Image by smleon via FlickrWill of William Hayden Sr.
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN I William Hayden, Senr.of Sainte Mary's County in the Province of Maryland Planter being weak of Body but of sound and perfect Memory and knowing the uncertainty of this Transitory life I do think it Meet and Convenient to settle things in order for a Better (sentence ends here)
First and principally I bequeath my Soul to Almighty God my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by whose Meritourius Death and passion I hope to obtain Everlasting Life and my Body to the Earth from whence it came to be Decently buried as my Executrix hereafter Nominated and Appointed shall think Meet and Convenient and for Worldly Estate it has pleased God of his Goodness to lend me I do give and dispose of as followeth in ,manner and form following Vizt.
Imp. Item I give and bequeth unto my son Charles Hayden the Plantation where-on he now lives and my Land there unto adjoining unto him the said Charles Hayden and his Heirs forever.
Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Grace Herbert the Plantation whereon she now lives and the Land divided for the same Plantation which said land and Plantation shall be and remain unto the said Grace Herbert & her Heirs forever
I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Tomaszin Cissell all the remainder of my Land called Finchly unto her Heirs forever.
Item My will is that my beloved wife Elizabeth Hayden have all the rest of my Estate both Real and Personal while she lives single to dispose of at her pleasure but if in case sh Marry's again after my Decease that then all my Land to be equally Divided amonghts my eight children namely Francis Hayden and Susanna Hayden James Hayden and George Hayden John Hayden and Clement Hayden Richard Hayden and Elizabeth Hayden or the survivors of them and their heirs forever only it is to be understood that my beloved wife have her Life-time on the Plantation whereon I shall live at the time of my Departure.
Item I will and ordain in case my sd wife marry's as afd that all and every of my aforesaid sons be of age when they arrive ro Eighteen years and that they shall have one thousand Pounds of Tobacco in Lieu of their part of my Estate paid them
Item I will that my Daughters have their Thousand pounds of Tobacco paid when they arrive to sixteen years of age or day of marriage which shall first happen and for the fulfilling and true performing of this my last Will and Testament I do nominate appoint & ordain my well beloved wife Elizabeth hayden my whole and sole Executrix of this last Will and testament making void and frustrate all other will or wills by me heretofore made either Varbale or in writing as Witness my hand and Seal this fourteenth day of July anno Domini one thousand Seven hundred Thirty and Two
/s/ William W Hayden
his mark
Signed and Sealed and Delivered
in The Presence of
Peter Garratt
Michael ( quiset
his mark
J. Thompson
At the foot of the foregoing will was the following thus written Vizt
March the 6th 1733.4 Peter Garrott Michael Quiset and James Thompson the three subscribing Witnesses to the foregoing Will being duely and Solumnly Sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God Depose and say that they saw the Testator William Hayden Sign the foregoing will and heard him publish and declare the same to be his last will and Testament and at that time of his so doing he was to the best of their apprehension of sound and disposing mind and memory and that they Subscribed their respective names as witnesses to the said Will in the prescence of the said Witnesses in the prescence of the said Testator and at his Request which oath was taken by the said Witnessess in the prescence of Charles Hayden Son and heir at Law of the Deceased which same Charles Hayden did not object to the Probat of the said Will Sworn to before me. Tho Aisquith Depy of St. Mary's County 7 sides
(Md. Hall of Records, Prerogative Court (Wills) 20, pp. 902-904
March 17, 1733- My eighth great grandfather, James French, dies at the age of 83 in the Newtown One Hundred, St Mary's County, Maryland.
James French was born in 1650 in Galoway County, Ireland. He was from a distinguished French family, long the Mayors of Galoway. They originated as a Norman family and immigrated to Ireland before 1400.
In 1671, he was transported to Maryland by Thomas Notley. He arrived under indenture, and in 1674 was listed as servant in the inventory of Captain Luke Gardiner.
In Maryland, he married Elizabeth Meekin, the daughter of William Meekin & Margaret Beard. It was through this marriage that he became the possessor of 129 acres of "Wolver Hampton" which bordered on "Hopton Park". James French owned 3 tracts of land in New Town, St. Mary's County, Maryland, consisting of 379 acres. He apparently bought 100 acres of this land from the heirs of Authur Thompson in 1707. His daughter, Mary, was married to Robert Thompson, who would have been an heir of Authur Thompson, but was deceased prior to Authur's death.
The Last Will of JAMES FRENCH , Dated March 4, 1733, St.Marys County, MD,
Pgs. 26-27:
In the name of God, Amen, I, James French of St.Mary's County______ being weak in body but of sound mind & memory, blessed be God, do make this my last Will & Testament in form as follows:_____
I give & bequeath unto my beloved grandson, John French, to him and his heirs forever, one hundred
& ten acres of land to be laid out on the West side of my land & also on the west side of a Branch unto my well beloved grand child, Mary Leake, wife of John Leake, to her and the heirs of her body lawfully begotten
forever.
Item: My Will is that my good & trusty servant, James Kirby shall be free from servitude on the day of my death.
Item: My Will is after all my just debts are paid, all that remains of my personal Estate be equally divided amongst all my grandchildren.
Item: I constitute & appoint my said grandchild, John French, my whole & sole executor of this my last Will & Testament, in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal on this fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord, 1733
James French (SEAL)
Signed, sealed & published to be his las Will & Testament in the presence
of:
John Thompson
James Ruil(?)
Elizabeth French. 21. 6.
March 17, 1733
John Thompson and Elizabeth French, two of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing Will, being duly & solemnly sworn on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God, depose & say that they saw the testator, James French, sign the foregoing Will and heard him publish and declare the same to be his last Will & Testament that at the time of his doing so he was to the best of their apprehension of sound and disposing mind and memory and that they subscribed their respective names as witnesses to the said will in the presence of John French, grandson & heir at law, which same, John French did not object to the ____of the said Will.
Sworn to before me Tho. Aisquith (?), Dep. County Clk. of St. Mary's
County.
