The Last Will and Testament of Henry Decker, Deceased

Recorded August 31^st 1801.

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In the name of God Amen. I, Henry Decker, of the Town of Schodack and County of Rensselaer, Yeoman, being weak in body but of a perfect mind and memory (thanks be given unto God, calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die) do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament; that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hand of almity that gave it, and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my Executors, nothing doubting, but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God; And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life I give demise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form.

First
I give and bequeath to Catheriegn my dearly beloved wife during her widowhood the house that I now live in, and the Barn and one third part of all the farm that I live on shall produce of every kind, and the use of two good milks Cows and one span of horses with tackling complete, and a waggon and sled, and the priviledg of keeping two hogs on the farm (but to be fatted at her expence), and eight sheep (the Creatures is to be pastured on the said Farm and to be wintered with her third part), and the pleasure sled that I now own and all the houshole furniture.

Secondly
I give and bequeath to my son Isaac twenty five Dollars over and above his equal divident. And I order and give to Isaac and Jacob the farm that I now live on, with their delivering to (as I have befour menti[on]ed) and to pay out to the rest of my Children after their equail part of the appraisal of the farm by two Indiferent men the whole equail part of all my estate Real and personal.

Thirdly
I give to my son Henry the tenth part of all my estate which is his equail divident except what I have befour ordered.

Fourthly
I give to my son Abraham the tenth part of all my estate which is his equail divident except what I have befour ordered.

Fifthly
I give to my son Peter the tenth part of all my estate which is his equail divident except what I have befour mentioned.

Sixthly
I give to my Daughter Cornelia the tenth part of all my estate which is her equail part except what I have befour mentioned.

Seventhly
I give to my Daughter Cathereign the one tenth part of all my estate which is her equail part except what I have befour ordered.

Eightly
I give to my granddaughter Cate the one tenth part of all my estate which is her equail part except what I have befour ordered.

Ninthly
I give to my Daughter Lucreatia the tenth part of all my estate which is her equail part except what I have befour ordered.

Tenthly
I give to my Daughter Lydia the tenth part of all my estate which is her equail part except what I have befour ordered.

Elevently
I give to all my Children and granddaughter Cate their equail tenth part of all my estate as I have befour ordered to their heirs, executors, administrators and assigns.

Twelvthly
I desire my three youngest Children to be brough up at the expence of my wife, and Peter I desire to be bound out to a trade by my executors at their discression.

Thirteenthly
I do also constitute and appoint William Gorsine, Joseph Taylor and Elijah Fergeson, my sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament all and singular, my lands, [Ö..?] and and Tenements to be disposed of by them to the benefit of any Children, and I do further give them full athority to sign seal & deliver as if I was present or personally there. And I do hereby utterly disalow, revoke and disannul all and every other former Testaments, wills, legacys, bequeaths and executors by me or any win befour names willed and [illegible], satisfying and confirming this and know other to be my last will & testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the twenty first day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety nine.

Signed, sealed, published, pronounced and declared by the said Henry Decker as his last Will and Testament in the presents of us who in his presents and in the presence of each other have hereto subscribed our names.

George Adriance

Thomas (his X mark) Akely

S. Gorshine

Henry (his X mark) Decker L.S.

Copy John Woodworth

Rensselaer ss: Be it remembered that on the twenty-ninth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and one personally appeared before me John Woodworth Esquire Surrogate of the said County. S. Gorshine, one of the witnesses to the said will, who, being duly sworn on his oath, declared that he did see Henry Decker, late of Schodack in the County of Rensselaer deceased, sign and seal the Instrument annexed to this sheet of paper and heard him deliver it for the uses therein mentioned; that at the time thereof the said Henry Decker was of sound disposing mind and memory to the best knowedge of this deponent; that his name subscribed thereto is of his own proper hand writing: and also that Joseph Taylor, G. William Gorshine, two of the executors in the said Will named likewise appeared before me and were duly sworn to the faithful performance and execution thereof by taking the usual oath as executors. ó Dated this thirty-first day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and one.

John Woodworth

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