1828 Will - Biddle Reeves
Introduction
Gloucester County, New JerseyWill Records 3856H
(Also Will Book C, p239)
20 Mar 1828
Proven 26 Jun 1828
Transcript
I Biddle Reeves of the Township of Deptford, in the County of Gloucester, in the State of New Jersey, being of sound mind and memory, do make and publish this for my last Will and Testament, in manner following - To WitFirst - I order my executors herein after named to pay all my just debts and funeral expenses as soon as convenient after my decease; and in order to enable them so to do, I hereby order and direct them or the survivor of them, to sell, in such manner as they may deem best, all my real and personal estate, except the farm on which I now dwell, and the farm which I lately purchased in Salem County, which was formerly the property of my brother Joseph Reeves, and the personal bequests hereafter mentioned; and I do hereby authorize and empower my said executors or the survivor of them, to make as good and sufficient titles for the real estate so by them sold, as I myself could have done if living and ..(paper creased in image).. debts as aforesaid.
Second - I give and bequeath to my three sons Joshua, Ellis and Biddle Reeves, all my wearing apparel, to be equally divided amongst them, share and share alike as near as can conveniently be done by my executors; and to my daughter Elizabeth Reeves, I give all the waring apparel that was her mother's, also a complete sett of China ware that I purchased of Thomas Moffett.
Third - I order and direct my executors, or the survivor of them, to take charge of my two farms above mentioned, and rent them in the best manner they can until my son Biddle shall arrive to the age of twenty one years, and to appropriate said rents to liquidating the balance of debts (if any) that may remain unpaid after the disposal of my property above mentioned; and if they shall find, that the said rents will not be likely to discharge the balance of said debts within the time limited as aforesaid, then it is my will, that they shall sell in manner aforesaid, the whole farm whereon I now dwell, or such part or parts of one or both of my said farms, as they, or the survivor of them, together with my esteemed friends, John Tatum and William Cooper, at their discretion shall deem most advantageous, in order to discharge said debts, and the surplus of said rents and sales, (if any) to revert to and be included in the residue of my estate.
Fourth - My two farms before mentioned (or such parts of them or either of them as may not be sold to discharge the balance of said debts) together with all the residue of my estate not heretofore disposed of, I give, devise and bequeath to my four children, To wit - Joshua, Elizabeth, Ellis, and Biddle Reeves, and to their heirs and assigns forever, to be equally divided amongst them share and share alike in quantity and quality when my said son Biddle shall arrive to the age of twenty one years; and in case my said children cannot agree upon an amicable division of the real estate last mentioned amongst themselves within one year after my said son Biddle shall come to the age aforesaid, then it is my will, that my executors together with the aforesaid William Cooper (or in case of the decease of either of them, such other person or persons as the survivors or survivor of them shall choose shall divide the said real estate amongst my said children equally, share and share alike in quantity and quality, as near as they can ascertain the same, and assign to each of my said children their respective share thereof, in a similar manner that lands of intestates are divided by order of the Orphans Court; a record of which division in the surrogate's or clerk's office of the County in which the lands lie, shall be conclusive to all parties concerned.
Fifth - If either of my said children should die before my son Biddle shall arrive to the age of twenty one years, or before a division is made as aforesaid, then I order that the portion herein devised or bequeathed to such child or children, shall revert to the residue of my estate, and be divided between the remainder of my said children in equal portions share and share alike, in manner prescribed aforesaid, always providing, that the heirs (if any) of said deceased child or children is to have his, her or their parents share; and if my son Biddle or he and my son Ellis should not live to attain to the age of twenty one years, then at the time they youngest survivor of my children shall arrive to that age my executors may proceed in their duties and services in the same manner as is herein before described for them to persue, had my son Biddle attained to that age.
Sixth - I nominate and appoint my friend the aforesaid William Cooper, to be guardian of my minor children until they shall respectively arrive to the age of twenty one years.
Lastly I constitute and appoint my friends Josiah Tatum and Joseph Saunders executors of this my Testament and Last Will.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this twentieth day of the third month A.D. Eighteen hundred & twenty eight 1828
Biddle Reeves
Signed Sealed published and declared }
by the said Biddle Reeves to be his }
Testament and last Will, in the }
presence of us
John B Jessup
Charles Knight
James L Gibbs
I Biddle Reeves of the Township of Debtford, in the County of Gloucester, in the State of New Jersey, do this twenty second day of the third month A D Eighteen hundred and twenty eight, make and publish this codicil to my last will and Testament, in manner followng - that is to say
I order and direct that if the guardian of my minor children should deem it necessary to expend anything on or about said children for education or clothing during their minority that the said guardian shall be remunerated therefore by my executors and the same be by them deducted out of the respective shares of said children for whom the same was expended.
I also order that all the loose or scattering rails or posts not put up in fence, that may be on either of my farms, and belonging to me, shall be appropriated for the use of said farms in fencing and repairs.
Signed Sealed published and declared }Biddle Reeves
by the said Biddle Reeves as a codicil }
to his last will & Testament, in the presence of us }
Benjamin Cloud
Joseph Franklin
Samuel Ladd