Archive:Will of Mary Whitney

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Source: http://www.rootsweb.com/~bmuwgw/whitneym.html

Whitney, Mary
W12b:383
will dated 24 April 1776
proved 18 June 1776

Bermuda
In the name of God, Amen, I Mary Whitney of Pembrook Tribe in the said islands of Bermuda, widow, being weak in body but of sound and perfect mind and memory, blessed be God, do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner following... that is to say:

Imprimis. I will and order that all my just debts and funeral expences be fully paid and satisfied.

Item. I give and devise the one moiety of all that my piece or parcel of land which was devised to me by my late dear husband in his last will and testament, and by him purchased from one Dorothy Stammers and her son Richard Stammers, and the dwelling house and the two negro cabbins on the said piece of land standing and being unto Mary Pitt a daughter of my niece Susanna Pitt she the said Mary Pitt not only paying within six months after my decease the sum of ten pounds of current money unto her sister Honora Pitt, but also permitting my now negroes called Matt, Amber, and Tim to live in the said cabbins during their respective lives. To hold the aforesaid moiety of the said piece or parcel of land and the whole of the said dwelling house and the two negro cabbins to her the said Mary Pitt and to her heirs forever. The other moiety of the aforesaid piece of land I give and devise unto my nephew Ephraim Eve to hold to him the said Ephraim Eve and to his heirs and assigns forever. And it is my will that my executors so soon as conveniently may be after my decease equally divide the said piece of land in such manner and form as they shall think proper, and that the moiety whenever the said house and negro cabbins are standing be to the said Mary Pitt, and the other moiety be to the said Ephraim Eve in fee simple to make as aforesaid.

Item. Whereas I did heretofore convey unto David Eve as son of my late nephew Francis Eve a certain piece or parcel of land being a part of my southermost garden, and wherever there hath since been made some edifices, and whereas __ it may so happen that the deed of such conveyance may either be lost, destroyed, or be informal, or may want ___ necessary or sufficient in law to convey the said piece of land to him the said David Eve in fee simple according to the original true intent and meaning thereof, and I being desirous not only of confirming such conveyance (if needful) but also of enlarging such piece of land by ___ing thereto. I do therefore give and devise so much of the said southerly garden as shall contain from south to north in the eastermost side from the boundary at or near Mr Godfrey's wall fifty six feet, and from south to north on the westermost part or side from the said boundary at or near Mr Godfrey's said wall to extend two feet to the northward of the northermost two palmetto trees standing nearest each other on the said hereby divised piece of land to hold to him the said David Eve and to his heirs and assigns for ever. And the remainder of the said southermost garden together with the buttery I give and devise unto my nephew David Whitney and to the heirs of his body lawfully begotten forever. But in default of such heirs of his body, then I give and devise the said remainder of the said garden and the said buttery to my nephew David Whitney son of my brother Jeffrey Whitney to hold to him the said David Whitney and to the heirs of his body lawfully begotten for ever.

Item. I give to my several slaves namely Old Jimmy, Tim the son of Old Jane, Matt, and Anba(?) each of their respective freedom from the time of my death, and my other Negroes, namely Joe, Robin, Peter, Ben, Dick, Tom, Martha, and Katt, I give to each of them their respective freedoms immediately from and after the deaths of their mothers Matt and their sister and mother Anba, and that in the minor whole they be under the controul of my executors to oblige them to write as well to maintain and support themselves, as to maintain and support their said mother and sister during their and each of their lives.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my sister Elizabeth Vesey the sum of sixty pounds of currant money.

Item. I give and bequeath unto the children of Mary Beck? the sum of twelve pounds of current moneys unto the children of the late George Eve the sum of twenty shillings of current money each and unto my niece Susanna Tynes the sum of twwenty shillings of current money each, unto my niece Mary Vesey the sum of five pounds current money, unto my kinswoman Mary Mitchell a saber, Martha Pitt two silver silverspoons and the sum of three pounds of current money, unto Edward Eve the son of Adam Eve a saber, cupp marked __(?), unto my niece Susanna Pitt one dozen of my best napkins and unto the children of Jeremiah & Jehoadan Whitney each one dollar, unto the sons of David Whitney one dollar, unto Mary Whitney the daughter of John Whitney one dollar, unto my friend Capt Susannah Saltus a silver hilted sword.

Item. I give and bequeath a silver porringer, a silver tankard, three silver table spoons, a round table, together with the sum of fifty pounds of current money, unto the children of John Whitney, unto the children of Jeffrey Whitney, and unto the children of Elizabeth Swan(?) to be equally divided amongst them per capita, and not __ter_es.(?).

Item. I give and bequeath all the rest and residue of my personal estate of what nature or kind soever to be divided between Ephriam Eve, Mary Eve widow, Abraham Vesey, Martha the wife of Abraham Eve, Susanna Pitt, and Susanna the wife of Adam Eve in manner following, that is to say, the one eighth part of the same between them the said Abraham Vesey, Martha the wife of Abraham Eve, Susanna Pitt Susanna the wife of Adam Eve.

Lastly. I hereby constitute and appoint my friends Capt.n Sam. Saltus and Cap. Henry Todd executors of this my last will and testament, dseiring they will see the same performed, and that they pay themselves a reasonable reward for their services. And I hereby revoke all former wills and testaments by me heretofore made, hereby ratafying allowing and confirming this and none other to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I the said Mary Whitney have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty fourth day of April in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand seven hundred and seventy six.

Signed, sealed, published, pronounced, and declared by the said Mary Whitney as and for her last will and testament with presence of us, who at her request, and in her presence, have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.
Peter Godfrey
Benj.n Pitt
Whitter Saltus

Bermuda
By His Excellency George James Bruere Esq'r Governor and Ordinary of these Islands.

I do hereby certify that this 18 day of June 1776 before me personally appeared Mr Peter Godfrey and Capt'n Benj'n Pitt two of the subscribing witnesses to the annexed will, and solemnly made oath on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, that they respectively saw the within named Mary Whitney (the testator) sign, seal,publish, pronounce, and declare the annexed instrument of writing to be her last will and testament who at the time of executing the same was of sound and disposing mind, memory, and understanding to the best of their judgements, and that they also saw Whitter Saltus subscribe his name as witness to the same In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal at arms the day and year first above written.
George Jas. Bruere

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