From the Probate Files: John Myer - York County, Pennsylvania - 1757

With 7th great grandfather John Myer (1684?-1757) I'm so far up my family tree I'm can barely see the ground and I'm starting to feel acrophobic* Unusually for the time, John left each of his children, sons and daughters, the same bequest with the exception of the youngest, Henry, who got the land. He also asked that they each give twenty shillings to the local Mennonite Meeting.

The only mention of his wife Mary is in the context of "the Yearly Maintenance" arranged for them with Henry which he directs should be equally divided among his children after "our Decease" so it's not clear to me whether Mary was still alive when he made his will in May of 1757.

In the Name of God I John Myer of York 

Township in the County of York and Province of Pennsyl=

vania Being far advanced in Years but of Sound Mind

& Memory Thanks be given unto God therefore I Remembering

the Mortality of my Body and that it is appointed for all

Men to die do make this my last Will and Testament in

Manner following That is to say Principally I recomend 

my Soul to God who gave it and my Body to the Earth to be

Buried in a Christian Manner at the discretion of my Executor

and as to what Estate it hath Pleased to God to bless me within

I Give and dispose of the same in the manner following

Imprimis It is my Will that all my Just Debts and funeral

Charges be paid  by my Executor hereinafter named as soon

as may be convenient after my Decease Item I will &

bequeath unto my Son Christian Myer the sum of twenty

four Pounds to be paid to him by my Executor in manner

following four Pounds Sixteen Shillings part thereof one

Year after my Decease four Pounds Sixteen Shillings

more thereof two Years after my Decease four Pounds Sixteen

Shillings more thereof three years after my Decease four

Pounds Sixteen Shillings more thereof four Years after my 

Decease and four Pounds Shillings residue thereof 

five Years after my Decease Item I Give and Bequeath 

unto my Son John Myer the Sum of Twenty four Pounds 

to be paid unto him by my Executor in Such Sums and at

Such Times as the like Sum is disposed and above appointed

to my Son Christian Item I give and bequeath unto my

Daughter Barbara the Wife of Jacob Coaffman the sum

of twenty four Pounds to be paid by my Executor in such

Sums and at such Times as the like Sum is above appointed

to my Son Christian Item I give and bequeath unto my

Daughter Mary the Wife of Peter Brillhart the sum of

                                                                               Twenty

Twenty four Pounds to be paid by my Executor in such Sums

and at such Times as the like Sum is above appointed unto my

Son Christian Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter

Catherine the Wife of Jacob Beghtell the Sum of Twenty

four Pounds to be paid by my Executor in Such Sums and at

such Times as the like Sum is above appointed to be paid by

unto my Son Christian Item I Give and Bequeath unto my

Son Henry Myer all that Tract of Land and Plantation where

I now dwell as the same was Surveyed and laid out by Thomas

Armor Esquire to hold to him my said Son Henry his Heirs &

Assigns forever Item It is my will that each of my Children

above named shall pay the Sum of Twenty Shillings each to the

Menonest Meeting in the County of York Item I will all

that shall be and remain of the Yearly Maintenance I have

for my and Wife Mary from my Son Henry after our Decease

to be equally divided amongst my Children Lastlye

I do hereby nominate Constitute and appoint my beloved

Son Henry Myer Executor of this my last Will and Teata=

ment, here revoking and making null and Void all former

Wills and Testaments by me here before made and ratifying

and Confirming this and no other to be my last Will and 

Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my

Hand and Seal the third day of May Seventeen hundred and

fifty Six~~~                                          his

                                                      John M Myer {Seal}

Signed and Sealed Published       }        Mark

Pronounced & Declared before us}

Tho's Armor John Adhim Sen'r John Adhim jun'r

York County ??

