Will of James McAdoo

The following was submitted by Michele L. Buckholt Anderson of [tbd] for inclusion at the Genealogy in Washington Co., PA web site in January 2000.

Michele writes:

The following is a copy of the hand written will for James McAdoo as found in the Washington County Courthouse, Washington, Pennsylvania. The will is located in Volume 6, Page 219 of the Will Books.


Will of James McAdoo

In the name of God Amen I, James McAdoo, being of weak and infirm state of body but of sound mind and memory, do make and ordain this to be my Last Will and Testament and first of all I bequeath my soul to God from whom it came and desire that my body may be buried as privately and decently as possible. I leave and bequeath to my oldest daughter, Jane Welch, the sum of two hundred dollars which with the others bequests is to be paid at the time and in the manner herein after mentioned. To my oldest son, James McAdoo, I leave three hundred dollars which sum is to include certain monies that I owe him. To my second daughter, Lettitia Wilson, I leave two hundred dollars. To my second son, John McAdoo, I leave two hundred and fifty dollars and I do hereby discharge and exonerate him from the payment of fifty dollars, which he owes me. To my third daughter, Margaret Munhollan, I leave three hundred dollars which sum is to include certain monies that I owe her. To my fourth daughter, Catharine McAdoo, I leave three hundred dollars the value of one hundred dollars to be given her at the time of her marriage in a horse saddle, furniture ____ and the remainder at the same time as the other bequests. To my youngest daughter, Elizabeth McAdoo, I leave four hundred dollars. To my third son, Alexander McAdoo, I leave three hundred dollars. To my fifth son, David McAdoo, I leave three hundred dollars. To my youngest son, Robert McAdoo, I leave three hundred dollars and to my wife, Catharine McAdoo, and bequeath my whole estate whether real, personal or mixed to have and to hold during her natural life for the purpose of paying my debts and of clothing maintaining and educating such of my children as may continue to reside with her. And if my said wife thinks it is proper it is my will and desire that the lower part of the place may be sold when my son, Alexander, becomes of age and that he may receive two hundred dollars of the proceeds thereof to purchase a quarter section of land provided it meets with the approbation of his mother and that the other's payments be so regulated that each of the younger boys may receive a like sum of two hundred dollars on their becoming of age for the same purpose and subject to the same approbation but should any of them prefer a learned or mechanical profession to farming, then they may receive the aforesaid sums if it shall seem to their mother to be useful for their establishment or advancement in life. Should it be necessary to sell the aforesaid tract of land, I hereby authorize my Executor to sell and convey the same. And it is farther my will and desire that at the decease of my said wife my whole remaining property may be appraised by three judicious neighbors and that an offer thereof be made at the appraised value to my eldest surviving son and if he refuses to take it that a like offer be made to each of my younger sons in succession and should any of them take it at the valuation, he is to be allowed sufficient time to pay the other legatees the payments to be made in the order their names stand in this will unless some of them should be in want. In that case I desire that the others will give way to the needy receiving their shares or part thereof first and provided that no one of them will take the property at the valuation it is then my will and desire that the whole property remaining may be sold and payment made as before directed and should any surplus be left after paying the foregoing bequests, I desire that it may be divided equally among my surviving children or their heirs, but should there be a deficiency, it must be deducted equally from their respective shares. And provided that the lower end of the plantation be sold and that a surplus be left after paying the four younger boys, the first installment of their respective legacies it is then my wish that it may be laid out in building a neat and comfortable dwelling house for the family subject. However to the approval of my wife and if there be any remainder, it may be put to interest or otherwise expended in improving the place. And I do hereby appoint James Hagerty and Charles Creacraft to be the Executors of this my Last Will and Testament. In witness of the above I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 20th day of November 1843 -------------James McAdoo

Signed Sealed published and declared in the presence of the subscribers who have hereunto set their names in the presence of each other Henry Crow, John Wood Holmes.

Washington county be it remembered that on the 18th day of December A.D. 1843 before me James Spriggs, Register for the probate of wills, and granting letters of Administration in and for said county, came Henry Crows and John Wood Holmes the subscribing witness to the foregoing Last Will and Testament of James McAdoo decd. who being duly sworn according to law depose and say that they were personally present and did see the testator herein named sign this will and did at the request of the testator sign their names as witnesses to the foregoing Last Will and Testament that at the time of his so doing he was of sound and disposing mind, memory, and understanding to the best of their knowledge observation and belief and sworn to and subscribed before me - James Spriggs

December 18th 1843 - Letters of Testamentary with copy of Will and probate annexed issued to Charles Cracraft and James Hagerty Executors within named who on the same day was duly sworn - James Spriggs

Registered and compared with original December 19th 1843 - James Spriggs

 

Genealogy in Washington County, Pennsylvania
Last updated: 01/20/2006