The following is the will, probate papers, and inventory of Abraham Stauffer dated January 14, 1814. the certification reads: “Will Abraham Stauffer dec. January 14, 1814. Letter testimony were granted John Stauffer and Jacob Stauffer the executors within named they being first sworn according to law.”
Be it remembered that I Abraham Stauffer of Coalbrookdale township Berks County and the State of Pennsylvania, yeoman being by old age feeble and week in body but thanks be to God of sound [?] mind and memory but calling to mind the mortality of my body and that it is appointed for all men once to die do think fit this twenty fourth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and five and fit to make and ordain this my last will and testament to which I do in the manner and form following that is to say
Firstly it is my will and I do order that all my just debts and funeral expenses shall be fully paid and discharged out of my personal estate by my hereafter named executors.
2nd I give and bequeath onto my beloved wife Elizabeth so much of my movable property and she may or will choose to keep for her use and the [?] of one thousand pounds to be paid her by my executors yearly and every year during her natural life.
3rd I give and [?] onto my son Jacob and to his errors and assigns forever [?] that my plantation tracks or parcels of land whereon I now live and other lands which I now possess with all in and [?] the buildings and improvements thereonto belonging or in any […?…] subject to the payment of seven hundred pounds in good currency money of the State of Pennsylvania to be paid in [?] annual payments yearly without interest the first thereof to be paid in one year after he takes possession of the place and so on till the [?] is paid and is further my will that my son Jacob shall give out of the produce of the place yearly and every year to me and my wife Elizabeth the following articles and privileges here mentioned. Firstly the room where we now weave in and the room above that on the other story and [?] so much room in the kitchen seller and springhouse as to accommodate our goods and for me and my wife Elizabeth and my daughter Barbara to live in during our natural life time with free […?...] into or from one the other without any hindrance or molestation and he is further to give to me and my wife Elizabeth yearly and every year as long as we both live together 20 bushels of rye 10 bushels of wheat three hundred weight of good pork and one hundred fifty weight of good beef two cows and one horse to be kept fed and pastured and by my son Jacob as he feeds and keeps his own for the use of me and my wife Elizabeth. Firewood sufficient for our use ready cut and halled to the door one third part of the garden with dung halled in it sufficient to manure it. Potatoes sufficient for our use Apples sufficient for our use and drying and greens if there be any a half barrel of cider if there be apples to make it the [?] of one quarter of an acre ready pulled one third of the fowls and eggs kept on the place to be for the use of me and these articles and privileges herein mentioned to be given by my son Jacob out of the place to me and my wife are to be given yearly and ever during the time we both live together but if my wife Elizabeth should survive me in such case is my will that my son Jacob shall give her the same privileges in the House as before mentioned and to keep one cow for her use in give her one hundred fifty pounds of good pork and seventy five pounds of good beef and one-half of all the things which he was to give us both accept the horse his is not to keep for her but he is to give her firewood ready cut and halled to the door sufficient for her use. This all to be given her yearly and every year during her natural life all this to be given to my said wife Elizabeth is in lieu of her dower.
4thly I give and bequeath onto my two sons John and Jacob the sum of three hundred pounds in good money as before mentioned to be put out on interest by them during my daughter Susannah’s natural life during which time my sons John and Jacob or their heirs executors or administrators shall pay to my daughter Susannah the annual interest of six percent every year so long as she keeps from her husband wherewith she was married against my will but if she should go to live with him then and in such case they shall not pay her anything at all from [?] and is further my will that what I have already advanced my daughter Susannah shall be in lieu of her wages for the time she worked for me after she was of age the interest here mentioned to be given to my daughter Susannah and what I gave of her heretofore advanced is to be in full of her portion or legacies of my estate both of real and personal.
5thly I give and bequeath on my four daughters Mary Barbara Hester and Sarah all my household furniture which is not already given to my wife to be divided among them for share and share alike over and above what is hereafter to be divided
6thly I give and bequeath all the rest and residue of my estate which is the principal sum so left to raise my wife's dower out of and the three hundred pounds bequeathed to my two sons John and Jacob and all the remainder of my estate not yet bequeathed or given to be equally divided amongst my son John and his four sisters Mary Barbara Hester and Sarah adding each his or their share what I have already advanced to them of the moneys. None of my children to be charged any interest on what I have advanced them.
7thly I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my two beloved sons John and Jacob to be executors of this my last will and testament
8thly and lastly I do hereby utter disallow revoke and disannul all and every other and former wills legacies and testaments by me heretofore made ratifying in confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written and do hereby make known and acknowledge that it does not concern any other papers
Signed sealed published pronounced and declared by the testator for and as his last will and testament in the presence of us the subscribers
Signatures: Abraham Stauffer
Jacob Finck
Henry Pannebacker
Registers office Reasing Berks County the 14th January AD 1814 appeared Jacob Finch and Henry Pannebecker witnesses as to this within writing who after duly affirmed according to law did declare and say that they were present and did see and hear Abraham Stauffer the testator sign and seal publish pronounced and declare the said writing as and for his last will and testament and at the same to doing thereof the said testator was of sound mind and understanding to the best of their knowledge and beliefs and further the named Jacob Finch and Henry Pannebecker were of these affirmants own handwriting there to subscribe in the presence of each other and in the presence of the testator and at his request. James Scull
{There follows an inventory},
Book debts to: Jacob Allebach. John Shneinhard(?), John Stauffer, Barbara Stauffer, Frederick Marsteller, Abraham Stauffer [prob. His cousin]
and Bonds to: George Frederick, Daniel Boyer, Jacob Allebach, Henry Yerger, Jacob Allebach [again], Conrad Shneinhard(?), Abraham Eshbach, Henry Geier, Abraham Holderman, Henry Geier Sen.
signed by Gabriel Klein, Jacob Allebach, Daniel Guldin, & James Scull}