In the name of God Amen this first day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and Eighty-six. I Paul Lingel of Tulpehocken Township in the County of Berks and State of Pennsylvania German, being at present Infirm in Body, but of Sound Mind and Memory, thanks be to God therefore Balling unto Mind the Mortallity of my Body. And knowing that it is Appointed for all Men once to Dye, Do make and ordain this may last Will and Testament, that is to say, Principally and first, I recommend my Soul in the Hands of God who gave it, Hoping through the Merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ, to receive Remission of all my Sins, And a Happy Admission into the Regions of Bliss, and Immortallity [sic]. And as to my Body I recommend it to the Earth to be Buried in a Christian like & decent Manner. And touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me in this Life, I give devise and dispose of them in the following Manner & Form, to wit, Item, it is my Will and I do Order in the first place, that all my Just Debts and Funeral Charges be paid and Satisfied by my herein named Executors as Soon as Conveniently may be after my decease.
Item. It is my Will and I do Order that my beloved Wife Catherine shall have and keep in possession my House & Small Plantation Situate in the Township of Tulpehocken aforesaid Adjoinging to Land of Casper Battuiror[?] and Simon Riegel Together with the Appurtenances and Profits thereof. As also all my Moveable or Personal Estate and likewise to have the Use thereof, with the with this condition, that she is not to Sell any of my Personal Estate. And when she gets Old or Sickly to be Nursed and Waited upon the Expence or Charges thereof to be paid by my hereafter named Executors, out of my Estate, during so long she remains my Widow. But if in case she Intermarries again, she is to quit or Leave the aforesaid Premises and to have only her Bed, Chest and Clothes.
Item. It is my will and I do Order that my four Sons, [word illegible], Frederick, Jacob, Martin and Casper or their Heirs Shall and do or Cause to be done Jointly, All the Labour or Work which my beloved Wife Catherine wants to have done upon the aforesaid Premises and to Cut her FireWood ready fit for Use (Excepting the Work which my Son Jacob or his Heirs are to do, and bound by a Bond of Performance to me and my Wife) And if in case anyone of them would or does refuse to help, the others shall Hire a Man in his place, and the Wages for the same shall be paid by my hereafter named Executors and shall be deducted from the Share or Shares of him or those so refusing.
Item. I Give and Bequeath unto my Eldest Son John Lingel or his Heirs or Representatives, the Sum of One Hundred Pounds in Gold and Silver Money current in Pennsylvania. And the further Sum of Five Pounds Money Aforesaid for his first born right which shall be in full for his Share both of my Real and Personal Estate.
Item. I Give and Bequeath unto my Sons, Nicholas Lingel, Simon Lingel, Frederick Lingel and Conrad Lingel respectively to each of them his Heirs or Representatives the Sum of One Hundred Pounds in Gold and Silver Money as aforesaid, which shall be in full for their Shares of my Estate as aforesaid.
I Give and Bequeath unto my youngest Son Casper Lingel or his Heirs or Representatives the Sum of One Hundred Pounds in Gold and Silver Money as aforesaid (over and above his Equal Share as hereafter is mentioned.)
I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Ann Mary (who is intermarried with Jacob Sholl) her Heirs or Representatives, One Shilling Sterling and no more, because I have already given her Hereditaments. And which shall be in full for her Share of my Estate as aforesaid. And be paid one Year after my decease if demanded.
Item. It is my Will and I do Order, that my said Plantation Situate in Tulpehocken Township aforesaid, Containing about Seventeen Acres of Land Shall be Sold by a Private Vendue[?] to the Highest bidder of either of my sons Stephen Lingel, Jacob Lingel, Frederick Lingel, Martin Lingel and Casper Lingel, and to no other Person or Persons whatsoever. To Have & to Hold the said Plantation of about Seventeen Acres of Land With the Appurtenances to such of my Sons which shall be the Highest bidder and to his Heirs. To the proper Use & behoof of either of my Sons which shall be the Highest bidder and to his Heirs forever, He paying or cause to be paid the Purchase Money of said Plantation on Manner following, to wit, Fifty Pounds part thereof in four Weeks times after such Sale of said Plantation, and then Yearly and every Year the Sum of thirty Pounds on the first days of May until the whole Purchase Money is paid and Satisfied. And of which he shall have Possession after the decease of my Wife (or when she intermarries again) and no Sooner, Provided allways that Any of my Sons aforesaid, who hath bought said Plantation, may at any time or times (after the decease of my Wife or when she intermarries again) grant and Convey the same to Heirs or Relations, but to no other Person or Persons whatsoever.
