Monday, September 28, 2015

AMANUENSIS MONDAY–Eberhard Martin– died 1784 - Last Will & Testament

PROBATE_RESIZED SMALLER
What does Amanuensis mean anyway?


To put it simply, it means a “person employed to write what another dictates or copy what has been written by another.”
 
I’m particularly excited to present this transcription today.  It is the recently obtained probate record of my 6th great grandfather, Johann Eberhard Martin, born Jan 1718 in Willington, Notzingen Donau, Wurttemberg, Germany, died  February 1784 in Derry, Cumberland, Pennsylvania.
 
Johann apparently went by the name Everhard or Eberhard in most records and documents once he came to the United States.  However, his baptismal record from Germany does give his first name as Johann.
 
Johann Eberhard Martin married Jacobina Elizabeth Wunderlich on 16 Feb 1745 in Notzingen, Teck Donau, Wurttemberg, Germany.  They had 5 known children: Mary, Rachel, Christopher, Anna Barbara and Elizabeth.
 
Yesterday while looking at Pennsylvania probate records on Ancestry.com I located Eberhard’s probate record.  I was very excited to find this document.  This record gives proof of relationships and further documents this family.
 
Here is the actual document:
 
MARTIN_Eberhard_last will & testament_1784_Pennsylvania_pg 1 of 2
PROBATE RECORD PAGE ONE

 
MARTIN_Eberhard_last will & testament_1784_Pennsylvania_pg 2 of 2
PROBATE RECORD PAGE TWO


Here is my transcription of this probate record.  Where a word or words were not readable I inserted an underline.


Eberhard Martin Last   }              
  Will & Testament      }
      No. 132                  }
            
In the name of God Amen. 
I Everhard Martin of Derry Township Cumberland County and the State of Pennsylvania, being very sick and weak in Body But of perfect mind and memory, thank be given unto God calling unto mind the Mortality of my Body donate and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in the manner following:  I recommend my soul into the hand of Almighty God, that gave it and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be Buried in decent Christian Burial at the Discretion of my Executors, And as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life, I give divise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form.  First I give and bequeath to Jacobina Elizabeth my dearly beloved Wife, all my Household Furniture Belonging to the house and five Pounds in Good a Lawful Money of Pennsylvania, and Thirty Bushel of wheat a fat Hog yearly and every year during her natural life and to have the third of the money made out of the __ables after the debt is paid and the keeping of one Cow and two Sheep during her Life.  Also I give and bequeath to my well Beloved Son Christopher all my land in the __ survey to him his heirs and assigns forever.  Also said Christopher is to find his mother a Bed Room and Stove in it, the stove is to be Bought out the money arising from the Effects.  The Plantation which my son Christopher now lives on adjoining William Frampton and William Corbes is to be sold to pay the debts, and to deed the other Land with.  Also to my Daughter Barbara Fifty Acres of land during her life and to her Husband if he become Baptized and after her Decease to go to heirs.   To my Daughter Mary Fifty Acres of Land where she now lives on, To my Daughter Elizabeth Fifty Acres of Land one Cow one Sheep one Chest a Spinning Wheel a Bed and Bedding.  The Land left to the Girls is to be taken out of the new Survey where Gilbert now lives on and is to them and their heirs forever  Also I give to my Daughter Rachel Twenty five pounds Lawfull money of Pennsylvania to be Raised and Levied out of my Estate, Likewise I Constitute make and ordain my son Christopher the sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament And I do hereby wholy disallow and Revoke all former Testaments, Wills, Legacies and Executors, Ratifying and Conforming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament In ____ whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal the Thirteenth day of January in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven hundred and Eighty four
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Signed Sealed published pronounced
And declared by the said Everhard Martin
As his Last Will and Testament in the presence
of us John Pomber John Vought _______
Be it Remembered that on the Twentyeth Day of February A.D. 1784 the last Will and Testament of Eberhard Martin Deceased was Leagly proved of which the foregoing Record is a true copy and Letters Testamentary issued in Common form to Christopher Martin Executor therein named on the said Twentyeth Day of February A.D. 1784  Inventory and ____ to be Exhibted into the Registers Office the time appointed by Law
       Witness my hand William Lyon Reg


PLEASE contact me if you think you might be related, even remotely, to anyone mentioned in this blog.
 I cannot wait to share other probate records with you.  Stay tuned.
Happy hunting,
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Copyright ©  2015   Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION








4 comments:

  1. It was customary for the baptismal name to be used only for that occasion and then the second name became their given name.Here's a wonderful web site that explained it all http://www.kerchner.com/germname.htm

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the link to that website and the information.

      Delete
  2. That is an awesome find. Thanks for stopping by my blog AND commenting!

    ReplyDelete

I look forward to reading your comments. If you have any connection to the people mentioned in this blog, please let me know. I write about mine and my husband's ancestors and would welcome new information or meeting a new cousin or two. Thanks for visiting and come back soon.