From: Linda Boorom Date: Tuesday, 10 August 1999 9:22 JONATHAN DRAKE'S WILL In the Name of God Amen. This Fifteenth Day of December in the Year of the Lord One Thousand Seven hundred & Fifty One I Jonathan Drake of the Township of New Britain in the County of Bucks and Province of Pensilvania Yeoman, being much Afflicted in Body, and far Stricken in Years Do make Constitute and Ordain this my Last Will and Testament in Manner and form following viz. Principally and before all things I recomend my Soul to God, hoping for mercy through Jesus Christ, and my Body to the Earth, to be therein Decently Buried as to my Executors herein after named shall seem meet & convenient Nothing Doubting but to Receive the same again at the General Resurrection by the Mighty Power of God and as Toughing such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath Pleased God to Bless me in this Life I Do Give Ordain Devise and Dispose thereof as Followeth imprimis I Do will and Ordain, that my Just Debts and Funeral Charges be Duly & fully Paid & Satisfied, Item I Do Give and Bequeath unto my well Beloved Wife Mary Drake the sum of One hundred Pounds Lawfull money of Pensilvania to be paid as soon as money can be made by ye Sale of my Estate the Same to be at her Disposal During her Natural Live and if any part thereof Remain at her Decease such part to be Divided Equally between my Chilsren the said sum to be unto her in Lieu of her Dower of third at Law out of my Estate and I do Give unto my said Wife One Bed and the Appurtenances thereof Item I Give and Bequeath unto my four Sons Namely George Drake, William Drake, Jonathan Drake, & Thomas Drake ye sum of Eighty Pounds Each of Like money as above sd to be paid as soon as money shall be Raised by ye Sale of my Estate, and I Give unto my said Son Thomas Drake One of my Horses which he shall Choose. Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Eldest Daughter Mary Bevan the Use and Benefit of the Sum of Thirty Pounds During the Term of her Natural Life and the Natural Life of her Husband Mordecai Bevan, and after their Decease ye said Sum of Thirty Pounds to be Equally Divided Between my Grand Children by my said Daughter Mary Bevan and I do Give unto my Son in Law ye said Mordecai Bevan ye Sum of Five Pounds in Consideration of his Charges about Building the House he now Lives in Item I Give and Bequeath unto my three Youngest Daughters, Namely Debora Drake, Catherin Drake, and Aphie Drake ye Sum of Forty Pounds Each to be paid in the Same Manner as the Other above Legacies, And I Give further unto my said Wife One Iron Pot Two Pewter Dishes and Six Pewter Plates, And my will further is, that if my Estate shall fall Short of Answering the Debts and the above Bequeathed Legacies that the Legacies shall abate Proportionably and if the Estate upon sale made shall come to more that then the above Legacies shall Augment Proportionably, and I do Nominate Constitute and appoint My Son George Drake and my Son Jonathan Drake and my Good friend Simon butler Jun. to be Joynt Executors of this my last Will & Testament and in Order to Enable them to Answer the Purposes of this my Will, & to pay my Debts Charges and ye hereby Bequeather Legacies I Do Entrust and Empower them my said Executors to Grant Sell and Dispose of all and Singular my Goods and Chattels whatsoever (Except what is above Specifically Bequeathed) and to Grant Bargain and Sell all and Every of my Messuages Lands and Tenements for any Person or Persons as shall of them Purchase the Same, and under their Hands and Seals to Execute such Lawful Deed or Deeds Conveyances and Asurances for ye Conveying and Confirmation of the said Messuages Lands & Plantations unto such Purchaser or Purchasers Together with their Appurtenances To hold to such Purchaser or Purchasers his Heirs and their Heirs and assign for Ever And I Do Nominate and Empower and Entrust my Good Friends Thomas Humphrey and Isaac James both of Mountgomery to be Trustees to See this my will in all Things fullfilled and to assist my Executors if Need be and I Do hereby Revoke and make Void all other and former Wills by me before this made of willed Ratifying & Confirming this to be my Last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand and Seal ye Day & Year above said Jonathan Drake Sealed Signed Published and Declared (the words (the House) bing ____interlined) by Jonathan Drake Testator in the presence of Us John marks, Alex Wright, Benja Griffith Bucks: The 30 Day of July Anno Domini 1754 Then Appeared John Marks and Benjamin Griffith Two of the Witnesses to the within Written Will and Upon their Solemn Oaths did Severally declare that they were present and Saw Jonathan Drake the within Testator Sign Seal Publish and Declare the within Writing to be his Last Will and Testament and that at the Doing thereof He was of Sound mind Memory and Understanding to the Best of their Knowledge Before me Richd Gibbs Deputy Register By Virtue of a Commission from the Register General & by the Direction of Lawrance Growdon Esqr Deputy Register Bucks: Be it Remembered That On the 30th Day of July Anno Domini 1754 This Last Will and Testament of Jonathan Drake was Duly Proved According To Law and Probate and Letters Testamentary were Granted To George Drake, Jonathan Drake and Simon Butler Junr Executors therein Named they being first Solemnly sworn well and Faithfully to Administer the Goods and Chattels Rights and Credits of the said Deceased and to Exhibit a True and Perfect Inventory thereof in to the Registers Office for the said County of Bucks in One Month after the Date hereof And a Just and true Account of their Administration when thereunto Required to Render In Witness whereof I have Hereunto Set my Hand and the Sela of the said Office the Day and Year aforesaid Richd Gibbs Deputy Regr By Virtue of a Commission from the Register General And by the Direction of _______Deputy Register