Will of Daniel Hand of Summerset County, New Jersey
Will of Daniel Hand was probated at Bernard Town, New Jersey June 7, 1778.
Forasmuch as it is appointed for all men once to die & the time when very
uncertain I Daniel Hand of the Borogh of Elizabeth County of Summerset and
Province of East New Jersey Yeoman, being of sound Mind and disposing Memory
(Thands be given unto God for the same) do make this my last Will and Testament
I order all my just Debts and funeral Expenses to be paid out of my Estate. I
give my beloved Wife Mary Hand the use & Profits of my whole Estate while she
remains my Widow. I give and bequeath to my Grandson Samuel Hand to him his
Heir & Assigns forever the Plantation I purchased of William & Nathanil Grey
but if my said Grandson Dies under the Age of Twenty one years leaving no Issue
lawfully begotten of his own Body then what I have given him shall be Equally
divided among all my own Children Vizt. Benjamin Hand William Hand John Hand
and Phebe Hand and to be to them their Heirs & Assigns forever all the rest
residue & remainder of my Estate both Real & Personal I give and bequeath to my
abovesaid four Children Vizt Benjamin Hand William Hand John Hand & Phebe
Hand to be equally divided among them four both in Quantity & Quality and shall
be unto them their Heirs and Assigns forever but if either of my said four
Children should Die under the Age of Twenty one Years the Sons or under the Age
of Eighteen Years the Daughter leaveing no Issue lawfully begotten of their own
Body then their part shall be Equally divided among the Survivors of my own
Children (or their Heir if either of them should be Dead leaving lawful Heirs)
and shall be uto them their Heirs and Assigns forever. And I impower my
Executors to divide the Estate among my abovesaid Children at the Death or
Marriage of my abovesaid Wife and I do hereby make ordain Constitute and
appoint my Brother in Law Dennis Cole and my abovesaid beloved Wife Executors
of this my last Will and Testament. And I do hereby utterly revoke and
disannul and disallow all and every other & former Wills and Testaments by me
at any time before this made Ratifying allowing and Confirming this and no
other to be my last Will & Testament.
In Witness wherof I have hereunto set my Hand & Seal this first Day of January
Anno Domini One thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Seven, 1777.
Daniel Hand (Seal)
Signed Sealed Pronounced and Declared by the said Testator Daniel Hand to be
his last Will & Testament in presence of
Henry Line
Mary Line
William Coles
William Coles & Mary Line two of the Witnesses to the within Will being duly
Sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God did depose & say that they saw
Daniel Hand Sign & Seal the same and heard him Publish Pronounce & Declare the
within Writing to be his last Will and Testament and at the doing therof he the
said Testator was of Sound and Disposing Mind & Memory so far as these
Deponants know and as they verily believe And that Henry Line the other subscri
bing Evidence was present at the same time & Signed His Name as a Witness
together with these Deponants in the Presence of the said Testator.
William Coles
Mary Line
Bernard Town June 7th 1778 Sworn before me
James Kirkpaterick, Surrogate.
The foregoing Will being Proved Probate was granted by his Excellency Govr.
Liningston unto Mary Hand sole Executrix in said Will Named, she having been
first duly Sworn truly to perform the same, exhibit a true Inventory & render a
just and tru Acct when thereto lawfully required. Given under the Prerogative
Seal the Day & Year aforesaid. Bowes Reed, Regr.
Recorded in Liber 20 of Wills, page 226.