Uncompleted translation of the German Script Will of
Henrich Weber
dated 3 Jan 1815
Witnessed by Adam Wilhelm & J. Seaman

     In the Name of God Amen.

Because I Henrich Weber of Tulpehocken Township Berks County State of Pennsylvania take into account the frailty of my mortal body, which through increasingly weakness am almost feeble and I know it is ordained that man must die, I, though still of full understanding good memory and sound reasoning, so I order this my last Will and Testament as follows

First and foremost, I recommend my undying soul into the hand of Almighty God from whom I received it. With the certainty through the dear Savior Jesus Christ shall be received into his mercy. My body though I order my survivors to bury in a Christian manner among the relatives of my own religion.

What concerns my worldly Estate which God saw fit to Bless me with in this life, I order as follows

First My Plantation, situated in Bethel Twp. Berks Co aforesaid, containing One hundred and Fiftyfive 155 acres, adjoining lands of Jacob Wenner, Abraham Strohm, Scherk and others, now in the possession of my son Jacob Weber, I give and bequeath, to have and to hold and to posess by the aforesaid son Jacob Weber, his heirs and assigns forever for his use and his heirs on the following conditions as the said Jacob Weber shall himself or his heirs, Executors, Administrators or the like shall pay for the aforesaid Plantation the full sum of Two thousand Two hundred pounds in Gold or Silver Lawful money of the State of Pennsylvania in Yearly payments of One hundred and fifty pounds [150£] in money as aforesaid. The first payment shall be made one year after my death and then yearly on the same order, a sum of One hundred and fifty pounds in money as aforesaid, until the aforesaid sum of Two Thousand two Hundred pounds be paid in full to the hereinafter named persons.

Second My Plantation whereon I now live in Tulpehocken Twp. Berks Co, and State aforesaid containing One hundred and Twenty acres more or less I give and bequeath herewith to my son Peter Weber to have and to hold by the said Peter Weber and his heirs and assigns forever to the use of the said Peter Weber and his heirs or assigns on the following conditions that the said Peter Weber or his heirs and assigns, Executors, Administrators shall pay for the same plantation the full sum of Sixteen hundred pounds money as aforesaid in yearly payments of one hundred pounds, the first of these payments payable one year after my death and then yearly on the aforesaid dates until the sum of Sixteen hundred pounds as aforesaid is paid in full, to the hereinafter named persons.

Further I give and bequeath and ordain that my two sons, Jacob Weber and Peter Weber each to and with their land or Plantation shall have for his own use a wagon, two plows and one harrow, which they now have on their land and for which they shall give to the daughter Margaretha of my [deceased] son Henry, the following household items, namely my son Jacob shall give her a new and good feather bed and bedstead with accoutrements and my son Peter Weber shall give to her one good milk cow and a heiffer, further he shall give to her when she goes for religous instruction (is a Catechumen) and Holy Communion a good new and appropriate dress for thosve occasions, further he shall give to her the sum of Ten pounds in money as aforesaid for other household items, which the two last articles my said sons Jacob and Peter shall pay one like the other.

Further I order that all my moveable estate should be sold at public sale to the highest bidder with the exception of my clothes and all my books, my heirs shall divide among themselves.

Third I order and it is my will that all my children namely the survivors of my deceased son Henry in his place, my son Philip Weber, my son Johannes Weber, my son Jacob Weber and my son Peter Weber and my daughters Elizabeth and Catharina all seven in all namely shall inherit in equal shares from the aforesaid two plantations yearly payments to be made, as well as the money from the sale of the moveable estate or from whatever received, in equal shares shall have one like the other, and none shall have anything for wages for work done for me, if any one of them makes such demands that person shall recieve only Five pounds. Further it is my will and I order herewith that my aforesaid son Jacob Weber and Peter Weber shall before the various payments begin shall post a bond with security and shall pay the rightful and true payment for all the aforesaid payments.

Fourth I empower and ordain my hereinafter named Executors or any of them my aforesaid sons Jacob Weber and Peter Weber as soon as possible after my death, post bonds to the Towns people and write a good and lawful deed for them so complete, good and as lawful as if I had done it myself through this my last Will and Testament.

Further I order that my hereinafters named, Execute exhibit bonds before the displayed receivers have their totals from the sale of my moveable Estate filed. They shall make distribution to each of my named children or their representatives their full share of the inheritance to them as soon as money is in their hands to do so, and a written security as soon as it is in their hands and my aforesaid sons Jacob and Peter shall inherit in the land as well as in the other just as the rest of my children and as soon as the Executors give them their share and give my Executors a full release with the exeception that if any of my said children should demand wages for past work done for me from my estate then they shall have only Five pounds as aforesaid.

Fifth I order and it is my Will that my son Jacob & Peter shall have the harvest from the seed then in the ground on their land, for their own use.

Sixth I order, name and chose and empower as my Executor of this my last Will and Testament to bring into realization, my aforesaid son Johannes Weber and my daughter Catharina's husband Peter Schlessman. Because this is my last Will and Testament and this alone, I declare all Wills and Testaments heretofore made by me null and void, be they made or written in whatever form. I declare this alone as my last Will and Testament.

To show this I have subscribed with my own hand and set my seal to in the presence of the signed witnesses on this third day of January in the year of our Lord and Savior Jesus christ One Thousand Eight hundred Fifteen. 3 Jan 1815

Henrich Weber (signature)

Subscribed, sealed
acknowleged and declared
as his last Will and Testament
in the presence of us

Adam Wilhelm (signature)
J. Seaman (signature)

Registers Office Reading, Berks County May 3d 1815
Then appeared Adam Wilhelm one of the witnesses above named who after he was duly sworn according to Law, did declare and say that he was present and did see and hear, Henry Weber the Testator Sign. Seal, publish, pronounce and declare the above writing so and for his last will and testament, and that at the time of so doing he the said Testator was of sound mind, memory and understanding to the best of his knowledge and as he verily believes- and further, that the name Adam Wilhelm was of the Testators own handwriting thereto........and all the Request of the Testator- and in the presence of the other witnesses- on the 23rd of same month John Seaman the other witness appeared and after he was duly Sworn according to Law did exactly say as above.

July 7, 2004