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Friday, December 29, 2017

From the Probate Files: William Kenedy - Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania - 1787

Is this the will of the father of my maternal ancestor Hugh Kennedy?

[Will Packets Or Files, 1789-1917; Author: Allegheny County (Pennsylvania). Register of Wills; Probate Place: Allegheny, Pennsylvania: Description - Notes: Will Packets, Vol 1, 1789-1808. Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Pennsylvania County, District and Probate Courts.]

Know all men by these Presents That I William
Kenedy of Rostraver Township in Westmoreland County ~
In the State of Pennsylvania Being Sick & Weak in Body,
but of Sound Mind, Memory and understanding Do make and Publish
This my last Will and Testament in a Manner & form following
(viz) First. I give and Bequeath unto my Bloved Wife Elisabeth -
Kenedy The Whole use Benefits & advantages of my Messuage,
Land & Tenament of which I am now Possessed of Lying & being Situate
In the above Named Township in Pennsy^a for and During her
Natural Life which Sd. Messuage Land & Tenament She may Enjoy
and Possess herself or Recieve the Profits Benefits and advantages
Arising therefrom by the Possession of others by her affirmation ---
During her Sd. Natural Life Likewise I allow & Bequeath
unto the Sd. Elisabeth One Milk Cow, One Ewe and Lamb and her Choice
of the Best Bed & Beding of Choice that I am Possessed of
And after the Decease of Elisabeth Kenedy my wife I Give and Bequeath
unto my Grandsone Henry Kenedy Son of Hugh Kenedys 
And my Granddaughtere Sarrah Sill Daughter to George Sill all the above
Named Messuage Land, and Tenament that is to say in Such 
Manner that the above Named Granddaughter Sarrah Sill Shall have
Dividend or one half thereof Layed Off to her on the Side which
Joyn her father Land or Line being the Land whereof that Sd. George Sill now
Occupieth Also I Give and Bequeath unto my Son James Kenedy
the Sum of Seven Shillings & Six pence Also I give &
Bequeath unto my Son Hugh Kenedy Seven Shillings &
Six pence. Also I give & Bequeath unto my Son James Regan [?]
Seven Shill. & Six Pence. Also I Give and Bequeath unto
my Son George Sill Seven Shillings & Six pence Also I give &
Bequeath unto my Son William Kenedy Seven Shill. and 
Six Pence. Also I Give and Bequeath unto my Son Robt. Kenedy Seven
Shillings & Six pence And Provided the Remainder of my
Property which is not Devised and given to the above named Persons (Exclusive
of my Recds[?]) are Sufficient to Compensate my Creditors &
Defray the Necessary Expense of my funeral after the Sale I allow then the Said
Recds[?] to my son Will^m Kenedy and in case the amount of the
Sale of the above named property which are hereby made Saleable not
Prove Sufficient to pay my Creditors Defray the Expenses as
above and [????] pay the above named Legatees who are allowed
a Dollar Each Shall then in Such Case those Above Legatees 
(viz) Henry Kenedy & Sarrah Sill are to pay the Sd. Legatees 
Legaceys are a Dollar Each And Hereby I Nominate
and apoint David Robison and Henry Westbery Executors of this
my last will & Testament Hereby Revoking all former will 
and Wills by me Hitherto made In Witness Whereof  I have hereunto
Set my hand & Seal this Twelfth day of March Anno
Domini one Thousand Seven Hundred & Eighty Seven 1787
Signed Sealed & Delivered in the Presence of 
Henry Westbery                                              his
John Laird                                          William O Kenedy       {Seal}
Margert  [?????}                                            mark

Although William stated he lived in Westmoreland County, boundaries have changed since then and it's believed that his residence was in what is now called Elizabeth Township in Allegheny County.

What about William's son Hugh? My ancestor Hugh's 1814 Will left bequests to his children including a son named Henry. However his Henry wasn't the oldest son so next week I'll examine Hugh's will to try to determine if there's a relationship between these two men.

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