TRANSLATION OF LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
OF F. WILHELM KERCHNER AKA WILLIAM KERCHNER
BORN MARCH 12, 1776 -- DIED NOVEMBER 22, 1841
Translation Commissioned by
and
Transcribed to Computer File by:
Charles F. Kerchner, Jr.
Translated by:
Mr. Rudolf L. Dimmlich, Allentown PA
Translation Date: July 15, 1992
Lastest
Revision: July 15, 1992
Copyright © 1992, Charles F. Kerchner, Jr.
All Right Reserved
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[First Page]
In the name of God Amen. I William
Kerchner in Macungie Township Lehigh County, I am weak in body, but of clear
mind, praise God for this. My life in
this world will come to an end, therefore will I
settle my worldly matters. Herewith, I will make know my last will and
testament. First, do I commit my soul in
the hand of God who gave she to me, my body to be buried in the ground in a christian order and the worldly belongings God has
graciously given to me I will distribute as follows:
First,
it is my will, that after my departure from this world the named executors
shall establish the value of all my personal assets and take a legal part from
it. My wife Salmy
(note: wife's name was Saloma, this could be a
nickname) shall have the right to take from the house utensils as much as she
needs for her use as long as she lives.
She shall also have the right to take one cow and two pigs for her
use. The remaining goods shall be sold
and my rightful debts shall be paid from the proceeds. My wife Salmy shall
have the right to take my silver and gold and when the value is less than fifty
dollars she shall receive from the proceeds the balance to have fifty dollars
for her use. The remaining money from
the sale shall be divided equally to my three children, my son Johannes
Kerchner and my two daughters, Hanna married to Thomas Eisenhart
and, Susanna married to Daniel Christman or to their
rightful heirs.
It
is also my will that my wife Salmy shall have the
right to live in the half of the house where I live now, namely one half of the
cellar, one room at the first floor, one room at the second floor and one half
of the attic.
[Second Page]
She
shall also have the right to go in the kitchen, to cook on the hearth whenever
she wants, but without interference. She
shall also have the right to walk in the front yard, go to the bakehouse to bake, to take water from the well which is on
this land as much as she needs and shall have one half of my garden as long as
she lives in this world.
It
is also my will that I give and bequeath to my son Johannes Kerchner all my
real estate or plantation located at Macungie Township, Lehigh County which is
now in my possession containing 56 acres, more or less, every building, as well
as all the crops in the ground, also six acres of hops, more or less, located
in same township and county named before and also eight acres woodland, be it
more or less, located at Longswamp Township, Berks County. For this, my son Johannes Kerchner shall pay
the sum of three thousand dollars as follows: one thousand should be paid one
year after my departure from this world in equal parts to my two daughters,
Hanna married to Thomas Eisenhart and Susanna married
to Daniel Christman.
Two years after my departure one thousand dollars shall be paid in equal
installments of two hundred dollars to my two daughters, namely Hanna married
to Thomas Eisenhart and Susanna married to Daniel Christman or their rightful heirs. The third and last thousand dollars shall
remain in my account, the yearly interest shall be
given to my wife Salmy as long as she lives in this
world. After the departure of my wife,
my son Johannes Kerchner or his successor shall share the one thousand dollars
in equal parts to my three children, namely to my son Johannes Kerchner, and my
two daughters, Hanna married to Thomas Eisenhart and
Susanna married to
[Third Page]
Daniel Christman of their
rightful heirs.
Furthermore
it is my will, that my son Johannes Kerchner has the
freedom to live in the other half of the house which I did not bequeath to my
wife. He and his family shall have the
right to move around the parts of the house which I did not bequeath to my
wife.
Furthermore
it is my will, that my son Johannes Kerchner or his
successor hauls three cord of firewood every year for my wife Salmy, but it should not be bought more than two miles away
from the house which I own now. My son
Johannes Kerchner or his successor should also provide to my wife Salmy as much manure as she needs for her garden, as long
as she lives in this world.
It
is also my will, that after my wife's departure from this world, the below
designated executors sell in a public sale all my personal items, bequeathed to
my wife Salmy for her use. The money shall be distributed in equal part
to my three children namely to my son Johannes Kerchner and my two daughters,
Hanna married to Thomas Eisenhart and Susanna married
to Daniel Christman or their rightful heirs.
It
is my will that my son Johannes Kerchner or his successor shall be bound to
take care of one cow summer and winter. Good feed shall be provided in
winter. In summer her cow shall go to
the same pasture as his cows, every year as long as my wife lives.
[Fourth and Last Page]
It
is my will and order or recommend my son Johannes Kerchner, Thomas Eisenhart, and Daniel Christman
to act as my executors of this my last will and testament.
Herewith,
I sign with my hand and seal the thirtieth day of October in the year one
thousand eight hundred forty-one, 1841.
Witnesses
present at
Signing William Kerchner
(Signature)
Ch.
E. Hoffman
Geo.
Miller
(Signatures)
Lehigh
County, Pa.
On the 21st day of December AD
1841 before me the subscriber, Register, for the Probate of Wills (?) in and
for the said County, came Ch. E. Hoffman and George Miller the subscribing
witnesses to the foregoing Will and being duly sworn according to law did
declare and say that they were present and saw and heard William Kerchner, the
testator sign, seal, publish, pronounce and declare, the foregoing instrument
of writing (?) and for his last will and testament and that at the time of so
doing he was of perfect and sound mind, memory, and understanding to the best
of their knowledge and belief.
(Signature?)
Copyright © 1992
Charles F. Kerchner, Jr.
All Rights Reserved
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