(note: the original hand written copy of Tobias will was written in German. Sometime during the turn of the century historians translated many of the legal documents of early American pioneers. So this being a copy of the English translation, surname changed to Beckel and Bickel)
Berks Co. Will Book B, 279, probated April 21, 1792
In the name of God Amen!
I Tobias Bockel of Heidelberg Township, Berks County, in the state of Pennsylvania, Farmer, being old and weak in body, but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given unto God, calling unto mind the mortality of my body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men to die, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament: That is to say, principally and first of all I give and recommend my God, unto the the hand of Almighty and merciful God, that gave it, and releast it with his precious blood, and my body I recommend to the earth, to be buried in a decent Christian burial, at the 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 estates, wherewith it had pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form:
1st, it is my will and I Order, that my executer whom I shall here offer constitute and nominate shall pay all my lawfull and just debts, and also the expenses of my burial out of my estate.
2nd, it is my will and I give and bequeath to Maria Elizabeth my dearly beloved wife, all the following articles, which my two sons John Tobias Bockel and Anthony Bockel, after my decease as a part out of my preservation, yearly and every year shall give and yield to her, during her natural life. Namely: my bed and bed stand with all what belong to it, the house, where I dwell in at present, and all the house furniture and things belonging to it, any one cloths excepted, the spring house, Stable and all of the land ????? and the land my two sons John Tobias Bockel and Anthony Bockel shall plough and dung for her, wherefore they required it, and kept in good fence, each of em must give her yearly, three bushel of good wheat and one bushel of rye, sufficient fire wood brought to the house, and chopped small fit for use. She shall have one cow, and may choose one of the two I leave behind, and each of them must give her yearly one ton of hay, one from the first crop, and the other from the second crop, also everyone must give her yearly fifteen sheaths of straw, and deliver the same, the hay likewise, on her stable, her cow shall go with their cattle in pasture, and my son John Tobias Bockel shall give to her yearly one barrel of good cider, and a barrel of water cider in his Casks?, and put in her spring house,/ if so be there/ will be sufficient apples for her to make cyder, she also shall have liberty in the orchard to fetch apples for her use. And it is also my Will and my Order that Maria Elizabeth, my dearly beloved wife, all her personal estate, what she has brought to me as a widow, when I married her, she shall have and keep for herself, and do with the same to her own pleasure, her sheep, which is her property she shall have and keep, and shall go with heir’s in pasture.
3rd, I give a bequeath any plantation and land unto my two sons John Tobias Bockel and Anthony Bockel for they and their heirs Signs forever, by them freely to be prospered and enjoyed, so as they have parted it and whereof each of'm have a good and free deed in hand, and for the same plantation and land they must pay four hundred pounds-gold or silver. John Tobias Bockel two hundred pounds, and Anthony two hundred pounds, lawful money as just mentioned. And as they have already given bonds unto me for the said four hundred pounds money, and every bond containing twenty pounds-money make in all twenty bonds. So I order, that these twenty bonds shall be given and paid unto my other children in the following manner. The first bond shall be given and pay'd to my daughter Elizabeth, the second to my daughter Magdalena, the third to my son Frederick, the fourth to my son John Nicholaus, the fifth to my daughter Mary, the sixth to the heirs of my son John, Deceased. John Bockel and Anthony Bockel or to their Executors, or to their heirs or assigns, and so it shall begin again, till all is paid and they shall have all equal shares. And my son John Nicholaus, as the oldest and according to stateful law, shall have ten shillings besides his hereditary portion.
4th, It is my Will and I order, that what money in ??? one or the other of my children had received in my life time/ the dowry excepted/ shall be deducted from his share of the Heritance, but my daughter Elizabeth shall have ten pounds besides her hereditary portion out of it, and if so be that my executor wanted some for paying my expenses, he can take from it.
5th, As for my fine clothings, which I leave behind, so I order that my sons John Tobias Bockel and Anthony Bockel shall part them among themselves, but my large Holly Bible I give and bequeath unto my son John Tobias Bockel, for his one property to have and to hold.
6th, It is my Will and my order, that if any one of my children should discontend about this my last Will and Testament, or should offer to oppose against any artical, he or she shall have five shillings for his hereditary portion, and no more!!
Lastly, I constitute, make and ordain my trusty and well beloved Son John Tobias Bockel my sole executor of this my last Will and Testament, and I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke, and disannul all and every other former Testaments, Wills, Legacies, bequeaths and Executors by me in any way before named, willed and bequeath, ratifying and confirming this, and no other, to be my Last Will and Testament. In witness whereof, I have here unto set my hand and seal, this fourteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine.
Witnessed by Jacob Gerhard and Joseph Conrad.
Tobias Bockel
Submitted by Terri.
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