Will of Thomas James (1748)

In the name of God amen, the twenty fifth day of October Anno Domini 1748 I Thomas James of the Township of Charlestown in the county of Chester and provide of Pennsylvania being sick in body but of good and perfect memory thanks be given unto God and calling to mind the uncertain estate of this transitory life and that it is appointed for all men once to die when it shall please God to [obscured] declare this my last will & testament in manner following.   First [obscured] my sins most humbly deliver in forgiveness for the same.  I commend ..almighty God my savior by whose merits I trust to be saved and for my body ..unto the earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner at the discretion of my executors hereafter named. And for the settling of my temporal estate it has pleased God to bestow upon me I do order give and dispose the same in manner and form following.

Imprimis I give and bequeath unto my well beloved son Griffith five pounds current lawful money of Pennsylvania to be paid unto him by my executors within three years next after my decease.

Item I give devise and bequeath unto my dearly beloved wife Gwenllian and my well beloved son John all my real estate and also my personal testate of what kind or nature soever they be by them jointly to be freely possessed and enjoyed their heirs executors forever (the aforesaid legacy only excepted).

Whom I do declare and point join executors of this my last will and testament  constitute and appoint my trusty friends David Davis, Owen Howell, and Nathaniel Davies to be trustees to see that all things contained in this my last will and testament be performed according to the true intent and meaning thereof.

I do hereby revoke disannul and make void all former wills by me made and declaring this only to be my last will and testament.

                                                                                                         [signed by mark]

Witnesses

David Davies

Owen Howells [per grant of administration]

Nathaniel Davies

Accompanying note:

Do not know how the above came to be torn but believe it was done by Griffith James that they ? the above was their names to this will remember the writing perfectly well also the interlineations

Accompanying document:

A true and just copy of the legacies bequeathed and devised by Thomas James of Charlestown in Chester county in his last will & testament bearing date the twenty fifth day of October 1748

Imprimis I give and bequeath unto my well beloved son Griffith five pounds current lawful money of Pennsylvania to be paid unto him by my executors within three years after my decease.

I give devise and bequeath unto my dearly beloved wife Gwenllian and [obscured by tear and fold] personal estate of what  or nature sover they be by them jointly to be possessed and enjoyed their heirs executors forever (the former legacy only excepted) whom I also constitute and appoint to be join executors of this my last will and testament.

I also nominate constitute and appoint my trusty friends David Davies, Owen Howell & Nathaniel Davies to be trustees to see that all things be performed according to the true intent & meaning of this my last will and testament and I do hereby revoke and disannul all former wills and testaments by me made and I do hereby ratify and confirm this and no other to be my last will and testament.

Witnesses

Partial signature of David Davies [the rest torn]

Administration granted Philadelphia 30 November, 1748

Owen Howell and Nathaniel Davies sworn…And being asked if they knew how the said will became torn & defaced did respectively declare they are informed & verily believe it was done by Griffith the son of the deceased who was dissatisfied therewith but are positive that their names to the said will subscribe and notwithstanding their being defaced are of their proper hand writing and that hey perfectly remember the interlining of the word jointly between the 17^th & 18^th lines before the testator signed & sealed the same.

Inventory dated 25 November 1748 by Thomas James and Patrick Anderson

Transcribed by James Lloyd