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Last Will & Testament – In the name of God, Amen, I Enoch Abrahams, of West Pennsborough tp., Cumberland Co., finding myself in a weak state of bodily health, but thanks be to God yet of a sound retaining mind, and of good understanding have therefore determined within myself to make my last will and testament in manner and form following, to wir: 1st, I recommend my sould into the hands of Almight God, and my body to the earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner, and as touching such wordly estate where with it had pleased God to bless me in this world I give, devise and dispose there of in the following manner, my will and order is that all of my just debts and funeral expences be paid out of my estate. Further it is my will and I order that my beloved wife Hannah shall continue on housekeeping, the time of one year from the sping next after my death with my children as if I was present myself and my children shall obey her reasonable commands and all advances shall be considered as part of my estate, within which time of housekeeping my executors herein after named shall build and erect, or cause to be built and erected out of my estate a small accommodious dwelling house and stable, also a well to be sunk & walled and all and every other necessary conveniences with the paling of a garden, at the direction & pleasement of my said wife Hannah, on that certain part of my plantation which projects and corners into the land of Andrew Shower, containing about 8 acres including a small orchard, and to be devided off from my plantation by a straight line from one corner to the other, to be the same more or less, on which said acres more or less and in the new house thereon erected and built my said wife shall have her widowseat and right of dower, with the enjoyment of the same and of every accommodation use and possession of said eight acres more or less, during her natural life or as long as remains a widow. And my said wife shall have of my personal estate goods and furniture whatever she pleases to take at the appraisement, amounting to a sum not exceeding 100 lbs, and she shall also have out of the remainder of my real estate yearly the lawful interest of the sum of 1700 lbs during the aforesaid time, but if my said wife shall happen to marry again, then shall her right of dower on said 8 acres of land expire and she shall depart from the same, and the receiving of the yearly interest shall cease, but out and from the said 1700 lbs she shall receive such a sum, which together with the amount of what she took at the appraisement, shall be equal to a child’s share therewith to do what she pleaseth.

Further, it is my will and I order that my son, Michael Abrams, shall have the remaining part of my land and plantation whereon I now live, containing about 206 acres more or less together with all the buildings and improvements thereon now erected and made, and I give and devise the same to him and to his heirs and and assigns forever, on such terms as hereinafter mentioned, that is to say that in the month of May in the year of my wife’s housekeeping, my executors shall nominate and choose 7 honest, impartial and disinterested persons who, after being duly qualified, shall enter on my said land and plantation in the same month or as soon as conveniently may then be, and value and appraise to the best of their judgement and understanding that part of my land and plantation which I gave and devised to my said son, Michael, and with the buyildings and improvements thereon, also to have regard to 1/2 of the grain to be put in ground as the half shall go and be considered with my said plantation. And if my said son, Michael, accepts of that part of my land and plantation to him devised at the valuation & appraisment of the aforesaid appraisers, the 1/2 of the valuation money to be considered as cash, and the remainder as 8 annual mayments without interest, of which 1/2 of the valuation money, my son, Michael’s, share of my then distributable real estate shall be decucted, also the aforesaid 1700 lbs of which interest is to be paid in the manner aforesaid and the remainder of said 1/2 of the valuation money (if any) to be paid at the time of taking possession, which shall be in the spring after the appraisement, to be equally distributed to and among all my other children and the other 1/2 of said valuation to be paid to my other children in 8 yearly equal payments, every year on the 1st day of Aparil agreeable to their ages so that the oldest always receives the 1st, and after the expiration of my said wife’s dower, the said 1700 lbs shall be paid within 12 months and the whole or so much thereof as my wife don’t take in case of marriage, shall be equally distributed to and among all my 9 children or their legal representatives. All the aforesaid sum or sums of money, legacies, payments and interest shall be and remain a lien on that part of my land and plantation devised to my son, Michael, until paid and discharged agreeable to this my wife.

Further it is my will and I order that in case my said son, Michael, don’t accept of the land and plantation to him devised, that then my Executors shall be hereby empowered with 8 months after the appraisment, sell and dispose of that part of my aforesaid land & plantation at such sale and terms of sale as they or the survivor of them thinks proper and sees cause, and my executors or survivor or survivors of them shall give a deed to the pruchaser thereof, which deed I acknowlege to be as balid and as lawful as if done by myself. All the advance monty which exceeds the sum of 1700 lbs, to be equally divided and distributed to and among all my 9 children or their legal representatives, the yearly payments also to be equally distributed among all my children, but so as the oldest take and receive 1st, and so on to the youngest, and the said 1700 lbs after my wife’s dower is expired or so much thereof as is coming to my children, shall be equally divided to and among them all, or their legal representatives.

