Last Will & Testament of Jacob Spricher

Transcribed by Steven Matthew Hahn, 15 January 2009

§

Last Will and Testament of Jacob Spricher

m - Aug. 7, 1787

Entered in Book A Page 7

West Hanover

No 2

14

§

In the name of God amen

I Jacob Spricher, of West Hanover township in Dauphin County and state of Pennsylvania being verry Weak and infirm of body, But of perfect mind and memory thanks to almighty God therefore calling to mind the mortallity of my Body and knowing that it is appointed to all men once to die Do make and ordain this my last will and testament in the manner and form following, That is principally and first of all I recommend my soul into the hand of God that give it and my Body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a Christian manner

And touching such Worldly estate which it hath Pleased God to bless me with I will and bequeath in the following manner

Imprimis it is my will and I allow that all my just debts and funeral charges be first Discharged by my executors herein after mentioned

Item it is my will and I bequeath unto my son George Spricher the whole of my real estate lands and improvements to him and assigns for ever only he my son George Spricher shall pay the following dowry to my wife and the afternamed legacies to my afternamed children out of the above said real estate

Item it is my will and I allow that he my son George Spricher shall pay yearly and every year unto my wife Dorothy Spricher so long as she remains unmarried the full Quantity of eleven Bushels of wheat and one hundred Weight of Pork or Beacon She shall also have her choice of all the Cows on the premises to choose one for herself which he my son George shall keep for her as he keeps his own during her life or Widowhord She shall have one sheep which shall be also kept along with Georges sheep and the benefits she shall also be entitled to the one fourth part of the Garden for the terms aforesaid to plant therein what she sees cause She shall also have a living in the dwelling House for the time aforesaid in any part thereof as her & my son George can best agree with firewood provided for her both Summer & Winter she shall have her bed & clothes and all her Wearing apparrel both Lining and Woolen And when the Orchard turns well out she shall have that year one Barrel of Cyder and every year she shall have four Bushels of Patatoes also four Chist and two spoons two Basins & three plates which she shall choose also one pot and one pann

Item is is my will and I allow that he my son George Spricher shall pay unto my son Charles Spricher out of the afforesaid real estate the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds in gold or silver in the following manner viz two years after my decease he my son George shall pay unto my son Charles the sum of Ten pounds money afforesaid And soon, on the same day the sum of ten pounds every year until the afforesaid sum of one hundred & fifty pounds be fully paid

Item I will and bequeath unto my daughter Margaret Spricher the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds mony afforesaid to be paid her out of the afforesaid real estate by afforesaid son George Spricher in the same manner as above mentioned to be paid my son Charles that is the same sum yearly & on the same day

Item it is my will and I allow that after my death as soon as convenient the whole of my personal estate excepting what is hereby bequeathed be put to sale and the mony arising therefrom after the payment of my debts and funeral charges be equally divided Between these my three children George Charles & Margaret Spricher

Item it is also my will that at either the death or Marriage of her my wife Dorothy the afforesaid Dowry bequeathed to her shall be equally divided amongst these my three children afforesaid

And further I Do hereby nominate and appoint my son George Spricher the whole & sole executor of this my last will and testament Ratifying and Confirming this and none other to be my last will & testament in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the seventh day of August in the year of our lord one thousand and seven hundred & eighty seven

Jacob Spricher <seal>

Sealed signed published pronounced & declared by the said Jacob Spricher as his last will & testament in the presence of us

Jacob Zant

Philip Heauc

James McCreight