​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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