Transcribed by Michael Cooley from a photocopy of the original
Thomas Pettit was the son of James Pettit, also of York County. James' will is reprinted on page 32 of the October 1988 issue of TPC. Additional information for James is found in "Children of Thomas and Avis Pettit" on page 115 of the April 1990 issue. In notes received in July 1989 from Jean Jackson (735 W. Pine St., Zionsville, IN 46077) she states that Thomas Pettit married Rebecca Hendricks on 13 December 1744 [Register of St. Matthews Lutheran Church, Hanover, York Co.]. Rebecca Hendricks Pettit is mentioned in the will of her brother, William Hendrix of Hanover, York County, 16 December 1768 [Book B, page 179].
In the Name of God Amen, I Thomas Pettit of Dover Township York County and State of Pennsylvania being sick and weak in Body but of Perfect Mind and memory, Calling to mind the mortality of my Body do make and ordain this my last will and Testament. First of all I Recommend my Soul into the hands of God that made it, and my Body I Recommend to the Earth to be Buried in a Christian like and decent manner at the descresion of my Executors, and as to the Worldly Estate wherewith God Blessed me in his life I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form. Inpremis It is my Will and I do order that in the first place all by just depts and funeral Charges be paid and Satisfied, then I give and Bequeath to my worldly and loving wife Rebecca and provided for her in the following manner yearly and every year Fifteen Bushels of good merchantable wheat is to be given by the Possesor of the Plantation I now live on Also Yearly and Every Year there shall be given and paid to her two hundred weight of good wholsom pork and also two hundred weight of Good wholsom Beef well Seasond with salt in a good Sufficient vessel adapted to that purpose, also Yearly and every year half a Bushel of Salt one pound of good bokea Tea and twelve pounds of good Coffie and twenty eight pounds of good Brown Sugar, also Yearly and every Year during her natural life there shall be given and paid to her twelve pounds of good Clean heckled flax and also twelve pounds of good Clean heckled hemp, she shall have the privilege to have and keep to herself half of the garden and also to Choose and have any four Rows of appletrees in the orched which she may Choose Yearly when the trees is in Bloom, and he that poseses the plantation I now lives on and shall make for her the Syder of the fruit and find good sufficient Barrels to keep it and he shall leave it in the Cellar under the House that I now Dwell in at her sole disposal, also anytime that she choseses to Ride she shall have the Choice of any horse on the Plantation that she Choses to be Bridled and Sadled and left at the Door to her will and Pleasure Yearly and Every Year there shall be found and kept and well fed for her a good milch1 Cow and four well groone2 Sheep which are to be her Sole use, and if any of them Should Chance to Die or to Stray away or any mishap to happen then others shall be found presently and Substituted in their stead their shall be given left paid to her all my household furniture to be at her own Disposel Excepting a Desk and table which after her Death the Desk shall be given to my Daughter Priscila but be for the use of my wife so long as she lives but the table to be my Daughter Priscila at my Death. Also I herewith make and constitute her my loving Wife Sole proprietor of the Dwelling house I now live in During her natural life to be at her Sole use & pleasure until her Death and then and no Sooner becomes the property of him that is the Posseser of the Plantation I now lives on. I also Order and Direct and it is my Last Will that firewood Sufficient for winter and Summer Yearly and every Year be made and brought to the Door of the house that my wife Dwells in the wood must be Cut for the harth. Also a maid is to be procured and paid that shall wait on my wife at any time and as long as She Requires it I also Order and it is my will that if my wife Pleases to Require it five Bushels of Good wheat be added yearly and Every Year During her natural life to those fifteen Bushels before mentioned to avoid all misrepresentations I observe that by the Poseser of the Plantation I now lives on I mean any one that shall have and hold be owner of this my Plantation or any part thereof after my Death be it my Son or any of his heirs or Assigns. Item, I give and Bequeath to my beloved Son Thomas Pettit the Plantation I now lives on that is all my Lands and Tenements and Constitute him to be the Sole Proprietor and Poseser of the same and all my Rights and tittles thereof To have and to hold for himself his Heirs or Assigns forever. I also Bequeath and give to him my beloved Son Thomas Pettit all the Grain and hay that is in the