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IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN. I John Hart of ----------- Hopewell, in the
County of Hunterdon, and in the State of New Jersey, being old and
stricken in age, and labouring under infirmities of Body, but of sound
and perfect Mind and Memory, Thanks be given unto Almighty
God-therefore, and knowing that it is appointed for all men to die and
after that the Judgment, do make and ordain this my last Will and
Testament in manner and Form following (that is to say) first and
principally I give and recommend my Soul into the Hands of Almighty
God who gave it, and my Body to the Earth to be buried in a Christian
and decent like manner at the Discretion of my Executors hereafter
named, not doubting but to receive the same again at the General
Resurrection by the Mighty Power of God, and as such touching all such
Temporal Estate where with has pleased Almighty God to Bless me in
this life, I give, devise & dispose of in the following manner,
Imprimis, my Will is and I do Order, that all my just debts and
Funeral Expenses be first paid & discharged.---------Item. I give and
bequeath unto my Eldest Son Jesse Hart the House and Lot I lately
purchased of Benjamin Stout, Jr. together with seventy nine acres and
one quarter acre, including John Hobbs, the meeting house, and
Benjamin Stout's Sr. lots, out of which Quantity their lots are to be
subtracted and also ten acres and thirty-nine perches of woodland
adjoining land of Widow Handle, the whole agreeable to the Division in
a certain draught made thereof by Timothy Smith April 14th, 1779, to
him his heirs, and assigns forever. Item, I give and bequeath unto my
son Nathaniel Hart the Homestead Plantation whereon I now live
containing about one hundred and ninety three Acres be the same more
or less, divided Agreeable to the Draught above mentioned to him, his
heirs & Assigns forever, upon condition he pays unto his Brother
Daniel when he Arrives to the full Age of Twenty one years the sum of
five hundred pounds and also to his Sister Deborah when she attains
the full age of Eighteen years the Sum of Three Hundred Pounds, Item,
I give & Bequeath my son Edward Hart one Hundred Acres whereupon my
son Nathaniel now lives divided agreeable by a draught be the same
more or less to him, his heirs t assigns forever, provided he pays the
Sum of fifteen pounds Annually to be applied by my Executors for the
bringing up and Educating my Grand Daughter Mary Hart the daughter of
my son John Until She attains the full Age of Eighteen years, if in
her case her Father does not provide for her before that time, which
shall cease and determine as soon as her father takes her under his
care and protection. Item. My will is and I do order my right and
interest in two-thirds of an undivided right of three lots of Land
with the Grist Mills and Fulling Mills thereon, all the appurtenances
thereunto belonging situate at Rocky Hill in the country of Somerset
be sold to the best advantage as soon as conveniently may be after my
decease. Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah Wikoff one
hundred pound, Item give unto daughter Deborah one negro Girl name
Hannah and remainder of my personal Estate to be sold immediately
after my decease and all the residue of my Estate not disposed of as
above said be the same more or less to be equally divided among all my
children Male & Female Share and Share alike, And Provided either my
son Daniel should die without Lawful issue before he attains to the
age of twenty one years or my Daughter Deborah before she attains the
age of eighteen and Become the property of my surviving children Male
or Female Share and Share alike and further, tis my will the Legacies
hereon Bequeathed to my Daughter Sarah be paid her out of the first
money that comes to the Hands of my executors after the discharge of
my just debts---1 do hereby constitute and appoint my three sons, viz,
Jesse, Nathaniel, Edward and my brothers Son Levi Hart executors of my
last Will & Testament giving & granting unto the said Levi Hart
Executor last mentioned Power & Authority to Retain in His Hands a sum
Sufficient (at the discretion of my Executors) for the Support and
maintenance of my aged mother during her natural Life and after her
decease (if not all expended) to be equally divided in the same manner
as the remainder of my Estate is herein ordered to be divided, and I
do hereby invest my Executors with full Power and Authority to Sell my
Real Estate herein ordered to be sold and execute all; such Deeds of
conveyance as the case may require and as the Law directs, intreating
them to observe that the same is carefully performed and done, And I
do hereby Revoke all other and former Wills by me herefore made by me,
declaring this only to be my last Will & Testament in WITNESS whereof
I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal the Sixteenth Day of April in the
year of our Lord one Thousand Seven Hundred Seventy Nine 1779.
Signed, Sealed Published And
Proved by the said John Hart to be His Last
Will & Testament in the presence of
Jared Sexton
Jesse Pettit
John Hart
Andrew Barton
(Above witnesses swore they saw the above John Hart sign his Name to
his last will and testament).
Jesse, Nathaniel, Edward, and Levi Hart also swore on the 26th day of
May, 1779 they will duly perform the same.
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