Item. It is my Will and I do Order that the Purchase Money Arising from the Sale of my said Plantion [sic] shall be equally divided to and amongst my aforesaid five Sons, Stephen, Jacob, Frederick, Martin and Casper their Heirs or Representatives Share and Share alike, as it becomes due and Payable as aforesaid.
Item. It is my Will and I do Order that my two Sons, to wit Thomas Lingel and Stephen Lingel their Heirs or Representatives are to have no part or Share any more of my Estates whatsoever, because they have already received their portions by a certain Plantation heretofore Sold unto them (Excepting the Share and dividend arising from the Sale of my aforesaid Plantation, to my said Son Stephen Lingel his Heirs or Representatives.)
Item. It is further my Will and I do Order, that my Son Jacob Lingel is to keep the Sum of Three Hundred Pounds in his Hands according to the Condition of a certain Bond he Owes me, And to pay Yearly and every Year unto my beloved Wife Catherine so long she remains my Widow and no longer, the Sum of Ten Pounds in Gold and Silver Money Current in Pennsylvania which shall be Considered or Deemed as Interest of the said three Hundred Pounds after the time my said Son Jacob has paid the Sum of Five Hundred Pounds but before that Time it shall be allowed or discounted to him from the Money he Owes me. And likewise my Son Jacob is to give or deliver unto my two Sons Simon and Casper to each a Young cow, or Four Pounds in Gold and Silver Money to each in Lieu thereof, which they Choose which shall likewise be allowed to him from the Money he Owes me.
Item. And it is further my will and I do Order, that after the decease of my beloved Wife Catherine, or if in case she intermarries again, my Executors Shall Sell at Public Vendue[?] all my Personal Estate, and the Monies arising therefrom Shall be equally divided to and amongst my four Sons, to wit, Frederick, Jacob, Martin and Casper their Heirs or Representatives. And to Inable my Executors to pay off and Satisfy all the Legacies aforesaid, and by me Bequeathed unto my Children, they are to take from the Money which my three Sons, to wit, Thomas, Stephen, and Jacob Owes me, And pay off the same in the following Manner that is to say, in four Months after my decease my Sons John, Nicholas, Simon and Frederick each to have the Sum of Twentyfive Pounds in Gold and Siler Money Current in Pennsylvania and the Year following from said Time my Son Casper is to have One Hundred Pounds in Gold and Silver Money aforesaid, and so on from Year to Year until their Legacies are fully paid & Satisfied and then my Son Conrad is to have One Hundred Pounds in Gold and Silver Money aforesaid. Provided that my Executors shall have due regard to deduct from each one Share Such Sum or Sums of Money which I have Advanced in my Lifetime to them.
Item. It is my Will and I do Order, that if any of my Children should or would not Approve or be Satisfied with this my last Will and Testament, that such Child shall have the Sum of One Shilling Sterling and no more, and his or their Paternal Share and Bequeaths shall be equally divided amongst my other Children or their Representatives. And lastly I Nominate and Appoint my two beloved Sons Jacob Lingel and Stephen Lingel to be Joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament. Hereby Revoking, disannulling and making Void all former and other Wills and Testaments by me heretofore made, Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I the said Paul Lingel Have hereunto Set my Hand and Seal Dated the day and Year first above written
Paul Lingel [signature]
Signed Sealed Published pronounced & declared by the said Testator as his last Will and Testament in the Presence of us the Subscribers...
The Words "for his first birthright" on the Second Side in the fifteenth Line was interlined before the Execution hereof....
James Zerbe [signature]
Peter Klingler [signature]
John Spyker [signature]
Registers Office at Reading in Berks County June 6th 1786
Appeared Peter Klingler & John Spyker two of the Subscribing witnesses to the above written Will and Upon their Oath did Severally Depose and Say that they were present together with John Zerbe, and Saw & Heard Paul Lingel the Testator herein named Sign, Seal, pronounce, Publish & Declare the foregoing writing to be his last Will and Testament and that at the time of Doing thereof he was of Sound mind Memory and understanding to the best of their Knowledge and as they Verily belive[sic], and they Saw John Zerbe Subscribe his name thereto as a Witness, and further that the names of the Said deponants by them Respectively Subscribed thereto as witness and Each of his own proper hand writing Done in the presents of each other at the Request and in the presence of the said Testator.
Coram[?] me Henry Christ Register