Maine Wills

 From York County Probate Records, Volume Five (1725-42)

   In the Name of God Amen the Eighteenth Day of June in the tenth Year of the Reign of George the second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France & Ireland King Defender of y^e Faith &c. Annoque Domini 1736. I John Kye of y^e Town of Berwick in the County of York in y^e Province of y^e Massachusets Bay in New-England House wright being very sick & weak in Body but of perfect mind & memory Thanks be given Unto God, Therefore Calling unto mind y^e Mortality of my Body & 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 y^e Hands of God that gaue it, trusting in his mercy thrô' the merits of my Redeemer for y^e pardon of all my sins & Eternal Life; and my Body I recomend to y^e Earth to be buried in Decent Christian burial at y^e Discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall Receive y^e same again by y^e mighty power of God. And as touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God of his great Goodness to bless me in this Life, I Give Demise & Dispose of y^e same in y^e following manner and form.

   Imprimis, I Give and bequeath to Grizzel my Dearly beloved Wife all my House Hold Goods of every sort to her sole Use & Dispose as she sees meet; also my Will is that my s^d Wife should have one halfe of my Real Estate of Housing & Lands to her sole Use during her Natural Life.

   Item. I Give to my son Iohn one halfe of my Land below the way next adjoyning to Leiv^t Roger Plaisteds Land now in y^e Occupation of James Garish includeing the House & Barn & y^e Orchards on that side the way, to him his Heirs & Assigns for ever. Only preserve one quarter of the trees in the Young Orchchard for my son Peters Use till He has had time to plant & Improve an Orchard of his own and one quarter of y^e Barn for his Use also till he shall build one for himsilfe.

   Item. I give to my son Peter, the other Halfe of my Land below the way next adjoyning to the wentworths Land, to him his Heirs & assigns forever.

   Item. I Give to my son William, my Land above the way extending from y^e s^d way to y^e Eastern side of the Swamp my s^d Son William has been Clearing, To him his Heirs & Assigns for Ever, only reserveing a high way thrô his s^d Land with Liberty of Egress & Regress for my Children.

   Item. I Give to my son John Twenty acres of Land next adjoyning to Williams Land last mentioned to him his Heirs & assigns for Ever reserveing a high way thrô his Land for my other Children.

   Item. I Give to my Daughter Abigail Twenty acres of Land at y^e head of my Land to her, her Heirs and assigns for ever, reserving a heigway thro' her Land for y^e rest of my Children.

   Item. I Give to my Sons John & Peter all y^e Remainder of my Homestead to them y^r Heirs & assigns for Ever, reserveing a hig way in y^t part also for the rest of my Children.

   Item. I Give to my Daughter Mary Tebbets, a Cow which with what I have given her already is her Portion of my Estate.

   Item. I Give to my sons John William & Peter all my Part in y^e Comon & undivided Lands in Berwick to be to them their Heirs & assigns for ever.

   Item. I Give to my sons John William & Peter all my Right & Interest in y^e saw-mill on y^e westernside of the Salmon fall River with y^e privilidges and appurtenances thereto belonging to them their Heirs & assigns for Ever.

   Item I Give to my to my sons John & Peter my Interest in y^e little Mill on y^e Eastern side of s^d River (my son W^m haveing one halfe of my s^d Interest in that sawmill I give y^e other to my two sons) to them their Heirs & assigns for ever.

   Item Give to my Servant man Nathanael, Called Nathanael Joy, (on Condition he serve out the Rest of his time or till he is one & twenty years of age w^th my son John I Give Him) twenty Acres of Land of my Lot of Land at a place Called the Nine Notches to him his Heirs and assigns for ever.

   Item I Give to my sons John W^m & Peter all the Remainder of my Estate both Real & Personal to them their Heirs & assigns for ever.

   Finally I Constitute & Ordain my s^d sons John W^m & Peter y^e Execu^rs of this my last Will & Testament & hereby utterly Revoak & Disannull all & every other former Testament, Wills Legacies & bequests & Execu^rs by me in any ways before named willed & bequeathed Ratifying & Confirming this & no other to be my last Will & Testament. In Wittness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & seal the Day & year above written.

Signed sealed Published    pronounced & Declared    by ye sd John Kye as    his last Will & Testament    in ye presence of us ye subscribrs    John Pray    Moses Hodsdon    Samll Pray		John Kye    his mark
Probated 20 Dec. 1737. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 399, citing Probate Office, 5, 106.