Will of Adam
Shafer
ADAM SHAFER, COBLESKILL - Dated:
20 December 1817. Probated: 30 January 1819.
WILLS AND TESTAMENT BOOK, 1813 - 1823, Book B, Pages 248 - 252; Book on file
at the Schoharie County Surrogate's Office, Schoharie, NY.
The last will and testament of
Adam Shafer In the name of God Amen. I Adam Shafer of the town of Cobleskill
in the County of Schoharie being weak in body but sound of mind and perfect
mind and memory, considering the uncertainty of this mortal life and being
blessed, Almighty God for the same, Do make and publish this my last will
and testament, in manner and form following that is to say -
FIRST I give and bequeath unto
my eldest son Johannes Shafer all my wearing apparel to his heirs and assigns
for ever.
SEDONDLY I give and bequeath
unto my son, Jost Shafer his heirs and assigns forever a certain piece or
parcel of land now in his possession being by estimation almost the one third
part of Lot Number eight and takes its beginning at a stone marked number
Seven and eight, and runs from thence South fifteen degrees to the French
Kill so called, Thence up the same as it winds and turns to the Cobleskill
- thence along said Kill to the division line of lot Number eight and nine
- thence Southerly on the said line to the Patent line of the old Cobleskill
patent, thence Easterly along said head line till it strikes the division
line of lot Number Seven and eight - thence along said line to the place of
beainnina excepted and reserving the Grist mill with all the buildings, and
lands thereunto belonging as hereafter will be mentioned; which said mill
with the appurtenances I give and bequeath unto my son Henry Shafer Jun.
THIRDLY I give and bequeath unto
my son Dewald Shafer his heirs and assigns forever one hundred and six acres
of land where he is now in his possession of:
FOURTHLY I give and bequeath
unto my son Henry Shafer Jun hisheirs and assigns forever a certain piece
or parcel of land with the grist mill thereon now in the possession of Adam
H. Shafer being in Cobleskill aforesaid being part of lot number Eight beginning
at a place where the Bennerkill Kill empties itself in the Cobleskill, thence
to follow the said Kill westerly till where a small run of water runs down
the bank - thence to the line of Number eighth and nine the nearest way that
can be taken, thence along said line a Southerly direction across the Cobleskill,
thence to follow the said Kill to the Benner Kill - thence to follow the turnings
and windings of the said Benner Kill to the line of the mill seat - thence
to follow the said line of the said grist mill spot as it has been heretofore
been leased to Jacob Kromer to the bridge that crossed the Cobleskill - thence
along on the bank of said Cobleskill on the South side of said Kill till it
strikes the division line a Northerly course to the public highway, as it
now runs, thence a South westerly direction to the place of beginning.
FIFTHLY I give and bequeath unto
Adam A Shafer and David A Shafer sons of my son Adam Shafer Junior their heirs
and assigns for ever All the Remainder part of my real estate in the town
of Cobleskill in the County of Schoharie with the apurtenances thereunto belonging,
To have and hold unto the said Adam A Shafer and the said David A Shafer and
to their heirs and assigns forever.
SIXTHLY I give unto Magdalene
Shafer wife of my son Adam Shafer Jur deceased the one third part of all the
income and profits of that part of my farm granted to Adam A Shafer and David
A Shafer sons of my son Adam Shafer Jun deceased as long as she remains a
widow.
SEVENTHLY This is my will and
order that my son Dewald Shafer shall pay to my daughter Maria wife of Jacob
Merkle the sum of twenty five dollars to be paid two years after my decease.
EIGHTHLY This is my will and
order that my son Dewald Shafer shall pay twelve dollars and fifty cents to
my daughter Elizabeth wife of Jacob Frister one year after my decease.
NINTHLY This is my will and order
that my son Jost Shafer shall pay to my daughter Lana wife of Peter Ball the
sum of twelve dollars and fifty cents two years after my death
TENTHLY I further give and bequeath
unto Cherney Shafer and Rasson Shafer sons of Adam J (?) Shafer two acres
of land on the north side of the public highway at the point at Cobleskill
to be taken out of the lot or farm which I have given or granted to my son
Jost Shafer, to have and to hold unto the said Cherney Shafer and the said
Kussen Shafer (sp?) to their heirs and assigns forever.
ELEVENTHLY This is will and order
that Adam A Shafer and David A Shafer sons of my son Adam Shafer Jun shall
give to Peter Shafer Becker a son of John Jost Becker a span of horses in
the place of a span of horses which was left on my premises at the time of
his grandfathers decease.
TWELFTHLY This is my will and
order that Adam A Shafer and David A Shafer sons of my son Adam Shafer Jun
deceased shall pay to Lana Maria a daughter of John Jost Becker the sum of
Fifty dollars at the time when she arrives to the age of eighteen years.
THIRTEENTHLY I give and bequeath
to my Henry Shafer Jun and to Magdalene Shafer wife of my son Adam Shafer
decease a thirty dollar note given to my by Henry Mann.
FOURTEENTHLY I give and bequeath
unto Adam A Shafer and David A Shafer all my residue of personal estate to
equally be divided between them, and also the real estate which I have granted
to them to be equally be divided between them.
LASTLY I appoint my sons Henry
Shafer Jun Adam A Shafer and David Shafer executors of this last will and
testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made.
In Witness Whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and seal the twentieth day of December in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventeen
Signed, Sealed, published and
declared by the above named Adam Shafer to be his last will and testament.
In the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names a witness in
the presence of
Henry Shafer
Henry Mann
Jacob X . H. Miller
His Mark
Adam Shafer L.S.
NOTE: I, Herman Witthoft, copied this will by hand, 11 March 1992, at the Schoharie County Surrogate's Office, Schoharie, NY, and later, at home, entered it into my computer using the word processing program Word Perfect 5.l. The spellings, captializations and punctuation, or lack of them, are as they appeared on the original hand written document on file.