Will: Christian Hoover (1771)

Christian Hoover of Heidelberg Township, York County wrote his last will & testament on 15 Feb 1771; it was proven on 21 Mar 1771. His wife Mary was his executor.^[1]

The following is a transcription of his will.

In the Name of God Amen I Christian Hoover of
Heidlebergh [sic] Township in the County of York and Province of Pennsylvania being
Weak of Body but of Sound and Perfect Mind and Memory Blessed be God
and calling to mind the Mortality of the Human Body and that is is Appointed
for all Men once to die Do make and Publish this my last Will and Testament in
Manner and form following (that is to say) Principally and first of all I recommend
my Soul to God who gave it and as for my Body I recommend it to the Earth to be
Buried in a Christian like and decent Manner at the Discretion of my Executrix
nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive the same again by
the mighty power of God and as touching what Worldly Estate it hath pleased God to
bless me with in this life I give and devise and Bequeath in the following manner and
form I give and Devised unto my beloved Wife Mary all that my Plantation whereon
I now Dwell Situate in York County aforesaid as well as the Lands that I hold in right
of a certain John Digges as the that Granted me by the Honble [sic] the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania
with all and singular the appurtenances thereunto belonging to Hold to her and to
her Heirs and assigns forever subject nevertheless at her decease to the Payment of
three Hundred Pounds Lawful Money of Pennsylvania to be paid by her Heirs or
assigns in three equl [sic] Anual [sic] payments of one Hundred pounds each payment, the first
of which payment to be made in one Year after her decease into the Hands of Johannes Hoover
and Johannes Line in trust for the use of the Surviving Children of my tree Brothers namely
Jacob Hoover Ulrich Hoover and Henry Hoover so that they may have each share and share
alike Also I give unto my beloved wife aforesaid all my Goods and Chattles and Personal Estate
whatsoever that I may die Possess of and do allow her thereout to pay all my Just Debts, and
also the Sum of One hundred Pounds in two Years after my Decease into the Hands above named
Johannes Hoover and Johannes Line in trust for the use of the surviving Children of my
three brothers aforenamed to be divided equally between them share and share alike, and whereas
Johannes Keny son of my Sister Ann is Justly indebted to me in the Sum of Nine Pounds
Ten shillings it is my Will that he pay unto my Executrix the Sum of six Pounds part there
of and unto his Brother Henry Keny the sum of one pound fifteen shillings also part thereof
and the remaining Sum of one pound fifteen shillings I do bestow unto himself.

And I make and Appoint my said wife Mary Whole and Sole Executrix of this my
Last Will and Testament in hopes that she will see the same performed according to my
true Intent and meaning——And lastly I do hereby revoke all former and other Will or
Wills by me at any time heretofore made and Declare this only to be my last Will and
Testament. In Witness whereof I the said Christian Hoover have hereunto set me Hand
and seal this fifteenth Day of February in the Year of our Lord one thousand and seven hundred
and seventy one.
Christian [his X mark] Hoover

Signed Sealed Published and Declare
by the said Christian Hoover the Testator
as and for his last Will and Testament
in the Presence of Us who have subscribed
our names as witness thereto in the Presence
and at the request of the said Testator

James Calhoun
Christian Milheim
Casper Krapf

York County SS^r. Before me Samuel Johnston Esq^r Deputy Register for the Probate of Wills
and Granting Letters of Administration in and for the County of York in the Province of Pennsylvania
Personally appeared James Calhoun and Christian Milheim two of the subscribing witnesses
to the foregoing Instrument of Writing and on their Solemn Oaths respectively Taken according
to law Do respectively say that they were Personally present and saw and Heard the above named
Christian Hoover Sign Seal Publish and Declare the foregoing Instrument of Writing as and
for his last Will and Testament and that at the Time of the Doing thereof the said Christian
Hoover was of sound and Disposing mind and Memory to the Best of these Deponants [sic] knowledge
and Belief and that they subscribed their names as witnesses to the same in the presence of the
said Testator and at his request and that they also saw Casper Krapf sign the same as a
Witness in the Presence of the said Testator and at his request.
Jas. Calhoun
Christian Milheim

Sworn and Subscribed before me
at York the s^d Day of May 1771
Saml Johnston Dep Reg^r

A true copy compared with the Original at York the 23^d
Day of March 1771
Saml Johnston Dep Reg^r