Will of George Johnson

In ye Name of that Light which enlightenth every Man that cometh unto ye world that was my condemor but now my saviour so beith I George Johnson of Somerset County I ye Province of Maryland being sick in body but of good perfect memory thanks be to Almighty God & calling to remembrance & uncertain state of this Transitory Life & that all flesh must yield unto death When is shall please god to call do Make constitute ordain & declare this my Last will & testament in Manner & form following revoking & disanulling by these presents all & every testaments. Will & wills heretofore by me made & declared wither by word or writing & this is to be taken for my last will & testamt & none other. & first I give & bequeath to my well beloved wife Katherine Johnson a parcell of Land whereon I now live called Straights with all ye orchards gardens pastures seedins with all ye appertenances thereunto belonging during her naturell Life with all ye stock hoggs & cattle ye Number of cattle to be restored on ye day of her death to my Exr. or Exrs hereafter mentioned I give to my said beloved wife further a parcell of land called Johnston containing 300 acres also a parcell of Land called discovery at 200 Acres these Lying & being at ye head of ye aforementioned Land Called ye Straights allso a parcell of Land Called London Guift at 50 acres. One other parcell of land called Londons Advisements at 50 acres & 2 parcells of Land vizt. One called Poplar Ridge at 200 acres one other called Jones Adventure at 500 acres. Item I give & bequeath to my well beloved wife Katherine Johnson ye Negro boy called William during her Naturall Life & after her decease to be free. Item I give & bequeath unto ye Widow Minshall, during my wifes naturall life 400lb. of tobacco yearly provided she remains a widow, Item I give & bequeath ye one quarter Part of ye sloop called ye John & Katherine to my well beloved wife Katherine Johnson to sell after my decease & ye produce thereto be given unto such four prts, us ye ful-fees in trust hereafter shall think fitt, I give & bequeath ye one Moiety of a house Lying & being in ye City of Canterbury in ye County of Kent in England unto ye eldest child of my brother John Johnson living in Woburn, in New England, I give & bequeath unto ye eldest child of my sister Susan Johnson that shall be living at ye time of this my Last will & testament is preformed, four pounds, left me by my dear & loving Father & a bill of 16 Money still due from my brother Edwd Johnson in New England & to him & their heirs for Ever, Item I give & bequeath unto my brother William Johnson in New England, his Eldest child that shall be living at ye time of my decease one house lying & being in Canterbury. Kent County old England in a parrish called Esidge over agrt ye Bishops Pallace that was Left me by my father Edward Johnson after ye decease of my Grand father Wm. Johnson, Item I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Katherines eldest child ye wife of John Godding , ye one half of ye moveables & cattle that I am now possessed, with all after my wifes decease & for want of issue lawfully Begotten on ye body of ye said Katherine to ye second child of my brother John Johnson, Item I give & bequeath unto ye eldest child of my son George Johnson, lawfully begotten on ye one moiety or half of ye goods lands & apportunances thereunto belonging aforementioned & for want of such issue I do by this my Last will & Testament given unto ye second child of my sister formerlly called Susanah Prentice alias Johnson ye said Moiety aforesaid to be understood, after my wife Katherine Johnsons decease notwithstanding what is above mentioned. I give & bequeath unto ye child of Susan Prentice alias Johnson all ye Moiety or one half of ye above mentioned given to my son George And my will is in this my Last Will & testament that my well beloved wife Katherine Johnson is my whole & sole Exc. I do by these presents constituted & ordain & appoint & by these presents, be it ordained constituted & appointed as my Last Will & Testament these persons following Roger Woolford Leven Denwood Will. Berry & Thomas Taylor all ****Inhabitants in ye province of Maryland to be my lawfull Executors adm. Or overseers of this my last will & testament & that ye said persons as they stand related to dispose of [free fus??] in trust all ye lands houses barnes pastures feedings what other appertanances . Shall at that time belong unto ye wife me George Johnson in this will before I professed after her decease, provided that my well beloved wife Katherine Johnson doth in ye time of her life dispose of ye parcell of land