LAST WILL OF PHILIP SERFAS
Exhibited March 20th 1787
Know all men by these Presents that I Philip Searffas of Chasnot Hill township and County of Northampton and state of Pennsylvania yomon Hath Bargened sold and setover and do forever quit claim all my write and title to my Homsted place or plantation on which I now Dwell containing one Hundred fifty acres of Land Be it more or Less Laying and situat in Chasnot Hill township and county aforesaid and Laying on the creek commonly coled Head Creek and joining on of the westely on Adam Sauer and on the northerly on vacont Lands and on the Easterly on Peter Keth land and on the southly on vacont Lands with all the writs privilegs Hereditenment priveledgs and aportances theirunto belonging unto Willem Searfass of the same town & County aforesaid to Have and to hold the above said track of Land or planatation with all the Boulding woods waters with all the other priveledgs and aportances their unto belonging or their unto apertaining for which I the said Philip Searffas do bind myself my Heirs Exeters administraters & Every of them firmly by these presents in the penil som of Four Hundred pounds to warrent and defend the same unto Willem Searffas his Heirs Exeters Administor or assigns from any or all persons laying any clame write or chaling thereunto belonging in through or by any means or maner whatsoever for the consideration of Two Hundred pounds to be paid out in Leagsep as shall be Hear after mentioned as folotheth first and foremost I the said Willem Searffass must give to my Father and mother a good Stone Room a lone with a good stove in it and good sufusant for the same with twenty Bushel of Rye and five Bushel of whett Delivered to me in the House in meal with one Hundred and fifty pounds of good pork Delivered in the House well salted with so much salt yearly as I shall have need of with Shous as I have need of yearly with ten pounds of flax & ten pounds wool or Ten pounds of flax cloath and and ten yeards of wool cloath yearly, candil Light so much as we have need of yearly and to Hold two cows and them with good fooder to feed yearly and if they have call the said Willem shall have for his troubel with Lebin the Orchard for so much apels as we shall have need of yearly when the Orchard Bears and likewise so much potatous and tournops, Yearly as we shall Have need of Delivered to us in the house with Chabiss in like maner and likewise if we should be sick or through old age be unable to Help our selves that the said Willim shall find a good noorse that shall take good care of us so that we shall not suffer in no wise and Likwise eighteen pounds to be taken out of the two Hundred pounds for the use of our father and mother if they have need of it and first Jules my oldest Datter twenty pounds with five pounds to her son Christan pember to be paid one year after the Death of our father and to mary twenty five two years after molly to have twenty two pounds and that to be when she shall have most need of the same and to Willem to Have twenty five pounds five shilings three years after my Death and John ten pounds four years after my Death and Ferdrick to have twenty five pounds five years after my Death Christan to have twenty five pounds six years after my Death sarah to have twenty five pounds seven years after my Death. In witness whereof we have hereunto sett our hands and seals this Eleventh Day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred and Eighty five. Willhelm Searfass - Seal. Philip Searfass - seal.
Signed Sealed and delivered In the presents of us Adam and Maria
Engel Sorverin her X mark.
Northampton County Pa on the 31 of January 1787 Before me Lewis Stacher Esqr. one of the Justice of Common Pleas in and for said County Personally appeared Adam Sorber one of the witnesses for the within written instrument and being duly sworn on the Holy Evangels of God, did declare that he was Present and did see the within named William Serfas and Philip Serfas Sign Seal and Declare the within written Instrument and their act and Deed And that he this Deponant together with the other subscribing witness did set their names thereto as witness to the said writting as witness my hand and seal the day and year above written. Lewis Stacher - seal Northampton county.
On the 20th day of March 1787 before me John Arndt Esqr. Register for the Prothon of wills for said County personally came Adam Sorver one of the subscribing witnesses for the within written Last Will of Philip Serfas deceased and on his solemn Oath did depose and say that he was present and did see the said Philip Serfas sign seal publish and declare the same as & for his last will & Testament and that at the doing thereof he the said Testator was of sound mind memory & understanding to the best of his knowledge and belief and also that this deponant subscribed his name to the same as a witness in the presence and at the request of the said Testator which is certified under my hand John Arndt Register.
(Immediately below the above will is the following codicil in German script which appears to have been written by Adam Sorver and then signed by Philip. Translated, it reads:)
Chestnut Hill June 22, 1786
I Philip Serfas, now very sick and weak and doubtful of my recovery, commend myself into the hand of the Almighty Father that had made Heaven and Earth.
First it is my will that the surviving children of my daughter Julianna shall be given my bequest to her and that their father Hannes (Johannes) Meyer is to have nothing of this bequest.
Secondly I give all my personal property to my dear wife Maria Catharina for her upkeep so long as she lives by God, that is goods and valuables that remain. Of what yet remains when the God of the World has taken her away, shall be divided equally to my surviving children.
As such is seen by witnesses Philip Servas (Seal)
Sworn March 20th 1787 Adam Sorver and Maria Engel her X mark Sorver.
In 1787 the administrators of Philip's will were listed as; William Serfas of Chestnut Hill, blacksmith, Nicholas George of Towamensing, yeoman, and Laurence Kunckel of Hamilton Township, yeoman.