William Keepers (Group 1) of Chester County, PA

died intestate in1770

The items copied below are from the William Keepers file at the Chester County Courthouse, West Chester, PA. I have attempted to retain exact spellings, etc., and for general interest, I have included some scanned copies.

Item A: Administration declined in favor of Thomas May
Item B: Administration Bond
Item C: Inventory of Goods

Item A: (All in script.)

January 22, 1771

Sir,

Pleas to let Thomas May as Principal Creditor, Administer to my late Husband William Keepers Decd. Estate as I do Hereby Decline the Administration in favor of T.(?) Tho(mas) May.

To James Read Esquire Esther Keepers (signature)

Witness Present: Thomas Herbert

January 22^nd, 1771

Sir,

I do Hereby Decline the Administration of my father William Keepers Estate and desire you’d permit Thomas May as Principle Creditor to Administer to the same. Witness my Hand

To James Read Esquire William Keepers (signature)

Witness Present: Thomas Herbert

Item B: (Words in italics were handwritten; the rest is a standard printed form.)

[TOP]

Administration Bond

our Estate

of William Keepers

5^th April, 1771

Know all Men by these Presents, That We, Thomas May of the Township of Douglas in the County of Berks in the Province of Pennsylvania, Iron Master, and Henry Gossler of the Town of Reading in the said County, Beaker, and George Nagle of the same place, Gentleman – are held and firmly bound to Benjamin Chew, Esqr., Register General for the Probate of Wills and granting Letters of Administration in and for the Province of Pennsylvania in the sum of Two hundred Pounds Lawful Money of the said Province to be paid to the said Benjamin Chew, Esquire, Register General, his certain Attorney, Executors, Administrators or Assigns, To which Payment well and truly to be made, we do bind ourselves, our Heirs, Executors, Administrators and every of them jointly and severally for and in the whole firmly by these Presents. Sealed with our Seals. Dated the fifth Day of April in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-one.

Whereas William Keepers of the Township of Douglas, afs’d (aforesaid) lately died Intestate, whereof the aforesaid Thomas May is the Principal Creditor to whom Administration of is Granted.

The Condition of this Obligation is such, that if the above-bounden Thomas May, Administrator of all and singular the Goods Chattles Rights and Credits, which were of the above named William Keepers, deceased, do make or cause to be made a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the Goods Chattles Rights and Credits, which were of the said Deceased in the said Province, which have or shall come to the Hands, Possession or Knowledge of any other Person or Persons for him and the same so made do exhibit, or cause to be exhibited, into the Register General’s office in Reading in and for the County of Berks at or before the fifth day of May next. And the same Goods Chattles Rights and Credits, which were of the said Deceased at the Time of his Death, or which at any Time heretofore have come, or hereafter shall come, or of any other Person or Persons for him do well and truly administer according to Law. And farther do make, or cause to be made, a true and just Accompt Calculation or Reckoning of the said Administration at or before the fifth Day of April in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-two. And all the Rest and Residue, which shall be found remaining upon the said Administrators Accompt, the same being first examined and allowed of by the Orphans Court of the County of Berks, shall deliver and pay to such Person and Persons, as the said Court by it’s Decree or sentence shall limit and appoint. And if it shall hereafter appear, that any last Will or Testament was made by said Deceased and the Executor or Executors therein named, do exhibit the same into the said Office, making Request, to have it allowed and approved accordingly, if the said Thomas May being thereunto required, do render and deliver up the said Letters of Administration, Approbation of such testament being first had and made in the said Office, Then this Obligation to be void and of none Effect or else to remain in full Force and Virtue.

(Signatures below.)

[TOP]

Item C:

Inventory of the Goods and Chattles of W^m. Keepers, Hammerman of Pine Forge, Dec’d. Apraised as follows by us the Subscribers as they were Produced this 17^th May AD 1770