John Cadwallader - will

WILL

John Cadwalader

“I John Cadwalader of Warminster in the County of Bucks, and Province of Pennsylvania, Being about to go on a Religious visit to the Island of Tortola, tho' in my Declining years yet of a sound mind, memory, and understanding, thought good to make and Ordain this my last will and Testament in manner hereafter Expressed, That is to say, first of all I will that all my Just Debts and Funeral Expenses be fully paid and Discharged.

Item - I give and bequeath unto my dear wife Margaret all the household goods which she brought with her at time of our marriage. The one Gray horse, and one cow, and also all the Bonds that is now lodged in her hand, in lieu and in full recompence for all Third, Dowers, and Demands, whatsoever, to my Estate Goods, and Chattels; and to live in the house we now live in during her widowhood.

Item - I give and bequeath unto my Daughter-in-law, Mary Cadwalader the sum of five pounds Lawful money of the said Province.

Item - I give and bequeath unto my grandson Isaac Cadwalader the sum of five pounds of the like money. But in case my Said grandson should die in his minority, my will is that the said five pounds be equally divided between his surviving Brothers and Sisters, the children of his Deceased father.

Item - I give and bequeath all the residue of my Estate, Goods, and Chattels nothing Excepted Save the Afore mentioned Legacies to be Equally Distributed between my children Viz. John, Jacob, Joseph, Benjamin, Sarah, Jane, Mary and Martha, and my Son Isaac's children whom I would to have an Equal Share with one of my aforesaid Children, to be Equally Divided among them, And my will further is that in case my said daughter Mary the wife of Benjamin Eaton should remove with her said husband to live anywhere out of this Province that her share or Division of My Estate as aforesaid be not paid unto her, but I do hereby Order the same to be Equally Divided between aforesaid Children and son Isaac's Children all to have between them and Equal share of one of my said Children anything herein contained not withstanding.

Item - I give unto my son Benjamin the remainder of John Bryan's Time or Apprenticeship willing my son to fulfill his Indenture and to teach or cause to be taught the Trade my said Son follows anything herein before Contained notwithstanding.

I do hereby Constitute and Appoint my son Jacob Cadwalader and son-in-law John Bond to be joint and Co-Executors of this my last will and Testament.

Also I Do Nominate and appoint my friend George Lewis and John Evans (both of the County of Philadelphia) to be Overseers of this my Last will and Testament to see the same Accomplished.

Finally I do hereby revoke and make void all former and other will and Testament by me heretofore made or declared to be made Either by word of mouth or writing validing and Confirming this only to be my Last in which whereof I have hereinto set my hand and Seal the Thirtieth day of the Seventh month Anno Dom 1742.

Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the Testator as his Last will in the Presence of us and hereunto Subscribed

Witnesses

Jno Evans a friend )

Rowland Evans a friend )

John Cadwalader

Proved June 20, 1743 Then personally appeared John Evans and Rowland Evans the witnesses to the foregoing will and on their solemn affirmation according to Law do declare they saw and heard John Cadwalader the Testator above named Sign and Institute and Declare same will to be his last will and testament and that at the time thereof He was of sound mind memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge.”

Ref. Will No. 28 of 1743, Estate of John Cadwalader, deceased (Certified Copy by Register of Wills, Room 180, City Hall, Philadelphia, Pa., 2-8-1956)

Ref. Abstract of will of John Cadwalader (PH 2 A p 808) at the Pennsylvania Genealogical Society, 1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The names and dates of the ten children of John and Mary Cadwallader have been gathered from many sources. They are not complete as the records of some of the early minutes of the Abington and Horsham Monthly Meetings were destroyed by fire. Also there are almost no records of the early burials in the Horsham MM graveyard, nor any identifying gravestones. Evidently no stones were used in the earliest days of the 1700's.