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LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF MICHAEL LETSON
Will Book 1, pp. 126-129, Oneida Co., New York As transcribed by Craig and Jennifer Siders Nancy Cluff and Bill Siders Robert J. Letson
(revised April 5, 2002) p. 126 By the will of God Amen. know all men by these presents that I Michael Letson of the town of Augusta in the County of Oneida in the State of New York being sick in body, but through the Goodness of God of sound disposing mind and memory, and now calling to mind the mortality of my body and that it is appointed men once to (Die d.?) I have therefore through writ by this my last will and testament to settle and dispose of the worldly goods and Estate with which it hath pleased God bless me in this world in the following manner. But first of all my Immortal Soul I desire to commit into the hand of God who gave it hoping to be accepted through the (merits?) and attonements of Jesus Christ -- My mortal body I commit to the dust to be decently buried at the Discretion of my Executor hereafter named and as to my worldly goods and Estate, my Interests, debts and funeral charges being first paid out of my personal Estate. Imprimis. I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Hannah Letson as her right of Dowry or third in my Estate, for her support during her life time, yearly four hundred weight of good merchantable flour, and twenty five Bushells of good Indian corn yearly, and three hundred and sixty pounds of good (Pah?) yearly, and four gallons of molasses yearly, and two gallons of ( dy) yearly, and twenty five Pounds of good ( ) and thirty five Pounds of good flax ( ), and three Pounds of Bohea tea
p. 127 yearly, and fourteen pounds of good sheeps wool yearly,
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and one bushell & a half of good (sat?) yearly, and one cow. Said cow to be keap during her life time on the Premises, summer and winter to be keap well and all the indores moveables of all kinds, during her lifetime and one Room to come to the fireplace and to have fires made for her and a priviledge of the fire to do all sorts of work that she pleases, and five Bushells of good turnips yearly and ten Bushells Potatoes yearly, and one quarter of an acre of Land near the house for a garden spot, ploughed every year and lined ^ and to have the Priviledge of the orchard for to have as many apples as she wants for herself orchard if there should be any ^ (set?) out on the Premises. The said Executor is to find all those things above mentioned.-----Item. I give and bequeath to my beloved Daughter Anney Stafford as her wright of -- two Dollars to be paid by my Executor within one year after my Death, together with what she d has had before Receiv . to be her part and portion of my Estate. Item. I give and bequeath to my beloved Son William Letson as his wright eight Dollars worth of grain to be paid by my Executor within one year after my Death together with what d he has had before Rec . to be his part and Portion of my Estate.
p, 128 Item. I give and bequeath to my Beloved Son John Letson as his wright of my Estate sixteen Dollars worth of grain to be paid by my Executor within one
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year after my Death together with what he has had d before Rec . to be his part and Portion of my Estate. Item. I give and bequeath unto my Beloved Son Isaiah Letson, my hous, barn, together with all my Land, which I have in the norwest quarter of lot number twenty three in the first allotment of the town of Augusta, Bounded as follows; southerly on John Staffords, and westerly on number twenty two & northerly on seventeen & easterly on the highway, unto the first mentioned Bounds, containing fifty acres and all my outdors moveables, excepting one cow which my wife is a mind (????) or have her choice in, and all the property that I own, and after my wife Hannah Letson death, I give unto my Executor all my indors moveables, that is not worn out. two Item. I give and bequeath unto my ^ beloved Daughters Ester Cary and Abigail Pettiss, each of them the sum of fifteen Dollars each to be paid in grain within three years after my Death, to be paid by my Executor together with what they have heretofore Received, to be their Portion of my Estate. And finally I do hereby constitute and appoint my son Isaiah Letson to be Executor of this my last will and Testament and I do hereby revok( ) disascribe all
p.129 other wills and testaments by me heretofore made and do now publish, pronounce and declaire this to be my last will & testament. Dated at Augusta this 21st Day of December 1801 -----Signed, Sealed Michael Letson {S.S.}
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In presence of Frederich Putnam here Mary X Putnam mark I certify the above to be a true copy of the original will of Michael Letson deceased. Arthur Reece Surrogate Oneida Countyss. I Arthur Reece Surrogate of the County of Oneida, certify that on the Thirteenth Day of July in the year of one thousand eight hundred and two, Before me appeared Frederick Putnam who being duly sworn, deposed and said, that he saw Michael Letson execute the aforesaid will, and that he heard him publish and declare the same, as and for his last will and testament, that at the time thereof, he was of sound disposing mind and memory, and that he together with Mary Putnam Executed the same as witnesses, in the presence of each other, and in the Presence of the Testator Michael Letson. Arthur Reece