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very tight binding; a few words are lost
In the Name of God Amen I George Potter of Westerly in the County of Washington in the State of Rhode Island yeoman Being Perfect mind and memory Thanks be given to God for the same and Calling to mind the mortality of my Body and Knowing that it is appointed for all Men once to Die Do make and ordain this to be my Last Will and Testament that is to say Principally and first of all I give and recommend my Soul into the hands of God that gave it and my Body Recommend to the Earth to be Buried In Decent Christian Burial at Discretion of my Executors Hereafter Named Nothing Doubting but at General Resurrection I Shall Receive the same again by the mighty __ of God and in Touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me with in the Life I give Demise and Dispose of the same in the following manner and form
Imprime I Give and Bequeath to my Wife Content the use of one third of my Estate both Real and Personal so Long as she Shall Remain my Widow which I Give her in Lieu of her Right of Dower and Power of thirds in my Estate and if any thing Remain of Said thirds after her Decease My Will is that Said third Be Equally Divided Between My Seven Daughters or their __ Surviving them
I also Give and Bequeath to my Seven Daughters Mary Hannah Susannah Content Lydda Lucy and Elisabeth Thirty Dollars Each if they are Living __ their heirs if they are not Living to be paid to them by my Executor hereafter named within one year after my Decease out of my Personal Estate further My Will is that my Daughters that are unmarried Shall be made Equal to their [sisters] that hath been married in Household furniture Before and Division is made of what is Given them by this Will
Further my Will is that my Daughters that Remain Single Shall have __ Priviledge of Living in the house where I now Live so Long as they Shall Live unmarried if they Shall think proper
Item I Give and Bequeath to my Son[s] George Potter and Nathan Potter all Lands I Now own in Westerly North of the place where I Now Live with the Sawmill Gristmill and the Dam and all the Preveledges (sic) appurtenances to the same Belonging A farm lying in Hopkinton Containing one Hundred acres be the Same More or Less it being part of the farm formerly Belonging to my Father Thomas Potter of Hopkinton Deceased all which Lands and Premises I Give to the said George Potter and Nathan Potter to be Equally Divided Between them to them their heirs Assigns forever with their paying what I have Enjoined on them to pay by the __
Further I Give and Bequeath to my Son Nathan Potter a Lot of Land Lying in Said Westerly Containing ten Square Rods it Being where the Said Nathan hath a Blacksmith Shop and Cole (sic) House Lying on the South Side of a __ before Mentioned Beginning Near the Bridge which runs across said River Westerly to Hopkinton thence Running upstream by said River so far that __ Westerly Line will Take in Said Cole House and Shop and From thence North to said Highway so as to make out said ten Rods to him the Said Nathan Potter and to his heirs and Assigns forever
I give to my Son Joseph Potter the Remainder of Said Lot Lying the south of Highway Containing Near one acre More or Less Bounded Easterly on Pawcatuk River Northerly on Said Nathan Potters Lot and Partly on Said Highway and __ on Peleg Saunders' Land it being where there is a Store &c. to him the Said Joseph Potter his heirs & assigns forever Likewise I Give to my Son Joseph Potter a Lot of Land I Purchased of Joseph Clarke Lying in Said Westerly Containing twenty acres More or Less Bounded __ly on Pawcatuck River Northerly on Peleg Saunders' Land Westerly on a Highway __ Belonging to George and Joseph Potter Which I Give to the Said Joseph Potter his heirs and Assigns Forever Likewise I Give to my Said Son Joseph Potter thirty __ to be Paid to him in one year after my Decease out of my Personal Estate __ Executor hereafter Named
I Give and Bequeath to my Son George the one half of my wearing apparel __ my two Sons Joseph and Nathan the other Half after my Decease Furthermore I Give to my two sons George and Nathan all the Remainder of my personal Estate that Shall Remain after my just Debts and funeral charges are fully paid
Item I Give to my Said Son George thirty Dollars out of my Personal Estate
Item I Constitute and appoint my Executor to this my Last Will and Testament __ I Do Hereby utterly Disallow Revoke and Dis__ all and Every other former __rt Wills Legasies (sic) Bequests and Executors by me in any wise Before Named __d and Bequeathed Ratifying & Confirming this and No other to be my Last Will and Testament Witness Whereof I have here unto Set my hand and Seal this twelfth Day of August (?) AD 1794 and in the Nineteenth of American Independence Signed Sealed Published Pronounced and Declared by the sd George Potter as his last Will & Testament In the Presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereto subscribed our Names as Witnesses
Joseph Clarke
George Potter (Seal)
Elisha Lanphear
Richardson Avery
Mr Elisha Lanphear and Mr Richardson Avery Two of the Witnesses to the fore going will appeared before the Town Council in Westerly September the 29th AD 1794 and made oath that they saw Mr George Potter Sign Seal Publish Pronounce and Declare the foregoing Instrument to be his Last Will and Testament and at the Time of his Signing the same he was in his Perfect Mind and Memory and that they Subscribed their Name as Witness In the Presence of the Testator and in the Presents (sic) of Each other with Joseph Clarke the other witness
Nathan Barber President
Noted In __ Council the foregoing will is Sufficiently Proved and approved by Said Town Council and as Such it is ordered to be Recorded Sam Bliven Council Clerk