Heidelberg Township, Berks County, PA
28 December, 1788
Filed in the Berks County Department of Wills, Reading, PA
In the name of God The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost.
I Peter FAUST, Sr., of Heidelberg Township, thinking of human life and the mortality thereof; and thinking of my worldly estate, with which God has blessed me in this world, for which I thank Him; which I leave to my surviving heirs, so this, is my last Will and Testament, that I, Peter FAUST, convey, after my death, my plantation in the abovesaid township, to my two sons, namely Peter and Anthony. Each shall have half, namely, Peter shall have the lower half, and Anthony the upper half where I live. It is to be known that my two sons shall have the woodland in common, one having as much right to it as the other, namely, Peter and Anthony; and so shall my son, Peter, have a, or a half of a meadowland at my son, Anthony. My two sons, namely Peter and Anthony, shall pay fifteen pounds which I am yet owing.
My son, Henrich, shall have seven acres out of this, my plantation, where he lives, but of the meadow land, which is already bequeathed, my son Henrich shall have nothing.
So it is my will that my two sons, namely Peter Faust and Anthony Faust, shall pay out to my heirs, for this plantation, two hundred and five pounds current hard money as is current in Pennsylvania. My two sons, above stated, shall pay to my daughter, Anna Elisabeths' children twelve pounds, and so to the children of my daughter, Anna Barbara, twelve pounds. My two sons, namely, Peter an Anthony shall then pay to my four daughters, namely, Magdelena, Maria, Catharina, and Christina, to each of them, twenty pounds. My son, Henrich shall have twenty shillings in advance. Then shall my above named two sons pay on hundred pounds to my two sons, namely, fifty pounds to my son Philip; and fifty pounds to my son, Johannes. My two sons, namely, Peter and Anthony, shall have, after my death, four years grace with the payments, and then they shall begin payment to the oldest and so forth to the youngest, every year, twenty pounds, and then to each ten pounds until it is all payed.
My two sons, after my death, shall have all of the horses and harness, cows, sheep, and whatever else there is and hold on to it for two years or until the cows have calved. It shall be appraised and if he recants then all shall fall to my wife, and with it can do as she wishes. The whole of the household shall belong to my wife, Anna Maria; and the entire house is hers, so that none can drive her out for as long as she lives. This house, my three sons, namely, Henrich, Peter, and Anthony, must keep in good order with a good roof. They must also chop wood and haul it, as much as she can use. If the mother gets sick she must have good care, if not so, then they must hire a caretaker and the three must pay for it, namely Henrich, Peter and Anthony. Peter must give her, every year, for as long as she lives, six bushels of wheat, and six bushels of buckwheat, and must take the grain to the mill for grinding and bring it back to the mothers house. Each of the two, Peter and Anthony must give to the mother, yearly, five pounds of tow. The mother must have the right about the place as before. Each must give the mother, yearly, a barrel of cider. The three, namely, Henrich, Peter and Anthony, must, yearly, give her a pair of shoes, and, yearly, a half bushel of salt. Peter and Anthony must give her, year a fatted swine of one hundred pounds, and twenty pounds of beef; every year a quart of wine and a quart of rum; every year four pounds of sugar. My wife shall also have the little garden at the house. She shall have the right to raise a hog on the plantation; also to keep four chickens on the place where I live. The two must give the mother, yearly, three pounds in money. So shall my above said sons, soon after my death, give the mother yearly, her grains and meats as above stated.
This, the, is my last will and testament. I annul, herewith, all of what I have written beforehand. I name, herewith, as executors, my wife and John Von Ried, that they shall have the hand over what I have said in my testament. If one of my sons chooses to sell, he shall, first, offer it to his brother, to give as much as another would give.
Signed by Peter PF Faust (his mark)
Witnesses:
Peter Hetterich
Bastain Berlet
File contributed by: Peggy.
Last Modified