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JB2 120-121
120 V #447
The last Will and Testament of William Houck, Decd. -
In the name of God Amen I, William Houck, of Carroll County in the
State of Maryland, being in health of body and of 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 to be the better prepared to leave
this world, when it shall please God to call me hence, do therefore
make and publish this my last will and testament in the manner and
form following, that is to say,
First and principally I commit my Soul into the hands of Almighty
God and my body to the earth to be decently at the discretion of my
Executors hereinafter named, and after my debts and funeral charges
are paid, I devise and bequeath as follows.
Item - I give devise and bequeath unto my beloved wife Lucy during
her natural life the following real estate, the plantation whereon
I now reside, containing one hundred and eight acres, one rood and
two square perches of land, more or less as contained in a deed of
conveyances from Thomas Richard to William Houck bearing date on the
twenty-first day of April eighteen hundred and twenty-eight and
recorded among the land records of Baltimore County in Liber (W.G.
No. 192 folio 552 V. (excepting a certain part of the aforesaid
conveyance as heretofore conveyed by me to a certain William
Montgagle by indenture bearing date the 4th day of May 1853) also
one other piece or parcel of land containing about six acres and
thirty perches more or less, for which I now hold a bond of
conveyance from Joseph Armacost bearing date the 27th day of
November 1847 - Also my yellow boy named Ben, Two mahogany
dining tables, twelve chairs, one corner cupboard and the contents,
one Bureau and the contents, one desk, one chest of drawers and the
contents, two settees, one cook stove, one tinplate stove and pipe,
four beds and bedsteads, one horse, two cows, all my hogs, one
Buggy and harness, on wagon and horse gear, one sleigh, all the
bacon, beef, corn, wheat, rye, oats, potatoes, grain in the ground
together with other household, Kitchen furniture and farming
utensils as she may need during her natural life, and after death
I do hereby order will and direct my Executors hereinafter named to
sell, transfer and convey all the aforementioned named and described
real personal and mixed property in the possession of my wife at her
death either at public or private sale as soon as conveniency will
admit, and the money arising from the said sale I give devise and
bequeath as follows, to my Sons Jacob Houck, George Houck, Elias
Houck and Elizabeth, wife of John Ebaugh, Catharine, wife of Joseph
Armacost, Julian, wife of Melchoir Algire their heirs and assigns
share and share alike, after deducting the sum of two hundred
dollars to be paid by my Executors to my grand daughter Julian
Houck (daughter of Wm Houck) when she shall arrive at the age of
twenty one years (or marriage) but to be retained by them until
said time, clear of interest - and further my will and intention
is and K do hereby order, will and direct my Executors hereinafter
named as soon as conveyance will admit after the death of my wife,
Lucy, to dispose of my said yellow boy named Ben by appraisement
either to my son Elias or George at the appraised amount (Elias
having the preference) and should neither take him at the
appraisement, he shall be sold at public sale for the unexpired
term of Forty-four years of age, not to be taken out of the state,
and when he shall arrive at the age of Forty-four years, I do
hereby declare him manumitted, in the same manner as if I were
present to execute a deed of manumission and the amount or sum of
money as appraised or sold for to be divided among my children
above-named, share and share alike and their heirs, and whereas I
am possessed of other real and personal estate not herein devised,
It is my will and intention and I do hereby order will and direct
my Executors hereinafter named to sell, transfer and convey the
same as soon as conveniency will admit of after my death either at
public or private sale and the money arising from the sales thereof
to be divided among my above named heirs, share and share alike.
Item I give, devise and bequeath unto my daughter Lucy, her heirs
and assigns all my lands and ground, rents in the town of Manchester
in the county aforesaid, as conveyed to me by Richard Richards, to
her, her heirs and assigns forever - Item I give devise and
bequeath unto my Son, William Houck, his heirs and assigns the sum
of five dollars being his portion in full of all my real, personal
and mixed estate in addition to what he has already had -
Item I give, devise and bequeath unto my daughter Lucy, her heirs
and assigns in addition to the above named ground rent the sum of
two hundred dollars stock in the Manchester Saving Institution -
and testify I do hereby constitute and appoint my sons, Elias Houck
and George Houck to be the 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 second day of July eighteen hundred and
fifty-three.
Wm Hauck (Seal)
Signed, sealed, published and declared by William Houck, the
aforenamed testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the
presence of us who at his request and in his presence and in the
presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses
thereto
John Shultz
Jacob B. Sellers
James Kelley
Maryland Carroll County To wit
On the 27th day of March 1834, before the Orphans' Court for
Carroll County, came Elias Houck, the person who exhibited the
aforegoing instrument of writing and, in open Court, made oath on the
Holy Evangely of Almighty God, that the said instrument of writing
is the true, whole and last Will and Testament of William Houck late
of Carroll County deceased. That the same came to his hands and
possession by receiving it from Lucy Houck, widow of the Testator,
since Testator's death, and that he does not know of any other will
of codicil left by said deceased - Test: Jos.N Parke, Register.