                             Before my George Stevenson Esquire
Deputy Red'r for the Probate of Wills and granting of Letters
of Administration for the said County of York Personally came
Thomas Armor and John Adhim Esquire two hereof the Sub=
scribing Witnesses to the foregoing Instrument of Writing
and on their Solemn Oath say that they saw and heard John
Myer sign Seal Publish and declare the foregoing Instrum't
of Writing as and for his Testament and last Will and
that they subscribed their Names as Witnesses to the same
and saw John Adhim jun'f subscribe his Name as a Witness
at that at that Time the said John Myer was of sound and
disposing Mind & Memory                                       Tho's Armor
Sworn & Subscribed at York the 2. Nov'r 1757~~    John Adhim
for Geo Stevenson the Dep Reg'r

["Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L99B-KCK7?cc=1999196&wc=9PM8-FM9%3A268493601%2C270202601 : 3 July 2014), York > Wills 1749-1779 vol A-D > image 104 of 647;

county courthouses, Pennsylvania.]

Memorandum That Letters Testamentary in common Form
were granted to Henry Myer Executor of the last Will Testament
of John Myer Deceased Inventory to be exhibited into the Registers
Office at york on or before the second day of December and an accompt
ot Reckoning on or before the second day of November next Given under
the Seal of the said Office at York at York the second day of November
Anno Domini 1757 _____


*Here's the line, traced all the way back to Germany (where he and his children, including my direct ancestor Mary, were born of Swiss Mennonite heritage):

[Ancestry.com]

© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Monday Is for Mothers: Mary Meyer/Myer/Meier (1726 - 1786)

Just about everything I know about this maternal sixth great grandmother can be found on the front and back of the file card reproduced below.

[Ancestry.com. Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Mennonite Vital Records, 1750-2014 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Genealogical Card File. Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.]

She was about eleven years old when her family left Ibersheim, an estate in Germany which had been leased since about 1650 by Mennonites fleeing from religious persecution in their native Switzerland. In Pennsylvania, the Myers would have joined other Mennonite families who had begun arriving there as early as 1719.

Mary and Peter's oldest child was born about 1745 which gives us an idea of their marriage date. Here's how I'm related to her:

[Ancestry.com]

Later this week I'll be transcribing her father John Myer's will but here's how he described her:

["Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G99B-KCR8?cc=1999196&wc=9PM8-FM9%3A268493601%2C270202601 : 3 July 2014), York > Wills 1749-1779 vol A-D > image 103 of 647;

county courthouses, Pennsylvania.]

© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

My York County, Pennsylvania Ancestors

On my maternal side my 3rd great grandmother Delilah Grove (who married Dick Worden) had ancestors from York County, Pennsylvania.

I have neglected the Grove/Bixler side of my ancestry for about 8 or 9 years, although they were among the first people I added to my tree.  My mom has many DNA matches to cousins through these couples, and I am getting re-acquainted with York County, Pennsylvania, where they lived from the 1700s on (and I still have distant cousins who live there).

I found a video, "York County, Pennsylvania Like a Local" with Peter Greenberg that gives a nice overview of what the area looks like:

© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Family Friday: Mary Jane Peebles (1829 - 1915)

Who are these people? And which one is Mary Jane?

The oldest person in this family portrait is Mary Jane Peebles Calhoun, one of my maternal first cousins, four times removed. She and I are both descendants of Isaac Webb and his wife Jane Kennedy. Her mother Jane Webb married Joel C. Peebles and Mary Jane was their second child. She and her husband Thomas Calhoun had eight children together, three of whom (Mary, Edith and John Alexander) are in this picture along with grandson William Henry Calhoun, his wife Dora and their baby John. 

Photo taken abt 1908 from left to right standing Edith Calhoun Haberman, Dora May Helsel Calhoun, William Henry Calhoun, Mary Calhoun Luehm. Seated left to right John Alexander Calhoun, Mary Jane Peebles Calhoun with John Calhoun on her lap and Sarah Jane Edmundson Calhoun. vivkifretz originally shared this to Ancestry.com on 02 Feb 2017

A life-long resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Mary Jane survived her husband by 22 years, her accidental death in 86th year was the result of burns caused by a gas stove that set her skirts on fire.

[Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1966 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates, 1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.]

Like many of my Allegheny County relatives, Mary Jane is buried in the McKeesport and Versailles Cemetery.

A reminder of how we're connected:

[Ancestry.com]

© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Monday Is for Mothers: Martha Woodward (1676 - 1775)

My maternal eighth great grandmother Martha Woodward is named in her her father Richard's will and she survived her husband Joseph Baker Jr. by more than 20 years.

