In the name of God Amen I Isaac Drake
of the Borough of Elizabeth and County of Essex and Provinces of East New Jersey being sick and weak in Body but of sound and disposeing mind & memory thanks be given to God therefore caling to mind the frailty of human nature and the uncertainty of the life do constitute make and ordain this my last Will and Testament, that is to say, Principally and first of all I give and recommend my Soul into the hands of almighty God that gave it me hopeing through the merrits of Jesus Christ to obtain Pardon for all my Sins and my Body to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors herein after named nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall recieve the same again by the mighty power of God and as for and concerning such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give de vise and bequeath the same as follows. Imprimis it is my Will and I do hereby order that first all my just Debts and Funeral Expenses be duly paid and satisfyed by my Executors herein after named out of my personal Estate. Item I give unto my beloved Son Samuel Drake my Home Plantation whereon I noew dwell with the appartinances thereunto belonging to have and hold the said Land and Premisses Premises to my Son Samuel his Heirs & assigns for ever (and also my Negro Tom I give into my Son Samuel for the space and Term of Ten years after my decease) provided my Son Samuel pay out such Legasyes as herein after shall be ordered and directed. Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved Son Daniel Drake the Sum of one hundred pounds currant money of the Pro: vince afores: at 8/y: or: to be paid by my Son Samuel out of the Plantation as is before to him given and bequeathed. Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved Son Nathaniel Drake the Plantation whereon he now Dwells with the appurtinsances thereunto belonging to him and his Heirs and assigns for ever and also my Negro man Cesar for and during the space and Term of Ten years after my deceas. Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Hannah Lang wife of George Lang the sum of One hundred and fifty pounds money as aforesaid to be raised and levyed out of my Personal Estate as soon as posible with convenicy after my deceas, together with my brass kettle two small pewter Platters and Six pewter Plates. Item I give and bequeath unto my grandDaughter Martha Drake Daughter of my Son Samuel Drake the Sum of Sixity pounds money as as afores: to be raised & levied out of my Personal Es: tate as afores: Items I give & bequeath unto my Grand Son Issac Drake Son of my Son Isaac Drake deceased the Sum of Fifty pounds money as afores:. Item I give & bequeath unto my Grandson Nathaniel Drake the Son of my Son Isaac Drake deceased the Sum of twenty pounds money as afores:. Item I give & bequeath unto my Granddaughter Sarah Drake the Daughter of the afores: Isaac Drake deceased the Sum of thirty pounds money as afores: which three Legacys as given to my Son Isaacs Children I order to be paid them by my Son Samuel Drake (as they shall res: pectively come to the age of twenty one years) out of my Home Plantation. I also Except and reserve out of Plantation one quarter of an acre in my orchard where some are already Buried for a Burying place for ever for all my Surviving family and theirs for ever. Item I give and bequeath unto Thomas Johnson the Sum of five pounds money as afores:. to be Raised & levyed out of my Personal Estate as soon as Possible with conveniency after my decease Item I Give for the support & benefit of the Baptist Church in Pisctaway the Sum of five pounds money asfores: To be raised out of my personal Estate asfores: Item I give to Cate my Negro Wench the Sum of four pounds Six shillings & eight pence money as afores. All which Legacys (Excepting to my Son Daniel & the Sons and Daughter of of my Son Isaac) to be paid by my Executors or the survi: vor of them as afores: out of my Personal Estate. And all the residue & remaining part of my Personal Estate I order to be equally Divided Between my four Children as namely Samuel Daniel and Nathaniel Drakes and Hannah Lang shall share alike. It is my will & I do hereby order that Cate my Negro Wench be set at liberty at my deceas as a free woman & never more to be confined or claim’d as part of my Estate, it is my Will and I do hereby order that my three Negro men as namely Tom Cesar and Tone be set at liberty at the expiration of Ten years after my deceas and never after to be confined as Slaves or as any part of my Estate. This I do hereby order my Executors herein after named to take care of my afores: Negroes (after they are free) that they dont become a charge to any Town or Parish. And Lastly I do hereby nomenate constitute & appoint my beloved sons Samuel Drake & Daniel Drake Executors of this my last Will & Testament giving them full Power to act in & about the Premeses And I do hereby revoke disanul & make void all former & other Wills by me at any times hereto for I made ratifying & confiriming this & no other to be my last Will & Testament In Witness whereof I have hereinto set my band &seal the third day of January in the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred & fifty six, the word paid in the fourteenth line from the top first interlined Isaac Drake IS Signed Sealed published pronounced & Declared by the Testator as his last Will & Testament , Jeremah Manning, James Manning and Reune Runyon. (illegible) copy Tho. Barrows of (illegible) |
Credits/ acknowledgments should read: “The Last Will & Testament of Isaac Drake, 1756.” Ink and Parchment, 4 pages. Historical Society of Plainfield, Drake House Museum, Plainfield, New Jersey.
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