called Poplar Ridge at 200 acres & Jones Adventure at 500 acres & Londons Advisement qt 50 acres & a parcell of land called Discovery at 200 acres & that ye said tobacco, Merchandizes of Moneys, she shall have liberty to make use of so long as she liveth & after her decease to be at ye dispose of ye [fee fee] in trust above mentioned & that ye said Executors or [fee fees] aforementioned in trust of their my last will & testament & doth dispose of unto what I shall hereafter mention which is as followith, Imp. I give & bequeath Roger Woolford Leven Denwood Wm. Berry & Thomas Taylor 30 [?] each person to be paid by my executor but if any should decease this mortal world before my wifes departure that then this to return to ye executrix of to such as shall be living at ye day of ye death of my said wife Katherine Johnson but in case ye any of ye above mentioned Executors do depart this natural life before my loving wife aforementioned & then it shall be_________Always provided that his last clause be employed for ye eldest children of ye above named for all of silver plate marked with ye letters G.J. that this my last will & testament witness my hand & seal this 23 day of November Anno. Dom one thousand six hundred & eighty_____Item I give & bequeath to ye youngest child of George Wilson a parcell of land called Londons [guilt??] but in case my wife should dispose of it before her decease that then ye tobacco goods or merchandizes sold for shall return unto ye said child or his heirs, Item I give & bequeath to Stephen Caddy ten pounds money [????] after ye decease of my loving wife, Item I give & bequeath to Samuel Thorton my friend forty shillings money [stod???] after ye decease of my loving wife, Item I give & bequeath unto my friend Stephen Crisp forty shillings in money [stod???], Item I give & bequeath unto my friend Henry Jackson forty shillings money [stod??] after my wifes decease, Item I give & bequeath unto William Dosborough after ye decease of my wife forty shillings money [Stod??], Item I give & bequeath ye young child of George Johnson of Muddy Creek in Accomack if is be living at my wifes decease that then executors aforementioned shall purchase one Moyitty or ye one half of ye lands goods & chattles of me ye said George Johnson doth go unto ye best child of my son George thereby this my last will & testament do give & bequeath unto Roger Woolford Leven Denwood Wm. Berry & Thomas Taylor ye other moyetty for them of such of them & shall bee living a ye at ye departure of my wife this natural life or unto such as shall be chosen by ye meeting above specified for them to give shcu legacys as in ye said will is expressed & for ye remainder be given unto such poor friends as ye sd. Roger Woolford Leven Denwood Wm. Berry & Thomas Taylor or such as shall be chosen at ye departure of well beloved wife Katherine Johnson by ye meeting aforementioned & lastly if any person whatsover shall molest any of there legaie[??] to whom in my will I have bequeathed any offering unto or seek to deprive by law that then that Moyetty is belonging unto him ye distributer shall be convicted to ye prison so disturbed___ That this my last will & testament of George Johnson sealed by him we ye witnesses that hereunto subscribed do testifie this sealed & delivered as ye absolute will & testament of George Johnson ye three & twenty day of November, one thousand six hundred & ei[??]ghty Before John Heath George [gs] seal Johnson Th. Price mark Edm. Beauchamp Somerset County Whereas ye honorable Philip Calvert Mat. Judge of commisary Generall for probate of wills & granting admn. Did indorse me Wm. Jones of ye county aforemen. By this warrant bearing sate ye 20th day of September last past to call before me John Heath Thomas Price & Edmund Beauchamp witnesses subscribed to ye last will & testament of ye George Johnson late of ye said county deceased & that by their oaths ye same to be proved these are therefore to certifie that this day towit ye 23 day of December in ye Seventh year of ye dominion of ye Right & Honorable Charles Lord Barron of Baltimore Annog Dom 1681. John Heath & Edmund Beauchamp made oath on he Holy Evangelist, before me ye said Wm. Jones that they did see George Johnson sign seal & deliver ye within mentioned writing as his last will & testament in manner & form as there in expressed an further at that same time Thomas Price came before me & did declare but not upon oath ye within mentioned as ye will & testament of George Johnson deceased. Thoi [Fatene??] & done before me~ Wm. Jones (Indorsement Intr. Folio 24) Recorded in Liber EB No. 5 folio 137and 138~ Test. Esme Bayly Regr. WSC