1852 Will - Biddle Reeves
Introduction
Gloucester County, New JerseyWill Book E, p200
6 May 1852
Transcript
I Biddle Reeves of Woodbury in the County of Gloucester and State of New Jersey, being weak in body, but of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, do on this sixth day of the Fifth month (May) in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty two make and publish this instrument of writing, to be my last Will and Testament, in manner following.1st. It is my will that all my just debts and expenses be paid by my executor herein after named.
2nd. After the payment of my just debts by my executor, I give and devise to my beloved wife Sarah Reeves all the residue of my estate real and personal during her widowhood, In the event of her intermarriage, I give and devise all said residue to my children to be divided among them share and share alike. And I hereby authorize my said executor to allow my said wife to select such house hold goods as she may choose, my said executor charging her such prices as may be placed thereon by the appraisers of my personal estate.
3rd. I hereby charge upon my beloved wife Sarah Reeves the proper education and maintenance of our children, and it is my wish that, upon the arrival of any of my children to the age of twenty one years that my said wife advance to such child or children any portion of said estate given and devised no exceeding one thousand dollars each, as in her judgment may seem best.
4th. I hereby nominate, constitute, and appoint my friend William R. Tatum executor of this my Last will and Testament.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written.
Biddle Reeves (LS)
Signed, Sealed, published and declared by the said Biddle Reeves to be his last will and Testament in the presence of us, who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names hereto as witness.
C. P. Stokes
Geo. M. Paul
Wm. R. Tatum
I Biddle Reeves of Woodbury in the County of Gloucester and State of New Jersey do this eighth day of the fifth Month (May) in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty two, make and publish the codicil to my Last Will and Testament in manner following, that is to say. - Whereas since making my last will and testament I have felt desirous that the family Grave yard upon my farm might be enlarged. I do hereby give and devise to Isaac Reeves in trust for the use of the Reeve family now using said graveyard, and to their successors forever, a strip of land thirty feel wide by eighty three long, and immediately back of said grave yard and on the Cooper lone to be used for a burying ground for said Reeves family provided no persons shall be buried thereon, until the same shall be enclosed with a good and substantial stone wall, free from any charge upon my estate and provided also that it shall be enclosed as aforesaid within two years after my decease. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written
Biddle Reeves (LS)
Signed Sealed published and declared by the said Biddle Reeves to be a codicil to his last will and testament in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names hereto as witnesses. The words "by eighty three long" interlined before signing.
Isaac Reeves
Geo. M. Paul
Wm R. Tatum
Gloucester County SS George M. Paul one of the subscribing witnesses to the within will, and codicil, alleging himself to be conscientiously sempulous of taking an oath, and being duly affirmed according to law, on his solemn affirmation saith that he saw Biddle Reeves the testator therein named, sign and seal the said Will and Codicil on the day of the date thereof, and heard him publish pronounce and declare the within writing to be his last will and testament, and at the doing thereof the said Testator was of sound and disposing mind and memory as far as this affirmant knows, and as he verily believes, and that C. P. Stokes and Wm R Tatum the other subscribing witnesses to the will, and Isaac Reeves and Wm. R Tatum, the other subscribing witnesses to the said Codicil was present at the several doings thereof and signed their names as witnesses to the said will and codicil, together with this affirmant in the presence of the testator.
Geo. M. Paul
Affirmed and subscribed June 26th 1852
Before me Bowman Sailor surrogate