Further is my will and I order that after the expiration of my wife’s dower, the aforesaid 8 acres more or less and all buildings and improvements thereon, shall be sold by my executors, or survivor or survivors of them at such sale or terms of sale as they, or survivor or survivors of them thinks proper or sees cause, and the money or moneys therefrom arising to be equally divided to and among all my children or their legal representatives. And I hereby fully impower my executors or the survivor or survivors of them to give a deed to the pruchaser thereof, which deed I acknowledge to be as valid and lawfull as if done by myself.

Further it is my will and I order that all my sons shall have each the sum of 100 lbs advance more than their respective shares, and my daughter, Catherine, shall have her bed, bedstead and everthing thereto belonging, also her bureau & spinning wheel in advance more than her respective share. Further is my will and I order that my 3 youngest children shall be schooled out of my estate at the direction of their guardians, and my 2 youngest children may stay with their mother until they are able to earn their victuals and clothes, provided she will keep them as reasonable as any other person or persons will keep them. My will and order is that such of my children that are of age, and stay with their mother at the time of her housekeeping, such of my children shall be recompensed for their servies out of my estate.

Further is my will and I order that after all and every disbursement, my wife’s goods and furniture, and advances aforementioned, and all and every other accruing charges be deducted from my personal estate, that then the remainder of my personal estate be equally inherited and settled between all my children. My will and order is that the 1/2 of the grain in growth on my plantation at that at the time of sale (if the same happen to be sold) shall go with the plantation. My will and order is that after the expiration of my wife’s dower, so much as is coming to my children shall bear interest until paid, that is of the said 1700 lbs.

Further is my will and I order that my son, Michael, shall give sufficient security in case he accepts of that part of my land and plantation to him devised, for such payments , interests and sums of money as I have heretofore enjoyned him to pay, if my other executors thinks proper and sees cause at any time to demand or require. Further is my will and I order that Andrew Heikes, Andrew Shower and Michael Bear shall be the guardians over the persons and estates of my minor children.

Finally, I nominate and appoint as executors to execute this my last will and testament according to law, my son, Michael Abraham and my friend, John Bear, – and as executrix, my wife, Hannah, and I hereby acknowledge and declare this present writing to be my last will and testament and have signed and sealed the same with my own hand and seal the 27th day of June in the year of our Lord 1812. Enoch Abraham

Signed, sealed and published and declared by the testator as and for his last will and testament, in the presence of us who have at his request signed our names thereto as witnesses in the presence of each other. Andrew Shower Michael Bear
Cumberland County, PA

Will probated Tuscarawas, Co., OH 9 April 1835 – Will Book B 1234 Pg 67 – I VALENTINE FLECK, of the County of Tuscarawas in the State of Ohio do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say, First it is my will that my funeral expenses and all my just debts be fully paid. Second I give, devise and bequeath to my beloved wife Mary Fleck in lier of her dower the plantation on which we now reside situate in the first range, eighth township, fourth quarter lot 36 containing 100 acres, also a tract being a part of 2nd section 7th township and 1st range, containing 12 acres, 1 rod, during her natural life, and live stock, horses, cattle, sheep, hogs and C. by me now owned and kept thereon, also all of the household furniture and other items not particularly named and otherwise disposed of in this will during her natural life as aforesaid. She however, first disposing of a sufficiency thereof to pay my just debts as aforesaid and that at the death of my said wife all the property herby ddevised or bequeathed to her as aforesaid or so much thereof as may remain unexpended, I give and devise to my 5th son, Valentine Fleck $50 and also give and devise to my son Nicholas Fleck $50 out of my property then unexpended over and above the rest of my children the balance of my property to be divided equally amongst my children David Fleck, JOHN FLECK, Daniel Fleck, May McFuson, Peter Fleck, my legal heirs at law and lastly I hereby constitute and appoint my saon David Fleck and my son Valentine Fleck to be the exectors for this my last will and testament revoking and annulling all former wills by me made and ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 26th day of August A.D. 1833. Valentine Fleck (seal)

Signed, published and declared by the above named Valentine Fleck as and for his last will and testament in presence of us who at his request have signed as his witness to the same. Jacob Kitch William Coleman