Somerset County MDGenWeb Zachariah Nelson of Somerset County Will Written 14 Dec 1869, Proved 4 Feb 1870

This will transcription has been provided by Fred Howard. Thanks, Fred!

I obtained a copy of his will through the kindness of Mrs. Alice Anne Webster back in 1989.

I am unable to read some words as the will is faded. Where I do not know the word/s, I will place a "______". Zachariah Nelson lived in the Jenkins Creek area of Crisfield.

His will follows:

In the name of God amen. I, Zachariah Nelson of Somerset County in the State of Maryland being in perfect health of body and of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof and being desirous to settle my worldy affairs and thereby be the better prepared to leave this world which it shall please God to call me home, do therefor make and publish this my last will and testament in ________ and form following that is to say - First and principally, I commit my soul unto the hands of Almighty God and my body to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executor, herein after named after my debts and funeral charges are paid and my wifes third taken out, I devise and bequeath as follows:

I give to my daughter, Sally Sterling, wife of William Sterling, the sum of fifty dollars in cash - $50.

I give to my daughter, Patty Nelson, one half of the ______ of land where my house stands and the large end of my house and one bed and furniture.

I give to my daughter Nancy Ward, wife of Lewis Ward, the other half of the above named _______ of land and the other end of the house.

I give to my daughters Nancy Ward and Patty Nelson all of my household furniture to share and share alike.

I give to my granddaughter, Casandra Ward, one bed and furniture.

I give to my grandson, Lemuel T. Ward (this is the Ward Bros father) my canoe and one bed and furniture.

I leave the residue of my _______ estate to be equally divided between all my heirs _______ ______.

And lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint my son Zachariah Nelson to be my sole executor of this my last will and testament, revoking and annulling all former wills by me heretofore made ______ and confirming this and none others to be my last will and testament in testimony wherof I hereto sign my hand and seal this fourteenth day of December in the year 1869.

Somerset County to wit: February 4th day 1870 then came Henry Johnson & Franklin Johnson, two of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing last will and testament of Zacariah Nelson, late of Somerset County, deceased, and they made oath on the holy example of Almighty God that they did see the testator therein named sign and seal this will, that they heard him publish, pronounce and declare the same to be his last will and testament, that at the time of his doing he was to the best of their apprehensions capable of executing a valid deed or contract and that they subscribed their names as witnesses to this will in the presence and at the request of the testator, and in the presence of the other subscribing witness therto, they further disposed that they saw Littleton D. Robertson subscribe his name as a witness to this will in the presence and at the request of the testator. Recorded Liber S. No. 5 Folio 251252(?) before ___________.

Monday, 21-Aug-2023 23:17:31 EDT