1776 Will - Silas Reeves
Introduction
New Jersey Will Records, Vol. 18, p135(Original in Morris County, New Jersey Probate File 436N)
Transcript
In the name of God Amen the fifth day of September Anno Dom 1776 I Silas Reeves of Roxbury in the County of Morris & province of New Jersey calling to mind the mortality of my Body knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament and first my will is that my Body shall be decently buried at the discretion of my executors herein after named and as touching that worldly substance whith which it has pleased God to bless me with my Will is that it be disposed of in the following manner viz.First I will that all my lawfull debts be first paid in convenient time by my Exrs Also I give one equal half of all my lands to my son Moses Reaves to be divided equally in quantity and quality and the othher half of my lands I give to my other three sons Silas, Samuel, and Joseph Reaves to be equally divided between them in manner afsd My moveable estate I give to my sd three sons Silas, Saml, and Joseph to be equally divided amongst them and that they pay to my two daughters Sarah and Jerutia each the sum of twenty five founds eight money Sarah's to be paid in two years after my decease and Jerutia's to be paid when she comes of age or shall marry and to be on interest till paid after two years and my will is that my son Moses shall keep and maintain my son Isaac Reaves in consideration of which I have given him the Greatest share of my lands
And to my beloved wife Alice Reaves I give to her her riding saddle and a good riding horse even and aboe her thirds of my whole estate as the law directs and I give to my Daughter Jerutia a feather bed besides the legacy first mentioned. And I do constitue and appoint my beloved wife Alice Reaves and my beloved son Moses Reaves my sole executors of this my last will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the day and year first above written.
Silas Reaves (Seal)
Signed Sealed and declared to be my Last Will & Testament in the presence of Saml Granden Danl Skellings Stephen Skellings
Daniel Skellings & Stephen Skellings two of the witnesses to the within will being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God did personally depose and say that they saw Silas Reaves the testator therein named sign and seal the same and hear them publish pronounce and declare the within writing to be his Last Will and Testament and that at the doing thereof the said Testator was of sound and disposing mind and memory as far as these deponents know & as they verily believe and that Samuel Grandin the other subscribing evidence was present at the same time and signed his name as a witness to the said Will together with these deponents in the presence of the sd Testator
Sworn this 28th day of May Anno Dom 1777 before me Malcom McCourry Surrog
The foregoing will being prov'd probate was granted by his exellency Govr Livingston unto Alice Reaves & Moses Reaves Exrs in the said will named being first sworn well and truly to perform the e exhibit a true inventory and render a true acct Given under the prerogative seal the day & year afd
Cha Pettit Regr