Will of Abel Jones


 


WILL: Abel Jones;  Westford, Otsego co., NY 
surname: Jones, Manchester, Odle, Salsbery

submitted by Adrienne Condon (acondon at cas.usf.edu) 
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Submitted Date: November 11, 2005
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Source: Sampubco: Co. 
Otsego co NY Vol C, Pp. 254-256
Written: October 3, 1811
Recorded: December 3, 1812

The Record of Abel Jones last Will & Testament     

In the name of God Amen I Abel Jones Farmer of the town of Westford county of 
Otsego and State of New York Considering the uncertainty of this mortal life
and being of sound and perfect mind and memory blesed [sic] be almighty God
for the same do make and publish this my last will and testament that is to
say First I give and bequeath to my Eldest Son Andrew B Jones five Dollars in
Money I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Sabrina Wife of Simeon Odle five
Dollars in money I give and bequeath to my Daughter Electa wife of Sylvester
Salsbery five Dollars in Money I give and bequeath to my Daughter Delafeat
wife of Leonard Manchester five Dollars in Money -- And I give and bequeath to
Each of my Remaining Children whose names are as follows Moses J Jones Mercia
Jones Loisiana Jones Luania Jones Morgan L Jones Orsamus Jones Clasena Jones
five Dollars in Money And I give and bequeath to my wife Loicanana Jones all
my remaining property whether in Money or otherwise including moneys [sic] due
from others to me by Bonds notes or otherwise after deducting Funeral expenses 
therefrom I hereby appoint my wife Loicanna Jones of the town of Westford 
Executrix of this my last will and testament-- In witness whereoff [sic] I
have hereunto set my hand and seal this third day of October in the year of
our Lord one thousand eighthundred and Eleven
Signed sealed and published by}
the  above  named  Abel Jones }
to  be  his  last  will  and  }
testament in  the presence of } [signed] Abel Jones   [Legal Seal Affixed]
us who have hereunto subscri- }
bed our names  as  witnesses  }
in presence of the testator   }
Joel Sayre
Morris Hughs
Andrew B Jones

                         Otsego County ss
Be it remembered that on the third day of December in the year of our Lord one 
thousand eight hundred and twelve personally appeared before me Ambrose Clark 
Surrogate of the County of Otsego aforesaid Joel Sayre Morris Hughes and
Andrew B Jones of said County who being duly sworn testified and said that
they saw Abel Jones sign and seal this Instrument in writing purporting to be
the will of the said Abel Jones and heard him publish and declare the same as
and for his last will and testament that at the time thereof he the said Abel
Jones was of sound disposing mind and memory to the best of the knowledge and
belief of them the deponents and that their names subscribrd to the said will
be of their own proper hands writing [sic] which they subscribed as witnesses
thereunto in the testators presence and in the presence of each other

Also be it Remembered that at the same time Loicanna Jones Executrix of the
said will likewise appeared before me and was duly sworn to the true
performance and execution of the same by taking the usual oath as executor
                                  [signed] Ambrose Clark Surrogate

[Legal Seal] The people of the State of New York by the grace of God free and 
Independenit [sic]  

To all to whom these presents shall come or may concern send greeting Know ye 
that at Otsego on the third day of December in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and twelve before Ambrose Clark Esq Surrogate of said
County the last will and testament of Abel Jones (a copy whereof is hereunto
annexed) was proved and is now approved and allowed of by us and the said
deceased having while he lived--and at the time of his death goods chattels or
credits within this State by reason whereof the proving and registering the
said will and the granting administration of all and singular the said goods
chattels and credits and also the auditing allowing and final discharging the
account thereof doth belong unto us the administration of all and singular the
goods chattels and cretits of the said deceased and any way concerning his
will is granted unto Loicanna Jones Executrix in the said will so named--She
being first duly sworn with and faithfully to administer the same and to make
and exhibit a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the said goods
chattels and credits and also to render a just and true account thereof when
thereunto required In testimony whereof we have caused the seal of office of
our said Surrogate to be hereunto affixed Witness Ambrose Clark Esq Surrogate
of the said County at Otsego aforesaid the third day of december in the year
of our Independence the thirty Seventh
                                   [signed] Ambrose Clark Surrogate

The preceding will of Abel Jones deceased with the certificate of the proof 
thereof and of the qualification of Loicanna Jones as Executrix and the letter 
testamentary thereon recorded the third day of December A1812
                                   [signed] Ambrose Clark Surrogate

Additional Comments:
I have made no attempt to modernize the spelling, capitalization, or
punctuation in this will except in the case of the "double s" construction.
The clerk of Otsego County uses the characteristic eighteenth-century style
"long s" which looks similar to a modern "f" when two "s's" are written
together as in "witnefs" or "witnefses" and as in "fs" or modernized "ss" at
the top of page 255. This "ss" is a legal term used in an affidavit to verify
the location of the action. The "A 1812" at the end of the documents is an
abbreviation for Anno 1812.

Additionally, there are some questions as to the most likely spelling of at 
least three of the names mentioned in this will:
1. "Loicanna/Loisanna" Jones-- On my holograph copy of the will it is unclear
as to whether the spelling for Abel Jones' wife's first name should be
"Loicanna" or "Loisanna." To be conservative, I have used the former spelling
as it can best be supported from my copy of the will; however, other records
use alternative, and probably more accurate, spellings. Specifically, on her 
tombstone at the Westville Baptist Churchyard Cemetery in Middlefield, Otsego 
Co., NY, Mrs. Abel Jones' name is engraved as Louisanna Jones; her d.o.d. is
22 Aug. 1828. Additionally, on the death certificate of Morgan L. Jones, son
of Abel and Louisanna, her name is given as Louisa Anna. The DAR gives Abel's
wife as Louanna, but that spelling is not supported by any of the primary
records that I have seen.  

2. Sylvester and Electa Jones "Salsbery"-- In records posted on Family Search 
the spelling for "Salsbery" is given as Salisbury.

3. Moses "J" Jones--The middle initial here is definitely a "J" as supported
by multiple Federal and New York State census records.