness, subscribe his name thereto in their presence, + in the presence of the Testator --

Certified By Jeremiah Jordan, Reg. wills