Introduction

From York County Probate Records, Volume Three (1709-28)

The Will of Lewis Bane

   In the Name of God Amen. I Lewis Bane of York in y^e County of York, in y^e Province of Main, in New : England, being Sick of Body, but of Sound understanding and memory; Do make this my Last Will & Testament.

   First and above all. I would Commit my Spirit into y^e hands of God that gave it, as a faithfull Creator and Mercifull Father, as also into y^e hands of Christ, as an alsufficient and most Gracious Redeemer. Desiring to trust in his Righteousness, even in his only for Justification. In y^e next place I Commit my body to y^e Earth, Decently, to be buried, in hopes of a Glorious Resurrection. And as to that Worldly Estate which God has Graciously given me, I Dispose of it as followeth.

   Imp^rs I give and bequeath unto my faithfull Loving and Tender Wife my Dwelling house and barn and y^e one half of all my Movebles which Movables what my Said Wife does not spend in her lifetime to be given, among her Children at her Discretion at her Decease. and my Said Wife Shall have her thirds of y^e rest of my Estate and half the Lower Pasture during her Natural life.

   It^m I give and bequeath unto my Eldest Son Jonathan all the Land which I bought of Mr Gooch (Excepting the Land on which my barne Standeth & four roods the N E. and as many Roods to y^e SE. of S^d barn and So that full bredth. SW. down to y^e high way) I do also give unto my Said Son Jonathan the one half of my Lower pasture, and y^e whole of Said pasture at his Mothers Decease. And I do further give unto my Said Son a Third part of all my fresh meadows, that lie up in y^e Woods.

   It^m I give and bequeath to my Son Lewis all my Lands at the place in this Town Called Scituate which I bought of Arthur Bragdon & Dodavah and Job Curtis, Together with y^e whole of y^e fresh meadow that I bought with y^e Said Lands at Scituate. I do also give unto my Said Second Son Lewis one third part of my fresh meadows aboves^d Lying in the Woods.

   It^m I give unto my third Son John That forty acres of Land which was my fathers on which my now Dwelling house Standeth taking in y^e Reserve or Exception mentioned in my Gift to Jonathan as above Expressed. as also my Dwelling House and barn at his mothers Decease as also one third part of y^e meadows Lying up in y^e Woods above mentioned. He y^e Said John paying to his youngest brother Ebenezar Twenty and five pounds money.

   Item My Youngest Son Ebenezar Shall be well brought up out of y^e Estate till he Shall come to be of y^e age of twenty & one years, and then besides y^e twenty and five pounds to be paid him by his Brother John he Shall be paid by my Executors out of my Estate Eighty pounds money as also one Cow and ten Sheep

   It^m I give unto my Eldest Davghter Mary Sayword twenty pounds to be paid by my Executors out of my Estate within one Year after my Decease.

   It^m I give and bequeath unto my Second Daughter Elinor forty pounds to be paid out of my Estate by my Executors within two years after my Decease

   It^m I give and bequeath unto my youngest Daughter Mehetabel Forty pounds. as also one Cow and ten Sheep to be paid to her Mother. & put into her Mothers hands within one year after my Decease.

   It^m As to y^e rest of my Land and other Estate that I have not Disposed of, I leave it in y^e hands of my Executors to pay my Just Debts & Funeral Charges & if anything Shall remain it Shall be Equally Divided among all my Children : But if Said Land & Estate Shall not be Sufficient what is wanting Shall be paid by my Children in an Equall proportion to what they do by this my Will and Testament receive.

   Finally. I do make Constitute & appoint my beloved Wife and Eldest Son to be y^e Sole Executors of this my Last Will & Testam^t

Signed Sealed Publis[h]ed Pronounced    & Declared by Lewis Bane first    within mentioned to be his Last    Will & Testamt In presence of us		Lewis Bane (Seal)
John Sedgley    Job Banks    Joseph Moodey	Note ye word (her) between ye 16th & 17th lines in ye first page, as also ye words (as also) between ye 37th & 38th lines in ye Same page and ye word (be) between ye 3d & 4th line in ye 2d page ware all written before ye Signing sealing or Pronouncing of ye above written Testamt
Probated 21 July 1721. Inventory returned 2 Oct. 1721, at £1175: 15: 0, by Abram Preble, Samuel Came, and Jeremiah Moulton Junr, appraisers. Debts due the estate from John Sayward, and Nathll Donnill. [Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 226, citing Probate Office, 3, 75.]