Will of John Stanton
Caroline Co., Maryland
January 6, 1818
In the name of God, amen, I John Stanton of Caroline County in the State of Maryland being in perfect health of body and of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the times thereof and being desirous to settle my worldly affairs and there by be the better prepared to leave this world when it shall please God to call me hence, 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 unto the hands of Almighty God and my body to the earth to be decently buried at the descretion of my executor herein after named and after my debts and funeral charges are paid, I devise and bequeath as follows,
Item I give and devise unto my step-son Arthur Connelley, three hundred acres of land including a lot which I deeded to the aforesaid Arthur Connelley. Beginning at the corner of said Connelley’s lot at the main road when said road crosses Gravelly Branch and running up said branch with the lines of said lot and continuing on with the lines of my land untill it shall extend so far back from the aforesaid road that a parallel line with the road ? of my land shall include the said three hundred acres to him and to his heirs and assigns forever upon conditions that my said step-son or his heirs or assigns shall comply with what shall be herein after required. That is to say that my step-son Arthur Connelley shall give a good and lawful deed for the part of my land containing one hundred acres which I deeded to my wife Elizabeth Stanton before we were married. Also, I give and bequeath unto my step-son Arthur Connelly my negro woman named Kitty for the time of years she has to serve and my negro boy Aaron, three years old last July and my negro child named James aged eight months to serve him and his heirs until they should arrive to the age of twenty five years of age and also my large new bible and six silver table spoons, all of which I give to him my said step-son Arthur Connelley and to his heirs and assigns forever
Item I give and bequeath to Mary Connelley, who I have raised, my negro boy Joshua, aged nine years last August, to her and her heirs till he shall arrive at the age of twenty five. Also one set of silver tea spoons, also four hundred dollars current money to be paid to her at the age of twenty one or day of marriage which shall first happen and if the said Mary Connelley shall happen to die before the times above mentioned, then the above legacies to go to the persons herein after mentioned.
Item I give and bequeath unto Aaron Man, son of Elizabeth Man, my niece, the sum of one hundred dollars current money. And my will is that my executor, herein after named, shall sell at ? sale for or on a credit by giving six months notice at his own direction all the residue of my land which I have not divided to my step-son Arthur Connelley within twelve months after my death and also one hundred acres of land which I deeded to my wife before she and I were married, the whole to be sold in lots or all together as shall appear to him to be the most advantage to the sale of the same and my said Executor is hereby authorized and my will is that he shall give a good and lawfull deed for the part which I had not deeded to my deceased wife Elizabeth Stanton before our marriage and that my said step-son Arthur Connelley, his heirs or assigns, shall give a good deed and lawful deed on deed as the case may be for the part which I have not heretofore deeded to my deceased wife before our marriage in case the said Arthur Connelley or his heirs shall refuse or neglect to sell and deed the aforesaid land which I deeded to my deceased wife before our marriage to any purchaser or purchasers thereof, then all this my will to be void as respects my said step-son Arthur Connelley, and in case compliance to be and remain good and that the money arising from the sale of the said land is to be applied to the paying of the above legacies and my will is that my executors sell my negro boy Stephen within twelve months after my death in that way which he may think most proper and advantageous to my estate, either for cash or on a credit, but not to sell him to any person to be transported out of this state. And all the residue from my estate and the money arising from the sale of my land and negro Stephen not above named in this my will to be applied as follows to wit to be sold for cash and or credit as my executor herein after named shall hereafter think proper and advantageous to my estate
Item I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Man and her heirs one fifth part of the balance which my estate amounts to after the legacies and just debts are paid and the balance to be equally divided between Dorothy Blades and her heirs and Mary Price and her heirs. The above legacies are to paid within twelve months after the aforesaid legacies are due and I do hereby authorize and constitute my executor herein after named to deed and confirm in a lawful manner all of the land which I have sold and have not deeded when ever the bond for the said lands is complied with and my will is that if any dispute shall arise between the parties concerned that is shall be left to reference and that on no occasion whatsoever that any lawsuit shall be commenced and lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my step-son Arthur Connelley to be the sole executor of this my last will and testament, revoking and annulling all former wills by me heretofore made ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the sixth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen.
John Stanton (seal)
Signed, sealed, published and declared by John Stanton 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 witnesses
Archibald Ross
Alexander Griffith
George Prouse?
Caroline County to wit:
23rd of March 1819, Arthur Connelly the Executor, named and appointed in the aforegoing will and made oath of the Holy Evangels of Almighty God that the aforegoing instrument of witness is the true and whole will and testament of John Stanton, late of Caroline County, deceased, that hath come to his hands or possessions and that he doth not know of any other of a later date.
Certified by
John Young, Reg. of Wills Caroline County
23rd of March 1819, Then came Archibald Ross, one of the subscribing witnesses to the aforegoing last will and testament of John Stanton, late of Caroline County, deceased and being one of the people comminly called Quakers did solemnly sincerely and truly declare and affirm that he did see the testator therein named sign and seal this will, and that he heard him publish pronounce and declare the same to be his last will and testament, that at the time of his so doing he was to the best of his apprehension of sound and disposing mind and memory and understanding: and that he, together with Alexander Griffith and George Prouse the other two subscribers being witnesses respectfully subscribed their names as witnesses to the said will in the presence and at the request of the testator and in the presence of each other.
(George Prouse and Archibald Ross took the same oath as above)
Certified by John Young, Reg. of Wills of Caroline County
Caroline County, Vol. JR #C pp. 352-355
