1 THH 27 - 15 March 1832 / 21 March 1832 - Will of Henry Nicols
In the name of God, Amen, I, Henry Nicols of Dorchester County in the State of Maryland being sick and weak in body, but of sound and disposing mind, memory, and understanding considering the certainty of death, and the uncertainty of the 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 one 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 discretion of my executor hereinafter named and after my just debts and funeral expenses are paid I devise and bequeath as follows.
Item - I give and bequeath unto my wife Margaret A. Nicols during her lifetime and no longer All that lot or parcel of land upon which my dwelling house stands, and which I purchased of Mrs. Elizabeth Berkhead, containing about 47 acres of land more or less.
Item - I give also and bequeath unto my wife, Margaret A. Nicols all the negroes I got of her by marriage viz. Daniel, Daniel Johnson, Job, Tom and Anne.
Item - I give and bequeath unto Emily A. Green, daughter of Nathaniel E. Green, negro girl Maria to serve her until the first day of January 1841, who shall then be free.
Item I give and bequeath to my wife, Margaret A. Nicols, negro boy George to serve her until the fifteenth day of March 1842, who shall then be free.
Item - It is my will and desire that my negro woman called Sarah and negro girl Rosette be free at my death which I do hereby manumit and set free.
Item - I give and bequeath unto my woman Sarah, who I have herein set free, negro boy Clem aged 13 years to serve her until he is twenty-five years old, who shall then be free.
Item - I give and bequeath unto my said negro woman Sarah, all that lot of ground with a small house thereon and containing about seven acres of land and lying back of the Methodist Meeting House, and I also give and bequeath unto said negro Sarah, a lot or parcel of land which I purchased of Jeremiah Bramble and adjoining the lands of Morris Roach, Henry Bradley and Daniel Sullivan, containing about 35 acres of land more or less. All of the said parcels of land I give and bequeath unto Sarah during her lifetime and after her decease I give and bequeath the same to negro girl Rosette who I here herein set free during her lifetime and after her death I give and bequeath the same to my negro Clem and negro George, children of the said negro Sarah, or the survivor of them and their heirs forever.
Item - I give and bequeath unto Emily A. Greene, daughter of Nathaniel E. Greene, all that lot of land lying between the Methodist Church and lot formerly belonging to Thos. Troth, the graveyard excepted, which I purchased of Hy Hicks & the Kings, let the quantity be what it may to her and her heirs forever.
Item - I give and bequeath unto Kesiah Hurlock, fifty dollars in money.
Item - I give and bequeath unto said negro woman Sarah, the sum of one hundred dollars to be paid hereby my Executors hereinafter named.
It is my will and desire that my negro man Sam Green, be sold for a term of five years and my negro man Daniel for a term of ten years, and to have the liberty to choose Masters, and after the expiration of said terms I do hereby manumit and set them free. It is my will and desire that my Executor hereinafter named, do sell and dispose of to the best advantage the balance of my real estate, consisting of a lot lying opposite the Tan Yard in New Market and adjoining the lands of Stephen LeCompte, Henry Dickinsons' Hs, and Doct. T. Handy. Also one hundred and eighty-two acres of land adjoining the lands of Elijah Stevens and others, which I purchased at Sheriffs sale, and convey the same by a deed of Bargain and Sale to the purchaser or purchasers.
Item - I give and bequeath to my wife, Margaret A. Nicols, my gig and horse called Charley, and her choice of the best bed and furniture, and after all just debts and funeral expenses are paid I give and bequeath all the remaining balance of my personal estate to my wife, Margaret A. Nicols.
Item - I give and bequeath unto Nathaniel E. Greene my sulkey carriage.
And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint Joseph K. Traverse and
Nathaniel E. Greene executors of this my last Will and Testament,
revoking and annulling all former Wills by me heretofore made ratifying
and confirming this and none other to be my last Will and Testament.
In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this
fifteenth day of March in the year of anno Eighteen hundred and thirty
two. Henry Nicols (seal)
Signed, sealed, published, and declared by Henry Nicols 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 thereto:
Thomas Henry Handy, John B. Leckie,
James LeCompte Jr.
Codicil:
Whereas I, Henry Nicols, of Dorchester County, have made and duly
executed my last Will and Testament in writing bearing date, this
fifteenth day of March, Eighteen hundred and thirty two, which said last
Will and Testament and every clause bequest and devise therein contained
I do hereby ratify and confirm and being desirous of making some
addition thereto, do therefore hereby make this my codicil, which I will
and direct shall be taken and held as part of my said last Will and
Testament in manner and form following that is to say:
Item -it is my Will and desire that the parcel of land upon which my
dwelling house stands containing about 50 acres of which I purchased of
Mrs. Elizabeth Berkhead and which I have bequeathed, to wife
Margaret A. Nicols during her natural life and after her deceased, I give and
bequeath unto Emily C. Greene, daughter of Nathaniel E. Greene to her
and her heirs forever. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my
hand and my seal this fifteenth day of March, Eighteen hundred and
thirty two. Henry Nicols (seal)
Signed, sealed, published, and declared by Henry Nicols the above named
testator, as and for his Codicil to 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 at witnesses thereto.
Jos. K. Travers, Thomas H. Handy,
Andrew S. Gootee
On the 26 day of March Anno Domini 1832, then came (witnesses regarding)
Henry Nicols, late of Dorchester County, deceased...