from The Pettit Correspondent, Vol. 1, No. 3, page 32 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Will of James Pettit of York County, PA - 1770 According to evidence established by professional researcher Harry Macy of New York there is good reason to believe that this James was a son of Thomas and Avis Pettit of Long Island being, then, fourth in descent from the Thomas that immigrated from England in the 1630's. As well, this James is believed to have been the father of another James that married Martha McCune and the grandfather of James Pettit of Ohio County, VA (see April `88 issue, p. 4). James Pettit and wife Priscilla Darling we re married 29 August 1723 at the Newton (L.I.) Presbyterian Church. The following was taken from a typewritten copy sent to me by Frank Baldwin (423 S. East Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60302) in May 1988. IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN I James Pettit of Barwick1 Township in the County of York and Province of Pennsylvania being weak in Body but of Sound and disposing minde memory and understanding, (Blessed be God) Do make and Declare this my last Will and Testament. First and Principally Recommending my Immortal Spirit into the Hands of my Great Creator, And as to Such Worldly Estate, wherewith it hath Pleased God to Bless me as I Give divise and Dispose of the Same in Manner following IMPRIMIS I will, order and Direct, that all my just Debts and Funarall Expenses, be paid off and Dischargd as Soon as Conveniantly maybe after my Decease, by my Executors hereinafter Named. ITEM I Give and Divise to my Daughter Hannah one Bay Horse Colt one Bay Mare Saddle and Bridle, one brown Heffer with a white face, her bead and Bead Cloaths Three Large Puter Dishes Two Bassons Twelve Plaits a quart a pinte three Porangers Six Table Spones and Six Tea Spones one Iron Kettle and her Spinning Wheel and Chist. I give and Divise unto my Loving Wife Priscilla all and Singular the Remainder of my Personal Estate of whatsoever name or quallaty the Same may may be, in my Possession Blies wherewith the full, Free, and Absolute, Power, of Disposing of the Sale when and as she Shall have Ocation for and During the Tirm of her Natural Life, I also Give and Divise unto my Said Loving wife Priscilla the full use and Benefit of my Plantation whereon I now Live, for and During the Tirm of her Natural Life as a foresaid. ITEM and I do will order and Direct, that the sd Plantation and Tract of Land whereon I now Live Adjoining the Lands of Abraham Hull and Robert Larimer Containing Two Hundred acres more or Less, be Sold by my Executors hereinafter Mentioned with the Remainder of my Personal Estate that my Said wife shall Leave, one whole Year after the Decease of my Said wife for the best price that may be had for the Same, and that out of the money arising from Such Sail the following Legacies be paid, (viz) The Sum of one Hundred Pounds Lawfull money of Pennsylvania to be paid to my daughter Hannah by my Executors one whole year after the Decease of my Said wife Priscilla which with the Goods before mentioned is to be in full of her Shear of my Estate both Real and Personal, I give and Divise unto my Grandson William Stephenson the Sum of Twenty Pounds Lawfull money as aforesaid to be paid by my Executors, one whole year after the Decease of my Said wife. I Give and Divise unto my two Sons Thomas Pettit and James Pettit Junior and to my Daughter Haziah who Intermarried with Daniel Clark to Each and Every of them the Sum of five shippings Lawfull money as aforesaid to be paid them by my Executors, which said Sum of five Shillings with what they have already Received is to be in full of there and Each of there shears of my Estate both Real and Personall. ITEM, all the Remainder of my Estate both Real and Personal or Monies arising from the Said Sail I do will order and Direct to be Eaquilly Divided and Distributed amongst my following Children and Grand Children (viz,) my Grandson Stephen Petit my Daughter Priscilla my Daughter Abagail my Daughter Evis, and my Grand Daughter Evis Daughter of Jacob Baup, Each to have and enjoy an Equil Shearor Part of the Said Estate as aforesaid Remaining To be paid to them and Each of them, by my Executors hereinafter named, yearly and every Year, That is to say two years after my Said wifes Decease, Stephen Pettit is to have his Shear, and three Years after my Said wifes Decease my Said Daughter Priscilla to have her shear, and four years after my Said wifes Decease my Daughter Abagal to have her Shear, and five years after my Said wifes Decease my Daughter Evis to have her Shear, and Six years after the Decease of my Said Wife my Grand Daughter Evis, aforesaid to have her Shear AND LASTLY I nominate my Loving wife Priscilla and my Loving friend Leonhard Leas Executrix and Executor of this my last Will and Testament, hereby Revocking and making Null and void all former Will or Wills, Declairing this and no other to be and Contain my Last Will and Testament IN WITNESS whereof I have Hereunto Set my Hand and affixed my Seal this twenty fourth day of Desember one Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy. James Pettit [seal] Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said James Pettit senior as and for his last Will and Testament in the Presence of us, who have Subscribed our names as Witnesses to the Same at his Request and Presents Daniel m.CGeehan James (D mark) McIntagart Heny Hagle A true Copy compared with the Original. Saml Johnston Dep Reg York County Before me Samuel Johnston Esqr Deputy Register for the Probate of Wills and granting Letters of Administration in and for the County of York in the Province of Pennsylvania personally appeared Daniel McGeehan James McIntagart and Henry Hagle the three subscribing Witnesses to the within Instrument of Writing and on their solemn oaths taken according to Law do say that they were personally present saw and heard the within named James Pettit sign seal publish and Declare the within Instrument of writing as and for his last Will and Testament and that the said James Pettit was at the Time of the doing thereof of sound and Disposing mind and Memory and that the said Daniel McGeehan and Henry Hagle subscribed their names as witnesses to the same and the said James McIntagart made his Mark to the same as a Witness which was all done by these Depenants in the presence of the said Testator and at his request Sworn and Subscribed before me at York this 28th Day of January 1771, one Saml Johnston Dep Regr Daniel McGeehan James (O mark) McIntagart Heny Hagle A true Copy compared with the Original at York Saml Johnston Dep Regr MEMORANDUM. that Letters Testamentory in common Form were granted to Priscilla Pettit and Leonhard Leas the said Leonhard Leas only being duly Affirmed, in Absence of the said Priscilla Pettit of the Estate of James Pettit late of York County Yeoman deceased. Inventory to be Exhibited into the Registers Office at York on or before the twenty-eight Day of February next And an Account or Reckoning on or before the twenty eighth day of January next Given under my Hand and the Seal of the said Office at York the Twenty eighth Day of January Anno: Domini 1771 --- Saml Johnston Dep Regr 1Berwick