Browne, Abell

will dated 1698

will proved September 7 1702

 

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN this –- Day of –- in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred ninety eight according to the Computation of the Church of England I Abell Brown of Annarundle County in the province of Maryland Gent being of perfect memory and rememberance praised be God doe make this my last will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say

Imprimus I bequeath my Soul unto the hand of Almighty God my maker that has through the meritorious death and passion of Jesus Christ, my only Saviour and Redeemer to receive free pardon and forgiveness of all my sins and as for my body to be decently Buried and Interred according to the discression of my ececutor. hereafter

I give and bequeath unto my dear & well beloved only son Robert Brown and to the heirs of his body Lawfully begotten all my Lands tenements and Hereditaments Lying or being in the Province of Maryland or elsewhere (to say) all that tract or parcell of Land called and known by the name of Harwood situate lying and being in or near Toad River in Annarundle County which is Laid out by Survey to contain one hundred and fifty acres to be the same more or less But if my said son Robert Brown shall dye without heir or heirs of his body Lawfully begotten then it is my will and desire that Samuel and James Brown the sons of my Brother James Brown who dwelt in the Island of Bermuda may have the aforsaid Tract of Land called Harwood to them and their heirs male or female forever Equally to be divided into two parts that is one Moyety to Samuel Browne and his heirs and the other Moyety to the Said James Brown and his heirs and for want of heirs male then to female or heir or her heirs Lineally descended to the eldest Living heir or heirs of that my said Brother James his family or issue and heirs I give and bequeath unto my son Robert Browne his Heirs and assigns forever all my tract or parcell of Land called Abells Lott Situate and Being in Baltimore County near Bush River in the aforsaid province of Maryland containing by survey three hundred acres more or less and be it further known by this my Last will and Testament that I doe also declare that those Negroes that were mine and are now and these four years and upward last past have been the proper goods chattell and Eatate of my abovenamed Son and heir Robert Brown that is one Negroe man named Roger and Negro woman called Betty and female Girl called Anne and one boy called Jimmy and one called Jack called one Mary anotherHenry in all they are seven Negroes. It is my will and desire that all my debt which is right and conforme I owe and shall att the time of my decease stand justly indebted to any person whatsoever or whomsoever be well and fully paid by my Executor hereafter named and also by him any funerall charges to be defrayed disbursed and paid as for all other my personal Estate Good Chattells & Land which hath pleased Almighty God my Heavenly Father to bestow upon me in this world I freely clearly and absolutely give and bequeath unto my said son Robert that is all my personal Estate that shall be found in this province of Maryland or elsewhere after debts and funerall charges defrayed of aforesaid the Remainder to go to my Said Son Robert Brown his heirs Executors Issue and assigns and to his or their only proper use and possession by him to be disposed of as to him shall seeme good and requisite after my decease and my will and desire is that if my said Son Robert shall or doe dye the death Before he has married or before he becometh of Lawfull age and dispose of aforesaid Estate Lawfully which I have here given and bequest to him or if he should suddenly be taken away out of this mortal life without wife issue or will which God in his great mercy forbid that then all and singular the before mentioned personall and real Estate to my Said son Robert bequeathed shall fall goe and be to and for the proper use and behoof of my above named Brother his children Samll and James Brown and their issue or issues of that family as above meant and expressed on Lineall descent and it is my will and desire that my son Robert should marry before he cometh att Lawfull age and should hane noo issue by his Said Wife during his Nonage and Should dye and depart this world Before he is of ripe years to dispose of his land before bequeathed that shall not hinder his Said wife or at such time any he hath, from her pieceable Enjoyment of the said personall Estate before given neither from her Lawfull Dowery in the beforementioned Lands and Land and during her naturall life any thing in this my Last Will and Testament to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding and I doe hereby ordain make nominate Constitute and appoint my aforesaid well beloved only son Robert to be my whole and Sole heir and Executor of this my Last will and Testament and to pay my just debts and funerall Charges defray and imedeatly after my decease the aforesaid given Lands and premises into his hands, possession and management to take and without any removall or change of property to be made the same to have hold profit and enjoy and according to his discression the same to husband and manage to his and for his own use property and Interest and advantage at his will and pleasure except what is before excepted and if any person whatsoever or whomsoever shall for any Lawfull cause have the said Estate appraised before my Said Executor comes at age have my said Executor paying the debts shall have the said goods and chattels of the Said Estate returned to him at the rate appraised at and Remember: – that in or belonging to my proper Estate at my death now at my door go those Negroes I have or have had for Severall years Left past Lastly all former wills or testaments whether verball or in writing I doe by these presents make null and voyd and doe ratify and confirm this to be my Last will and Testament in manner and form as aforsd

IN WITTNESS wheref I have personally Set my hand and affixed my Seal the day and year above written    Abell Browne (Seal)

Signed Sealed and delivered to be the Last will and Testament of him the abovementioned Abell Browne and by the Said Abell Browne so declared to be in the presence of us   Wm Cocker    dcd

Robert X Ward   his mark   JamesParnell   dcd

September 7 1702 Came before me Robert Ward and made oath that he did make his Mark to his will as written of my hand   Jno Graham

 

 [reference: Maryland Archives Ac. No 1289 Wills No. 11 T.B. 1701-1703, Film 12844, pp. 214-217]