Maine Wills

 From York County Probate Records, Volume Ten (1749-60)

In the Name of God Amen.

   The Tenth Day of Ianuary in the Year of our Lord 1758.

   I Alexander Nickels of Newcastle in the County of York Gentⁿ being very Sick & weak in Body, but of perfect Mind & Memory Thanks be given unto God for the Same; and calling to Mind the Mortality of my Body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make & ordain this my last Will & Testament, That is to Say, principally & first of all I give & recommend my Soul into the Hands of God that gave it; And for my Body I recommend it to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent Manner at y^e Discretion of my Executor, Nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I Shall receive the Same again by the Mighty Power of God; and as touching Such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life; I give devise & dispose of the Same in Manner & Form following, that is to Say, In the first place, I give & bequeath to Hannah my dearly beloved Wife, the whole East End of my dwelling House, with two Acres of Land adjoining the Same; Also Hay and Pasturage for two Cows, and likewise the Gristmill; All which I will & bequeath to the Said Hannah to be her Sole Property to be disposed of by her at her Death in the Way & Manner She Shall think most proper.

   Also I give to my well beloved Sons Iames Nickels William Nickels Alexander Nickels Iohn Nickels & Samuell Nickells all the whole remaining part of my real Estate together with the Saw Mill, and what concern I have in Vessels at Sea, That at y^e Term of four Years ensuing the Date hereof Shall be equally divided amongst them, Excepting the Meadow at the Head of Kenedys Marsh I will & bequeath to my Daughter Mary & her Husband, when they my aboves^d Sons Shall pay what Debts I owe, together with the following Sums, which I will order and Appoint to my Daughters viz^t to my Daughter Margaret the Sum of Forty pounds lawful Money, And to my Daughter Iane the Sum of Fifty three pounds Six Shillings and eight pence; and to my Daughter Hannah the Sum of Forty pounds, and to my Daughter Elizabeth the Sum of Fifty three pounds Six Shillings & Eight pence.

   I also will & appoint these my Sons Severally & annually after the Experation of the four Years above mentioned as long as God Shall think fit to continue my well beloved Wife in this Life the Sum of Five pounds annually for her Support. I also order & appoint my Son Alexander to have his part of Land adjoining his dwelling House And my Son Samuel to have the West End of my dwelling House in his part according to the Valuation of y^e Same.

   I likewise constitute make & ordain my well beloved Sons Alexander Nickells Samuel Nickells & William Millar my Son in Law to be my only & Sole Executors of this my last Will & Testament; And I do hereby utterly disallow revoke & disannul all & every other Testam^ts Wills & Legacys Bequests & Executors by me in any Ways before this time Named willed & bequeathed, Ratifying and confirming this & no other to be my last Will & Testam^t In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand and Seal the Day & Year above written

Alexander Nickels (Seal)
his mark               

   Signed Sealed published pronounced & declared by y^e Said Alexander Nickels as his last Will & Testament in the presence of us the Subscribers that is to Say

   William M^cCleland John Cunningham & Mary Millar