welcome to ...

the Decker Journey

mark of Jan Broersen Decker

Data Files - Wills - John Decker, 1790

-NTGS                                             26.               .                                           JUNE 1987   -

WILL OF JOHN DECKER, 1790

            In  the name of God Amen.  I John Decker of the County of Knox in the Ter-

    ritory north west of the River Ohio, farmer, being in perfect health, sound of

   mind and memory, thanks to Almighty God for the same, and knowing that  it  is

  appointed  for  all  men  to  die,  do  make  and.ordain this my last Will and

   Testament, and I do order and direct, and it is my  express  desire  that  the

   whole of my Estate be dispersed of in the following manner, that is to say, in

    the first place I give my Soul into the hands of that god who gave it, my Body

    to  be  interred in a Christianlike manner under the direction of my Executors

    herein after named, and with respect to my worldly  estate  wherewith  it  has

   pleased  Almighty God to bless me, I dispose of it in the manner and form fol-

    lowing, vis.  First and foremost it is my desire that all  my  just  debts  be

    faithfully  discharged and that my funeral expences be duly paid.  I then give

    and bequeath unto my first born Son named Joseph Five pounds lawful  money  of

    the  State of Virginia in full for his proportion out of all my Estate, I give

    and bequeathe unto my Son Abraham, one negro wench named Catz.   And  unto  my

    Son  Moses  I also give a Negro wench named Peg.  Also I give unto my Daughter

    Sarah one Negro wench named Ann.  Likewise I give unto my Daughter Susannah  a

   Negro  wench  named  Phebe.    I  also give and bequeathe unto the Heirs of my

   Daughter Elisabeth deceased the sum of five pounds in gold or silver as  afore

    said+  and  I give unto the Heirs of my Daughter Barbara, deceased, the sum of

    five pounds money as aforesaid, and I give and bequeathe unto my Son Luke, his

   heirs and assigns all my Lands, Tenements. Hereditaments  (?),  Appurtenances,

    and  all  my  Goods and Chattel to. and all my Estate Real and Personal, provided

   nevertheless, and it is my express will and desire that my well  beloved  Wife

   Dinah  shall  have  her wearing apparrel, her Bedstead, Bed and Beding, Furni-

    ture, and twelve pounds in Gold or Silver as aforesaid to be paid unto her for

   her maintainance yearly and every year during her natural life by my Son Luke,

    I likewise give and bequeathe unto my Wife Dinah a  Negro  wench  named  Rach.

   during  her natural life at her death to revert to my Son Luke, and I do nomi-

   nate and appoint my Sons Abraham and Luke to be my Sole Executors of  this  my

    last  Will  and Testament, and I do hereby revoke, annul  and declare void all

   other Wills and Testaments heretofore made by me, and declare this  to  be  my

    last  Will  and Testament.  In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and

    seal this twenty fourth day of August in the year of our Lord 1790.

                                                                                                                        his

                                                                                                           John        Decker   Seal

                                                                                                                        mark

   Let it be understood that the above

   named Negro wench Ann has been

   received by my Daughter Sarah

                Signed Sealed and Delivered

                in the Presence of

     Jacob Pea

                 his

   Philip     Cait

                 mark

   Jonathan Conger

NOTE:  This Jan/John Decker is the son of Jan Gerretson Decker and Barbara de Witt, married to Blandina (Dina) Kuykendall.  [Courtesy of Edwin O. Decker]