Fayette County Genealogy Project

In the name of God Amen  I John Collins of Uniontown Fayette County
Pennsylvania being at present of sound and disposing mind tho weak and
infirm in body calling to mind the certainty of death, and being desirous of
dissolving of such real and personal Estate wherewith it has pleased God to
bless me, do make and declare my last will and testament as followeth viz it
is my will that all my just debts including my funeral expenses the amount
of which I submit to the discretion of my Executors be fully paid, second I
devise to my son James Collins of Virginia the house and lot whereon I now
dwell to hold the same to him his heirs and assigns forever. Third I devise
the rest of my real estate to my sons John Andrew and Joseph to hold the
same to them and their heirs and assigns forever as Tenants in Common.
Fourth I bequeath to my Daughter Mary the wife of Doctor Robert McClure one
thousand dollars out of the first monies which may be payable by the Estate
of the late Genl Thomas Meason on a contract between him and me for the
house and lot wherein Andrew Byers now lives to be paid to her or her order
for her own separate use without any control over the same by her said
Husband by my Executors who shall thereupon fully discharged by the Receipt
of my said Daughter Mary or that of her order.  Fifth I Bequeath to my Grand
daughters Elizabeth and Mary McClure five hundred dollars out of the money
which are due me from the estate of the aforesaid General Thomas Meason thee
five hundred dollars it is my will shall be paid first after the one
thousand dollars Bequeathed to my Daughter Mary – Sixth the residue of  the
money due me by the Estate of the aforesaid Genl Thomas Meason I bequeath to
my sons John James Andrew and Joseph to be equally divided between them
Seventh I charge my Executors with the faithful execution of this my will
and to avoid any difficulty between my sons. John Andrew and Joseph with
respect to the residue of my real estate devised to them it is my will and I
do hereby authorize and direct my Executors or the survivors of them to
expose the same residue to public sale after giving one month notice thereof
in the Genius of Liberty at any time within a year after my decease. The
respective parcels or lots to be sold separately or any of them to be
divided into smaller parcels at the discretion of my Executors and having
sold I do hereby authorize and empower my paid Executors or the survivors of
them to make and execute and deliver to the purchaser or purchasers good and
sufficient conveyances in fee simple for such Estate as may be settled to at
the time of my decease.  I also Authorize and empower my Executors or
survivors of them to carry into full execution all covenants which I am or
may be bound to perform by virtue of the before mentioned Contract between
the late Gen Thomas Meason & me Eight as their may exist some demands
against me by my Sons John James Andrew and Joseph or survivor of them of
which however I have no knowledge. It is my intention that whatsoever I have
given to either of them shall be taken and accepted to the extent of any
such demands in payment thereof and that any demand I may have against
either of them shall be released and discharged as to any other personal
property I now possess and which I have not dispersed of I mean to dispose
of it by dividing it among such of my children as I think proper and this I
intend to do by - - - - -  I nominate and appoint David Ewing and Hugh
Thompson of Uniontown Merchants my Executors of this my last will and
Testament I also Authorize and empower my Executors or survivor of them to
make and execute each conveyance to my Son Andrew for the tract of land in
Virginia whereon he now dwells as well vest in him all my Estate therein.
John Collins
Signed sealed and published & declared vis John Collins as and for his last
will and testament the 29th day of Oct 1813
John Lyon
Henry Beeson
Fayette County
        Be it remembered that on the fifth day of November In the year of
our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirteen John Lyon and Henry Beeson
the surviving witnesses to the foregoing Instrument of writing Personally
appeared before me Alexander McClean Register of the Probate of  wills etc
in and for said county and being sworn and affirmed according to law deposed
& said they were present and did see the sworn parties sign seal publish and
declare the said instrument of writing as for his last will and testament
and that they verily believe the said testator was at that time in
possession of his right mind – In testimony whereof I have hereto set my
hand and seal of said office the same day
Alexander McClean
Register

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