Last Will and Testament of Thomas Norwood of Frederick County, MD
In the Name of God, Amen. I,
Thomas Norwood, of Frederick County in the State of Maryland, being in failing
health of body but of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding,
considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of time thereof, and
being desirous to settle my worldly affairs and thereby be the better prepared
to leave this world when it shall please God to call me home, do therefore make
and publish this, my last will and testament, in manner and form following;
that is to say,
First and principally I commit
my soul into the hands of Almighty God and my body to the earth to be decently
buried at the discretion of my executor hereinafter named, and, after my debts
and funeral charges are paid, I devise and bequeath as follows:
I give and bequeath unto my
daughter, Elizabeth King, the sum of two hundred dollars;
I give and bequeath unto my
daughter, Ann Fahner (Falkner?), the sum of two hundred dollars;
I give and bequeath unto my
daughter, Sarah Cain, the sum of two hundred dollars;
I give and bequeath unto my
daughter, Sinthia Clagett, two hundred dollars;
Item: I give and devise unto
my Dear Wife during her life my plantation whereon I now dwell and all
adjoining land thereunto attached known by the name of ______ and containing by
patent about two hundred and sixty eight acres, more or less, as also a lot or
tract of land lying in Frederick County situated on the South prong of Bush
Creek known by the name of and containing by patent twelve and a half acres,
more or less, to be hers during her life, and after her death I devise and
direct that said plantation or tracts of land be given and divided as follows;
that is to say:
I give and devise unto my son
Belt M. Norwood one hundred and fifty acres of said land, to him, the said Belt
M. Norwood, his heirs and assigns;
I give and devise unto my two
daughters, viz. Mary Day and Hannah Norwood, the remainder of said plantation
or tracts of land to be equally divided, share and share alike, to be theres
(sic)
, their heirs and assigns, all which aforementioned land or plantation to be
divided and given to the aforenamed children, namely, Belt M. Norwood, Mary Day
and Hannah Norwood at an equal valuation per acre;
Item: I give and bequeath to
my Dear Wife all the furniture in the house which I live and all belongings
thereto to be hers used at her disposal;
Item: I devise and direct that
all of the rest of and residue of any property, both real and personal, to be
sold and the proceeds therefrom to be equally divided between my seven
children, viz., Elizabeth King, Ann Falkner, Mary Day, Hannah Norwood, Sarah
Cain, Sinthia Clagett, and Belt M. Norwood, share and share alike;
And lastly, I do hereby
constitute and appoint my son Belt M. Norwood to be sole executor of this, my
last will and testament, revoking and annulling all former wills my me
heretofore made, ratifying and confirming this and none other to be my last
will and testament. In Testimony whereof, I have hereunder set my hand and
applied my seal this twenty ninth day of ___ in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and forty nine, signed, sealed, published and declared
by Thomas Norwood, the above named testator, as and for his last will and
testament, in the presence of us, who at his request in his presence and in the
presence of each other, have subscribed our names as witness thereto.
Jeremiah Lewis
John T. Lewis
Alfred Baker
State of Maryland Frederick County to wit:
I hereby certify that the
foregoing is a true copy from the original filed ____________ in the office of
the Reg Wills of the County aforesaid.
In testimony whereof thereunto set my hand & affix the seal of Office this 22
d
day of Dec
r
1852