- Felix Landis Jr. wrote will Jan25,1770, died the same day. Will entered on May 3, 1770 inx-vol.2-pg121, Lancaster Co.
- In the name of God Amen. The 25th January in the year Christ 1770, I Felix
Landis in Derry Twp. Lancaster Co. and province of Penna. am weak in body but
of a good understanding thanks be to God and knowing the invitality
of my body and that it is appointed once to die, so this is my Last
Will and Testament. Firstly, I recommend my soul into the hands
of my Creator and my body to the earth where from it was taken, to be
buried a Christian like manner, not doubting but I shall receive the same
againat the Resurrection and touching such worldly goods wherewith
it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give and devise the
same in the following order.
- Preface firstly it is my last will and testament that all my just debts shall be paid before a division shall be made. Item:I bequeath unto my wife Mary Landis fifty pounds in money before hand and then she shall come into a childs portion.
- Item:For her widows dower I bequeath unto her as long as she remains a widow, a good habitation in the house or to make her one elsewhere and my son Peter Landis shall give her every year 15 bushels of wheat, 3 bushels of malt, a fat hogg to weigh 120 pounds every spring, a pigg worth 5 shillings, 4 gallons of rum, 2 barrels of good cider and apples as many as she shall have occasion of, 100 pounds of hemp, to sow a quarter of an acre of good land with flax seed, 6 pounds of wool, 2 pair of shoes and to give her every spring the choice among all his cows in the stable to milk which one she pleases but the calf she shall put away when it is four weeks old and her cow shall go in pasture with the others. He shall give her a horse creature to ride when she will. She shall have the third part of the fowls and eggs and a bushel of fine salt. Her saddle, bridle, bed stead, spinning wheel, the choice of the chests and household goods as much as she shall have need of and of ten pounds of money every year. 3 gallons of oyl, a quarter acre garden to keep the same in good order and under good fence and to bring fire wood and to cut the same as much as she shall have need for. This all as above mentioned shall be given her properly every year as long as she is a widow. And the land whereupon house and barn and mill is standing united to the ditch on the other side of Spring Creek and as the ditch goes from the dam straight down to Swatara Creek so the line shall be and the land on the other side of Hugh Hamilton shall or is valued to my son Peter Landis for fifteen hundred pounds to be paid in yearly payments of 50 pounds as long as he must give the mother her reservations. Afterwards every year 60 pounds until the above mentioned sum is paid. And my son Jacob Landis shall have the part of the land upon the other side of the dam and ditch for three hundred pounds and shall pay every year fifteen pounds until this sum is paid but none shall pay anything till after my decease. And as there is already 200 and 50 pounds paid to my heirs and my son Felix Landis is willing that if the rest of my heirs shall not receive as much as he did recieve then he shall give back his part what come to him. And Henry Landis hath likewise reveived his portion in full and since there is as much already paid to my being and nevertheless debts to pay yet and what debts are yet unpaid after my decease my son Peter Landis shall pay them against which those received as much less in their portions as they have already got and the debts shall be paid out of the first payments. And let there be more or less debts then what is paid to the heirs it shall balance one another. And my son Peter shall have power to receive all my debts then shall always divide a payment amongst them from the eldest to the youngest and so on until the sum is fully paid and received. My son Peter shall have the use of the land which is divided into parts and shall have the liberty of sowing yearly 10 acres and to keep in good fence until Jacob is of age adn the last year he shall sow 15 acres of winter grain. All my personal estate shall belong to the land excepting what I have bequeathed unto my wife and shall be equally divided among my two sons Peter and Jacob and shall be appraised and sold by the Executor. And to grain in the barn, in the house and in the Mill and all what belongs to the mill and the grain in the field, all the grain in the ground upon the two plantations shall all come to Peter Landis. And Peter Landis shall pay to Jacob Landis five pounds in money for his part of the grain in the ground. And as there is minor children as well the said Jacob Landis so the others shall be bound in obedience to the mother and their guardian in reasonable things until their age upon pain of losing their portions and they shall be tought to read and write and my executors shall have the power that if my sons who are to have the land or either of them cannot nor will not pay as its ordered in the testament then they shall sell the land as good as they can and pay what is right and equitable and all my children from the first and second wife shall receive equal alike and the Executor shall give my sons the titles for the land in my name and my Mary shall recieve that which is promised to her aforehand first and as soon as the debts are paid. To this my last will and testament I appoint Executor oveer my heirs and estate Peter Yordy, Johannes Kauffman, Johannes Saylor, signed and sealed by me. Witnessess were here present:
- Felix Landis Frederick Hess and Christian Stouffer
- Lancaster County as on the third day of May Anno Domini 1770. Before me the subscriber personally appeared Frederick Hess and Christian Stouffer the two subscribing witnessess to the mentioned will and on their solumn affirmation according to law did declair and say that they were present and say and heard Felix Landis the testator within named sign seal pronounce and declare the within writing his last will and testament and at the doing thereof he was of sound mind and well disposing mind, memory and understanding, to the best of their knowledge observation and behalf.
- To Edward Shippen Esquire, Deputy Register, in and for the county of Lancaster. I John Saylor one of the executors nominated and appointed in a d of the last will and Testament of Felix Landis late of Derry Twp. in the County of Lancaster, yeoman, deceased, do hereby remove all my rights to the executorship of this said will and I do refuse to accept letters testamentary thereon being not able to bear the burden of the execution thereby witness my hand and seal this 14th May Anno Domini 1770
- John Saylor Test. Michael Hoofnagle
- Be it remembered that on the third day of May Anno Domini 1770 the last will and testament of Felix Landis late of Derry Twp. in the county of Lancaster, yeoman, deceased, was proved in due form of law and letters testamentary herein were granted to Peter Yordy and John Kauffman, and John Saylor the remaining executor in and by his certain deed of renouncion duly executed and filed in the Registors office at Lancaster, renounced all his right of executorship in the estate of the said decedent. The said Peter Yordy and John Kauffman being just and qualified will and truly administrate the estate of the siad decedent and to exhibit a true and perfect inventory thereof unto the Registors Office at Lancaster on or before the third day of June next and to render a true and just account of their administration on the said estate when thereto lawfully required. Given under the seal of said office.
- Edw. Shippen DR
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- Preface firstly it is my last will and testament that all my just debts shall be paid before a division shall be made. Item:I bequeath unto my wife Mary Landis fifty pounds in money before hand and then she shall come into a childs portion.