Person Page

In the name of God Amen. I, Michael Brown, of Hanover Township, Lancaster County, and the State of Pennsylvania, being very sick and infirm in body, but of sound and disposing mind and memory thanks to Almighty God. Here fore calling to mind the mortality of my body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, so make and ordain this my last will and Testament in manner and form following that it is to say principally and first of all, I recommend my soul into the hand of Almighty God that gave it, and my body to the earth to be buried in a Christian manner at the discretion of my executors, nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again, and touching such worldly estate which it has pleased God to bless me within this life I will and bequeath in the following manner.
     Imprimis. It is my will and I allow all just debts and funeral costs be first discharged. Item. It is my will and I allow that my wife Ann Brown shall have one hundred bounds paid her in the following manner, viz. Twenty five pounds to be paid out of my money which shall be paid out of my personal estate when sold, twenty five pounds to be paid her five years after my decease, and she shall receive the last which is coming from John Zimmerman and Jacob Kreamer out of the land and G. Mill (grist mill) by one sold to them, and what ever part of sum of said money shall remain at his death shall be equally divided among my children.
     Also will and bequeath unto my son Michael Brown the sum of two hundred pounds to be paid him as follows: viz. The sum of one hundred and twenty to be paid him out of the land money which got out of the place my son Andrew lived on when it is sold and of the money when it is due from Simon Minnick, he my son Michael Brown is also to have the eighty pounds which is to be paid by the aforesaid Zimmerman and Kreamer.
     I also give and bequeath to my daughter Margaret, married Nicholas Castle, the sum of fifty pounds to be paid out of the first which is to come out of the first bond form said Zimmerman and Kreamer and what sum her husband is charged with in my book to be deducted of fifty pounds.
     Also I will and bequeath unto my daughter Mollie, married to Henry Miller, the sum of fifty pounds to be paid her out of the second bond to be paid by Zimmerman and Kreamer and what sum her husband stands charged with in my book to be also taken out said fifty pounds.
     I also will and bequeath to my daughter Eva, married to John Weaver, the sum of fifty pounds to be paid her out of the third bond to be paid by Zimmerman and Kreamer and the sum her husband is charged with is in my book to be taken out of the said fifty pounds.
     I also will and bequeath to my daughter Mary, married to Frederick Leonard, the sum of fifty pounds to be paid out of the fourth bond to be paid by Zimmerman and Kreamer and the sum her husband is charged with in my book to be taken out of the same as above said.
     I also will and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth the sum of fifty pounds, twenty five pounds to be paid her out of the first yearly payment of my other place on which my son Andrew lived, and twenty five pounds to be paid her out of the sixth payment of the same.
     I also will and bequeath to my daughter Dorothea the sum of fifty pounds to be paid her out of the third and fourth yearly payments of the last said place.
     And whereas my son Christopher Brown has already received the sum of fifty two pounds which together with money I payed for share to him. It is my will and I allow that shall be his full share of the first division of my estate among my children.
     Also my daughter, married to Jacob Bickle, having already received the sum of forty five pounds it is my will and I will allow that five pounds more be paid her so as she be upon equal footing with the rest of my aforesaid daughters.
     I also will and bequeath unto my son Andrew Brown the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds I also will and allow him fifty pounds of the same to be paid out of the second and seventh yearly payments of the place he formerly lived on and the remaining fifty pounds to be paid him out of the land money of said place only which debt I have already paid for him and I am bound to pay for him to be taken out of the same.
     I also will and bequeath unto my son Michael Brown the sixth fifty pounds bond to be paid by the aforesaid Zimmerman and Kreamer. And the over plus if any there by after the payments of all my debts and the aforesaid legacy. It is my will and I allow that it be divided among these my afore mentioned ten children, or their heirs.
     It is my will and I allow that my son Michael Brown shall have all my smith tools, and to be clear of all and every thing charged against him in my book, only he shall pay thirteen pounds which am indebted to Michael Molfeira, and he is to give my wife, so long as she remains my widow, ever year twelve bushels of wheat, ? bushels of rye, one hundred and thirty pounds of pork, and keep one cow for her both summer and winter as he keeps his own, and keep one sheep for her, and sow quarter of an acre of land with flax every year. I also will and bequeath one cow which she shall choose, her bed clothes, all of the linen in the house, all of pewter and one iron pot and frying pan, and a little pan, also one mare, saddle and bridle.
     I also allow my son Andrew Brown the sum of fifty pounds to be payed after all the rest of the legatees are paid off.
     I also hereby invest my son Michael Brown and Ann my wife with full power and authority to convey and confirm unto John Zimmerman and Jacob Kreamer different tracts of land and the mill I have.
     I have sold them agreeable to the conditions made between us. They also have the same authority to convey and confirm my other land to John Nagle if he fulfils his contract for the same, but as he has already failed of his agreement and appears to fall short of the whole of his contract, they are to sell and confirm said land to any person they see cause. And I do constitute him my son Michael Brown and Ann Brown my wife the sole executors of this my last will and testament. Witness this my hand and seal on the 13 day of March, Anno Dom. 1785.

     Signed and sealed and published and declared and pronounced by J. Michael Brown as his last Will and Testament in the presence of James W. Creight, Henry Zeigler.²

Before the subscriber personally appeared James W. Creight and Henry Zeigler, the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing Will and on their corporate oaths and deplore and say in named sealed public pronounce, declare the foregoing as and for the last Will and testament and at the doing hereof he was of sound and well disposing mind memory and to the best of his knowledge observation and belief.² The will is now found in the Dauphin County Wills.