From the Probate Files: Francis Grove - York County, Pennsylvania - 1812

As we saw earlier this week Franz Graaf, one of my maternal 5th great grandfathers, was an orphan in 1743 when he left his Swiss homeland for a new life in Pennsylvania.

Sixty-eight years later he made his will as the anglicized Francis Grove which was probated on February 28, 1812. His first wife my ancestor Anna Segrist had died in 1800 and the following year he married a widow named Catherine Eberhard.*

["Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L99B-VWRQ?cc=1999196&wc=9PM8-4WG%3A268493601%2C270673301 : 3 July 2014), York > Wills 1803-1818 vol L-N > image 446 of 800; county courthouses, Pennsylvania.]

For now** I'm going to rely on a transcript of his will attributed to Gail Bernkopf  that I found attached to the family tree of a distant cousin.

In the Name of God Amen I Francis Grove of York township in the County of York and State of Pennsylvania being aged and Infirm do therefore make and publish this my last will and Testament and in the first place I commit my Soul into the hands of God who gave it unto me and my Body I order to be buried in a Christian manner by my Executor and as to my worldly Estate I order to be disposed of as Follows, my debts and funeral Expenses I order to be paid in the first place I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Catharina for and during her Natural life or as long as she Remains my widow, all and Every Kind of my household and Kitchen furniture, monies, Bonds, Notes or Book amounts be the same what it may, and also one Cow, And at or Imediately [sic] after, the death of my said wife I give and bequeath the same Household and Kitchen furniture of all and Every Kind as aforesaid and all monies or other Goods, Either in Bonds Notes or Book accounts, or any other thing or things, whatsoever unto my step daughter Eve Intermarried with Nicholas Strayer and to their Heirs and assigns forever, And I further give and bequeath unto my said wife, all and Every the articles & stipulations in a Bond of Performance Bearing Even date herewith  particularly mentioned to be delivered to me and my said wife for any during our Natural lives, or the Surviver [sic]of us and at and Imediately [sic] after the death of my said wife Catharina, all the articles in the said Bond specified and mentioned shall Cease and become Void to all Intents and purposes;  And it is my will that if any of the articles in the Said Bond of Performance mentioned should Remain unpaid at the time of my said wifes death, Shall not be asked Charged or Demanded by any of my heirs Executors administrators, or any other Person or persons whatsoever.  It is further my will and I order and direct that none of my Children Namely George, Frederich, John, Michael, Francis, and my daughter Margaret intermarried with George Shirey[?] shall be carged [sic] with any of the monies due me wherewith the stand charged on a half sheet of Paper in the hand writing of George

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George Lewis Lefler[?] Esq. on purpose therein stated.  (Excepting those of my Children which have given me their obligations) shall be paid unto my Executors which sums of money with which they stand charged.  I give and bequeath, to them and each of them the sum that the Hand Charged with as aforesaid and no more which shall be in full of their shares out of my Estate both Real and personal, or of any household stuff or other goods whatsoever and wheresoever.  And lastly I do hereby Nominate, and appoint my son in law Nicholas Strayer, of Hopewell Township my sole Executor of this my last will and Testament hereby Revoking and disannulling all other wills by me heretofore made declaring this and no other as and for my last will.  In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Soul the fifteenth Day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and Eleven.

Francis Grove [his mark and seal]

Signed Sealed pronounced and Published & Declared by the said Francis Grove the Testator as and for his last will & Testament.  In the presence of us who at his Request subscribed our Names hereunto as witnesses, in his presence and in the presence of Each other at the same time.

Sarah Neaff  [her mark]

Ignl. Leitner


York County ss.    Before me Jacob Barnitz Register for the Probate of Wills and granting Letters of Administration in and for the County of York in the State of Pennsylvania, personally came Sarah Naeff and Ignatius Leitner Esq. the Two Subscribing Witnesses to the foregoing Instrument of Writing

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Writing and on their Solemn Oath, Do severally say, that they were personally Present and saw and heard the above named Francis Grove make his mark unto and Seal and Publish the foregoing Instrument of writing as and for his Last Will and Testament; and that at the time of the doing thereof he the said Francis Grove was of a Sound and disposing Mind, Memory and Understanding to the best of their knowledge and belief And that they subscribed their names thereto as Witnesses in the Presence of the said Testator and at his request, and also in the Presence of each other at the same time.

Sarah Naeff [her mark]

Sworn & Subscribed before me at York the 28th Day of February A.D. 1812

J. Barnitz    Regr.[Register]

*Her first husband John Eberhard named he and Francis Grove as the executors of his 1790 will.
**I plan to read through the document and compare what I see there with the transcription. I'll share any discrepancies I might find later.

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