Annapolis Heritage Society | Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

Robert Jefferson will, 10 March 1812

Here is a transcription of the will of Robert Jefferson of Annapolis dated 10 March 1812, proved 23 October 1812:
The last Will and testament of Robert Jefferson Sen’r of Annapolis in the County of Annapolis: First I commend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God my creator, and my Body I commit to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors herein after named, And as to such worldly Estate as it hath pleased almighty God to bestow upon me, I give and dispose thereof as follows, (That is to say) To my Daughter Abigail B. Mangaurd the Sum of Sixteen Pounds to be paid in Eighteen Months after my Decease- Also I give and bequeath unto my Son Stephen Jefferson the sum of One Hundred and ten pounds to be paid in the Eighteen Months after my Decease- Also I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth Harris the sum of Sixteen pounds to be paid in Eighteen months after my Decease. Also I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Sarah Woodworth the like sum of Sixteen Pounds to be paid in Eighteen months after my Decease. Also I give and bequeath unto my Son Robert Jefferson Jun’r the sum of Ten Pounds to be paid in Eighteen Months after my decease. Also I give & bequeath unto my Son John Jefferson the sum of Ten Pounds to be paid in Eighteen months after my Decease. Also I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Anne Jefferson the sum of Fifty Pounds to be paid in Eighteen months after my decease. Also I give and bequeath unto my daughter Jane Jefferson the like sum of fifty pounds to be paid in eighteen months after my Decease. Also I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Amelia Maria Jefferson the sum of Fifty pounds, to be paid in eighteen months after my decease. Also I give and bequeath unto my SonThomas Jefferson the sum of Ten pounds to be paid in eighteen months after my Decease. Also I give and bequeath unto my daughter Phebe Jefferson the Sum of Fifty Pounds of Lawful money to be paid to her when & so soon as she shall attain her age of Eighteen years. Also I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Frances Harriot Jefferson the like Sum of Fifty pounds to be paid to her when, and so soon as she shall attain her age of Eighteen Years. Also I give and bequeath unto my Son William Jefferson the whole of the Farms whereon I now reside, lying and being in the Township of Annapolis and bounded as follows (that is to say) westwardly on lands belonging to my Son Robert Jefferson Jun’r Southerly on lands belonging to John & Thomas Jefferson, Eastwardly on land belonging to Phineas Lovitt Esq. and Northerly on Round Hill Creek, And also a piece of Marsh land, lying & being in Rosette Marsh in the Township of Annapolis Containing four Acres more or less, bounded as follows (that is to say) Northerly & westwardly on Lands belonging to Pardon Sanders, Southerly on land belonging to Robert Jefferson Jun’r and Eastwardly on the Rosette Creek (so called) To be given him in possession when, and so soon as he shall attain his age of twenty one Years (until which time I do reserve the said Farm to & for the use & Support of my family now unmarried). When I do give devise & bequeath the same unto and to the use of my son William Jefferson his Heirs Executors, Administrators, and Assigns forever. All the Rest, Residue and Remainder of my messuages, Lands, Tenements (-----------) and Real Estate whatsoever and wheresoever, and all and every my ready money, and Securities for Money, Rights, (----), Leases, Stock, Cattle, Crops, Husbandry, gear & Utensils, Household goods, and other Goods, Chattels & Personal Estate whatsoever and of what nature kind and Quality soever I do give devise & bequeath unto my Children above named, to be among them equally divided, to their use their Heirws & assigns forever, Chargable Nevertheless, and I do hereby expressly burthen and Charge all my said above Personal Estate so given devised and bequeathed, to my said Executors to and with the payment of all my Just debts, the Legacies herein before by me given, and my Funural and Testamentary Charges & Expences. And lastly I do nominate, constitute and appoint my Sons John Jefferson, and Stephen Jefferson, Executors of this my Will and hereby revoking all other Wills by me made, I declare this only to be my Last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof, I the said Testator Robert Jefferson Sen’r have hereunto set my hand & Seal This 10th day of March in the Fifty second Year of the reign of Our Sovereign Lord George the third by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom, King, Defender of the faith, and in the Year of Our Lord 1812.

Robert Jefferson

Signed, Sealed and published by the above named Testator Robert Jefferson Sen’r as and for his last Will & Testament in the presence of us-

John Whitman
Elnathan Whitman
James Winchester