It seems there's only one mention of Martha in Quaker records for the Chester Monthly Meeting it doesn't specify what she had done that merited a visitation but Lewis Woodward, the author of a family history of the Woodwards, thought that was likely that the complaint referred to something to do with her marriage.*

[Genealogy of the Woodward family of Chester county, Pennsylvania, with an appendix giving a brief account of the Woodwards of some other portions of the United States by Woodward, Lewis, b. 1848; Publication date 1879. Digitizing sponsor Boston Public Library.

Source: The Internet Archive.]

[From "Our Family Ancestors" by Thomas Maxwell Potts. Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, 1895.

Source: Internet Archive - original at Allen County Public Library, Ft. Wayne, Indiana ]

*I tried to locate the original of this Chester Monthly Meeting record but didn't have any luck.


© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

From the Probate Files: Richard Woodward - Chester County, Pennsylvania - 1706

Ancestry's online databases weren't very helpful in regard to the will of my maternal ninth great grandfather Richard Woodward. All I could find was this:

[Ancestry.com]

And I found nothing at all on FamilySearch.

But I persisted because, as you will note, one of his children was "Martha, wife of --- Baker" and therefore my 8th great grandmother. Fortunately an earlier Woodward published a book in 1879* about the family (available through the Internet Archive) which includes a transcription of Richard's will.

[Genealogy of the Woodward family of Chester county, Pennsylvania, with an appendix giving a brief account of the Woodwards of some other portions of the United States. by Lewis Woodward, b. 1848. From the collection of the Boston Public Library. Internet Archive.com]

(As you can see Martha's bequest was "five pounds in monys or a Cow equivalent to the sum" while her sisters Jane, Mary and Sarah each were to receive twenty pounds, perhaps because Martha was already married which they were not.)**

It appears that the house in Thornbury Township that Richard lived in before he removed to Middletown is still standing and it was documented in the 1930s by the Historic American Buildings Survey which stated that "Significance: This house, although much altered, is of interest because the original section was possibly built in the last decade of the 17th century."

[SOUTH FRONT AND EAST SIDE - Richard Woodward House, Concord Road (Thornbury Township), Westtown, Chester County, PA

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. ]

[ WEST AND NORTH SIDES - Richard Woodward House, Concord Road (Thornbury Township), Westtown, Chester County, PA.

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.]

[FIRST FLOOR, EAST WALL FIREPLACE - Richard Woodward House, Concord Road (Thornbury Township), Westtown, Chester County, PA.

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.]

[SECOND FLOOR, HALL - Richard Woodward House, Concord Road (Thornbury Township), Westtown, Chester County, PA.

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.]

Here's how I'm descended from Richard Woodward:

[Ancestry.com]

*Here's the title page:

**Of his sons, only Joseph (not the eldest) inherited property. The others had to settle for "four shillings or a pair of gloves".



© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

From the Probate Files: Ann Baker Sill - Chester County, Pennsylvania - 1779

Last month I posted about this maternal seventh great grandmother, Joseph Baker Jr.'s daughter and the wife of James Sill, who survived her husband and wrote her own will in 1777 which was probated two years later. Ann made small bequests including several silver objects, some pewter dishes, glassware, her clothes and tea ware to each of her children and two of her granddaughters. From looking at the list of her possessions, I now have a mental picture of Ann pouring her tea from her pewter teapot and perhaps adding cream from her glass jug before taking a sip of tea from one of her cups.

Ann Sills Will} The Second day of September in the year of our Lord one Thous=
=and Seven Hundred & Seventy Seven I Ann Sills of Edgment in the the Count=
=ty of Chester in the Province of Pennsylvania being ^very^ Sick and weak in Body but
of Perfect mind and memory thanks be giving to God therefore Calling unto mind
and the mortality of my Body and Knowing that it is appointed for all man
Kind once to die to Make & ordain this my last will and Testament that is to Say
principally & first of all I give and Recommend my Soul into the hands of God that 
Gave it and for my Body I Recommend it to the Earth to be to be Buryed in a Christian
Like and decent manner at the Discretion of my Executors herein after named and as 
Touching Such worldly Estate wherewith it hath Pleased God to bless me in this life
I Give Device & Dispose of the Same in the following manner & form Item I give
and Bequeath unto my Daughter Ann Cannady the sum of Ten Pounds and my
Cloak & puter Dish Item I give and Bequeath unto my Son George Sill a pair of 
Silver Buckeles & Sleve Buttons Item I give and Bequeath unto my Son Richard
Sill my Tea Cittle Item I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter mary moris 
a puter plate and Porrenger & Cream Jug Item I give and Bequeath unto my 

["Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L99B-L52M?cc=1999196&wc=9PMD-W36%3A268496301%2C280802301 : 3 July 2014), Chester > Wills 1774-1783 vol 6-7, F-G > image 255 + 256 of 441; county courthouses, Pennsylvania.]

Daughter Martha Houlston a arm Cheer & puter Tea pot Item I give and Bequeath unto 

my grand Daughter Ledy Sill my Saddle and my Wareing apearl to -- Equilly Deve=

ded Between my three Daughters & the above mentioned Grand Daughter, Lydia

Sill. Item I give and bequeath to my Grand Daughter Sarah Cannaday three 

Chessy[?] Cups & Sacers & Glass Cream Jug the Remainder of the tea ware to be Devided

Between my three Daughter as they can agree & my will is that all the Remain=

der of my Effects to be appraised and Sold by Publick vandue[?] & all my Just Debts

& funerall Charges to be paid and Discharged with the Same and if there

Shall be any more the same^ to be Equally Devided Between all my Children & I

Do hereby Constitute make and ordain my Brother Nehemiah Baker & my

Son James Sill to be my only and Sole Executors of this my last will and Testa=

=ment and I Do hereby Utterly Disalow Revoke and Disanull all and eve=

=ry other former Testaments with legacies and Executors by me in any ways

before this time Named willed Bequeathed, Ratifying and Confirming this

and no other to be my Last will and Testament In whiness whereof I have here

unto Set my hand and Seal the day and year above "Writing Sign"

Seald Published pronounced and Decleared By the Said Ann Sill as her

Last will and Testament in the presents of us the Subscribers Viz all

the Legacies to be paid by my Brother Nehemiah Baker and my son

James Sill in Lawfull money of Pennsylvania to be paid within Six months

after the Sale of Such goods or Effects Ann her/mark Sill {Seal} Lydia Baker

Joseph Robins

If you look at the downloaded probate transcript of Ann's will you will notice that someone noted all the misspellings in the original will.

Here's how I descend from this tea-drinking ancestor:

[Ancestry.com]

© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Monday Is for Mothers: Anna Segrist (1740 - About 1800)

Thanks to research done by Jeffery Bernstein* we have the baptism record for Anna in the archives of Zurich, Switzerland.

[Source: Staatsarchiv Zurich, added to an ancestry.com profile by Jeffrey Bernstein]

Ten-year-old Anna left for Pennsylvania together with her parents John Segrist (also Sechrist or Sigerist) and Anna Wildberger and her brothers and sisters on the ship "Brotherhood" which arrived in Philadelphia on November 3, 1750.

The Segrist family settled in York County where Anna married Franz Graaf (also known as Francis Grove) and they settled in Shrewsbury Township. I haven't found a marriage record for them but their first child was born in October of 1760 when Anna would have been twenty.

In the early Spring of 1765 Anna's father died without leaving a will and her mother filed a petition with the probate court regarding a division of his estate. She named all her children and Anna was listed as the wife of Francis Grof. In petition filed at the same court term, Anna's oldest brother Jacob sought the clarification of the status of 50 acres of land he considered to not be part of his mother's marriage settlement. He requested a division of the land among himself and his siblings.**

[Another document originally found by Jeffery Bernstein]

Anna and Franz had seven children, 6 boys and one girl, their youngest. My direct ancestor is their fourth son John, born in 1769.

Anna died sometime before June of 1801 when Franz married a widow Catharine Eberhard who survived his death in 1812.

We don't know where either Anna or Franz are buried.

