Last Will and Testament
Joseph Carpenter
Town of Stephentown

Information on this page was submitted by Joanna Powell-Wilson.

A copy of the Last Will and Testament of Joseph Carpenter recorded March 22, 1797.

In the name of God, amen. This twenty ninth day of August in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and ninety six. I Joseph Carpenter of Stephentown in the County of Rensselaer and the State of New York being in a low state of health but of perfect mind and memory, blessed be to God therefor, and calling to mind the mortality of man and knowing that it is [-?-] unto man to die, do make and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament

And principally and first of all I recommend my soul to God to give of my body to be buried in a decent Christianlike manner at the discretion of my Executor hereafter named and [-?-] but I shall receive the same by the mighty power of God at the general resurrection and concerning that worldly estate which it hath pleased God to bless me with, I dispose of in the following manner.

I give my wife SARAH in lieu of her dower or power of third the use of half the house, barn and [-?-] also my son BENJAMIN to deliver to her five bushels of wheat, five bushels of rye, fifteen bushels of corn annually when they become merchantable, also I give two cows to her, she to take her choice, and my son Benjamin to keep them well and bring them to the [-?-] for milking. Also, I give her my own saddle & bridle and some sheep, my son Benjamin to keep them well, also two hundredweight of good pork and one hundredweight of good beef salted up annually to be delivered her sufficient firewood left at the door and her logs put on and her [-?-] green as well as dry and what fruit she is blessed to use which grows on the farm, also my son Benjamin to give her twenty pounds and I give her all my household furniture and otherwise to be at her disposal.

I give my son THOMAS one hundred pounds and my best [-?-].

I give my daughter SALLY a [-?-], I have before given her to be her part of my estate.

I give to my daughter DEBORAH, twenty pounds and her [-?-] last at equal to what my daughter Mary has, also this writing what I have before given her to be her part of my estate.

I give to my son JOSEPH all [that certain?] lot containing about eighteen acres which I now own, also a part of the fifth lot containing about thirty two acres being [the] northwest quarter of said lot, one hundred and twenty pounds in settling the legacies, also I give him my other desk.

I give to my daughter MARY twenty pounds and a mourning suit this with what I have before given her to be her part of my estate.

I give my son SYLVANUS one hundred pounds.

I give to my son SOLOMON, one hundred pounds.

I give to my son BENJAMIN the Sixth lot and [-?-] of the fifth which is contained in the same lease with the lot aforesaid [-?-].

That all my just debts and funeral charges should be honestly paid and whatever shall remain to be equally divided amongst my six sons.

And I do hereby appoint THOMAS CARPENTER the Executor of this my last Will and Testament.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written in the presents [sic] of these witnesses who in the presence of [each other?] have subscribed our names

Joseph Carpenter (L.S.)

Joseph ROGERS
Samuel CARPENTER
Hosea MOFFITT



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