MySource:Bwmitch/The will of Jonathan Franklin, 1761

To all people to whom this Writing Shall Come I Jonathan Franklin of Killingworth in ye County of New london & Colony of Connecticut in New England though weak of Body yet of Sound mind and Memory God be thanked therefor this twenty & third Day of february AD 1761 Considering ye transitory Nature of Sublunary beings & Caling to mind ye mortality of my own body as knowing it is appointed for all men once to die Do make & ordain this my Last will and Testament that is to say Principly & first I Recomend my Soul unto the hand of God who Gave it & my Body to ye Earth to be buried in Desent Christian Burial according to ye Discretion of my Executors Nothing Doubting but I shall Receive ye same at ye General Resurrection and as to such worldly Estate as it hath pleased God to Bless me with in this Life I Dispose of in ye following manner my Just Debts & funeral Expenses being first paid. Imprs: I Give & Bequeath unto Esther my wel beloved wife the one third part of all my moveable Estate to her own Dispose forever and also the Improvement of one third part of all my Lands During the whole term of her Natural Life as also ye Improvement of all ye Lands I hereafter Give unto my Daughters & Grand Daughter So long as she remain my widow. Item: whereas my Eldest Son John having already Received his portion of my Estate yet notwithstanding I Give & Bequeath unto his Children Equally to be Divided Between them the Sum of twenty Shillings Lawful mony out of my Estate to them & their heirs forever. Item: I Give & Bequeath unto Jonathan my Second Son with that which he hath already Received by Deed of Gift the full Quantity of fifty acres of Land Lying a cross ye South part of my farm Extending East & west Sd fifty acres is to be of an Even width at Each End to him ye Sd Jonathan his heirs & Assigns forever. Item: I Give & Bequeath unto my three Daughters Esther Lydia Sarah and to my Grand Daughter Hannah Franklin all the Rest of my Estate Both Real & personal to be So Divided that my Sd Grand Daughter have five pounds more than my Daughters & my Sd Daughters to be made Equal one with ye other with what they have already Recd to them & their heirs forever. And I make & ordain Esther my Sd wife Sole Executrix of this my Last Will & testament Ratifying & Confirming this & no other to br my Last will & testament In witness whereof I have Set to o my hand & Seal ye Day & Date above written Signed Sealed pronounced & Declared by ye Sd Jonathan franklin to be his Last will & testament.