The last Will and Testament of Philip Bretz (~1745-1815)
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Philip Bretz Deceased } This will being written in the German Language the same is duly proved and the Translation thereof is as follows.
In the name of God, amen. I Philip Bretz of Manheim in Rapho Township in the County of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania being sick and weak but of sound & disposing mind, memory and understanding and calling to mind the uncertainty of human life and that it is ordered for all men once to die, I therefore thought proper to make my last Will and Testament in Manner following (to wit).
First I recommend my Soul into the Hands of my God who give it, and my Body to the Earth to be interred in a Christian Manner, and as to my Worldly Estate where with the Lord hath been pleased to bless me, I give and bequeath the same in the following manner.
First it is my Will that as soon as possible after my decease all of my just debts shall be paid out of my Estate and the rest of all my Real and Personal Estate which I now hold & posses. I give and bequeath herewith unto my beloved Wife Elizabeth to have hold & possess the same for and during the time she remains my Widow. But in case she should marry again then she shall have nothing else but what she has brought to me, and my Estate shall then be appraised by impartial Men and my hereafter named Executors shall sell at Public vendue all my Real and Personal Estate and divide the Money among my six Children in Equal Shares, to wit, Jacob, Barbara, Catherine, William, Magdalen Ann Maria, and John. But in case she remains my widow, then everything after her decease shall be equally divided among my Children and her Children; the names of her Children by her first husband are Margaret, Catherine, John, Elizabeth, Hannah, Maria, Barbara, Andrew, and Jacob. And lastly I do hereby nominate and appoint my beloved friends William Bretz and David Kuentzel Executors of this my last Will and Testament, empowering them hereby to make seals and deliver deeds of Conveyance for my Real Esate which said deeds shall be as good & valid as if I had signed them with my own hand, and I do make null and void all former Wills and Testaments heretofore made declaring this to be only my last Will and Testament. Whereof I the Testator, Philip Bretz, have hereto subscribed my on the Tenth day of May in the year of our Lord one Thousand eight hundred and Nine.
Philip Bretz
Sealed & delivered in the Presence of George Reigler, John Shumacker, George Mennig, Lancaster County on the 9th day of December Anno Domini 1815. Before me the XXX personally appeared George Riegler who being duly sworn and John Shumacker who being duly affirmed according to law did depose declare and say that they were present and saw and heard Philip Bretz the Testator above named sign seal Publish pronounce and declare the forgoing writing as his last Will and Testament and that at the doing thereof he was of sound and will disposing mind memory and understanding to the best of their Knowledge Observation and belief.
William Bausman Reg.
Be it remembered that on the 9th day of December, Anno Domini 1815 the last Will and Testament of Philip Bretz deceased was proved in due form of law and therein and thereby appointed William Bretz and David Kuentzel the Executors therein named they having first been duly qualified well and truly to administer the Estate of said deceased and especially to exhibit a true and perfect Inventory within one month from the date hereof and to render a true and just account of their Executorship on said Estate within one year or when the to lawfully required.
Given under the seal of said office
William Bausman Register