Barn and in the ground and the waggon and all the working Implements on the Plantation Also I Bequeath and give to him all the horse Creatures Also all the horn Cattle Sheep and Swine Except a Cow for milch that my Daughter Prisilla Shall have I also Order and it is my will that he my Son Thomas Pettit in a proper and Decent manner shall Board my Daughter Prisilla so Long as she shall think fit to Dwell with him or her mother in a unmarried State and I ordain and it is my Will that he my Son Shall keep my Daughter Prisilla a Cow so long as she Dwells with him and sow her half a Bushel of Clean flax seed Yearly and Every Year that she Dwells with him and I also order and ordain that he my son Thomas Pettet shall pay to my Daughter Prisilla the Sum of Forty Pounds in Real Sp[--er-] of Good Gold or Silver money to be paid to her as follows in one Year after my Decease the sum of Six pounds and 20[?] yearly till the whole forty Pounds is Paid I also order and direct and it is my last Will and Testament that my Son Thomas Pettit as being by these Presents Constituted the Poseser of my Plantation I now lives on shall also his Heirs or Assigns or Every One that may hereafter Poses this Plantation observe give and pay Yearly and every Year all that I ordered Bequeathed Directed to or Concerning my beloved Wife Rebecca and my Daughter Priscilla as before mentioned. Item I bequeath and give my beloved and Youngest Daughter Daughter Priscilla a good Bed and furniture and good Riding Sadle. I Bequeath and give to my Grand Son James Pettit the sum of Ten pounds of good Gold or Silver money to be paid to him by my Son Thomas Pettit when he my Grand Son Comes to the age of Twenty One but if he should not live to that age the Legacy Remains the property of my Son Thomas Pettit I bequeath and give to my beloved Daughter Lucia the wife or Widow of Parick [Patrick? - ed.] Donaldson the sum of Fifteen Shillings of Good Gold or Silver money. Item I give and Bequeath to my Daughter Hannah the wife of John Hooker the Sum of Fifteen Shillings of good Gold or Silver money and no more. Item I give and Bequeath to my Daughter Rebecca the wife of Gabriel Gill the Sum of Fifteen Shillings of good Gold or Silver money and no more. Item I give and Bequeath to my Grandson David Pettit a Horse and Sadle to be worth Twenty Pounds of good gold or Silver money to be paid to him at the age of Twenty One but if he should Chance to Die before the Expiration of said time the Legacy Remains the property of my Son Thomas Pettits I Likewise Constitute make and ordain my beloved wife and my beloved Son Thomas Pettit to to be the only and Sole Executors of this my Last Will and Testament. And I do hereby utterly Disavow Revoke and Disanul all and every other former Testaments Wills Legacies and Executors by me in any ways before this time named Willed and Bequeathed Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal in this Twelve Day of March in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven hundred and Eighty Nine 1789
Signed Sealed Pronounced and Delivered to be Thomas Pettits Last Will and Testament by himself ) Thomas Pettit [seal] in the presence of us Joseph Bradley, Charls Hoffman )York County ss. Before me Jacob Barnitz Esqr Register for the probate of Wills and granting Letters of Administration in and for the County of York in the State of Pennsylvania personally come Joseph Bradley and Charles Hoffman the Two Subscribing Witnesses to the foregoing Instrument of writing and on their Solemn affirmation the conscientiously Scrupling the taking of an oath, Do Severally say that they were personally present and saw and heard the above named Thomas Pettit Sign his Name unto and Seal and publish the foregoing Instrument of writing as and for his Last Will and Testament and that at the time of the doing thereof he the said Thomas Pettit was of a Sound and disposing Mind Memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge and belief, and that they Subscribed their Names thereto as Witnesses in the presence of the said Testator and at his Request and in the presence of each other.
Affirmed & Subscribed at York the 25th ) Joseph Bradley Day of August A.D. 1790 before me J. Barnitz, Regr ) Charles HoffmanA true copy taken from and compared with the original at York this 25th Day of August A.D. 1790. J. Barnitz Regr
Memorandum. That Letters Testamentary in Common form were granted unto Rebecca Pettit and Thomas Pettit of the Estate of Thomas Pettit late of York County Deceased. Inventory to be Exhibited into the Registers Office at York on or before the 25th day of October next. And on account or Reckoning in a year or when thereunto legally Required. Given under my Hand and Seal of Office at York this 25th Day of August A.D. 1790.
J. Barnitz Regr
1yeilding milk 2groomed?