Here's how I'm related to her:

[Ancestry.com]

*He's married to one of my distant cousins through my great great grandmother Mercy Darling's second marriage to Joshua Butler Walsh.
**I don't know the outcome of this petition.



© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

From the Probate Files: James Sill - Chester County, Pennsylvania - 1774

The Pennsylvania probate files for James Sill, one of my maternal 7th great grandfathers, contain both the original will and the transcribed version by the Register of the court. This week we'll look at the original will and then note the differences between the two version, if any, at a later date.*

I James Sill of the Township of Edgement in the County of Chestor and Province of 
Pensylvania Do make this my Last will and Testament in the manner and form
following that is to say
First my will is that all my Just Debts and funerall Expences be paid as soon as
conveniently may be after my Decease
Item   I Give and Bequeath to my beloved ^wife^ Anne Sill the Yearly sum of Eight pounds
Lawfull money of Pennsylvania to be paid to her by my Son James Sill yearly and
Every year and sufficient Meat and Drink During her Naturall Life to be
Paid Out of the profits of my Lands and Real Estate in Edgemont Aforesaid
I also Give to my Said wife During the Said term the use and Priviledge of 
my Loding Room and all the Furnature thereunto belonging and one horse
or Mare at her Choice, and the keeping of the same or some Other A
Side Saddle and my Silver Buckle, and my will is that my Son James Sill shall
find and Provide for my Said wife for the term of Seven Years next after
My Decease firewood what she shall have Ocation for at a Suitable length
at or near her Door If she shall think Proper to  live in the Said room but if 
She Shall remove therefrom then and in Such Case she shall take none of 
the Said furnature with her Except the bed beding and tea ware And after
the Decease of my Said wife the above mentioned Goods and furnature
Shall Decend and belong to my Above Said Son James Sill
Item   I Give and Devise to my Son James Sill and to his heirs and assigns forever
all my massuage tenements Plantation and tract of land in Edgement
Aforesaid with the Appurtenances thereof he paying and performing all
things herein above Given to and provided for my wife, and in Default 
whereof my Said wife Shall or may at any time take my plantation
into her Possession and Receive the Rents and profits thereof untill
all arrears of any kind Due to her are Satisfied and paid
Item   I Give and bequeath to my ^Son^ Joseph Sill the sum of twenty pounds Lawfull Money
of Pensyvania to be paid to him within one year after my Decease
Item   I Give and Bequeath to My Son Richard Sill the sum of twenty pounds Law-
-full money of pensylvania to be paid to him within two Years after my
Decease I also forgive my Said Son Richard all the Intrest that Shall be Due on 
his to me at the time of my Decease
Item   I Give and Bequeath to my Son George Sill the sum of twenty pounds 
Lawfull money of Pensylvania to be paid to him within three Years After
my Decease
Item   I Give and Bequeath to my Son Michael Sill the Sum of twenty pounds Lawfull money of pensylvania to be paid to him within four years after My Decease
Item   I Give and Bequeath to my Daughter Mary Morris the Sum of twenty pounds
Lawfull money of pensylvania to be paid to her within five years after
My Decease
]Item   I Give and Bequeath to My ^Daughter^ Martha Holston the sum of twenty pounds
Lawfull money of pensylvania to be paid to her within five years after
My Decease
Item   I Give and Bequeath to my Daughter Ann Kenady the Sum of twenty
pounds Lawfull money of pensylvania to be paid to her within Seven
years after my Decease

[Estate Papers, 1713-1810; Author: Chester County (Pennsylvania). Register of Wills; Probate Place: Chester, Pennsylvania. 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.]

Item   I Give and Bequeath to My Grandson James Regester the Sum of twenty pounds
Lawfull money of pensylvania for Services he Did for me after he was of 
age to be paid to him within Eight years After My Decease
I order it, and my will is that My Executors herein After Named or the
Survivor of them shall Sell all my plantation and tract of Land
Cituate in the township of willistown in the County of Chester
to the Purchaser or Purchasers
And all the Rest and Residue of my Estate I Give and bequeath to My
wife Ann Sill and My ^Son^ James Sill to be Equally Divided between them
And I Do hereby Constitute and apoint My beloved wife Ann Sill
and my ^Son^ James Sill Executors of this my Last will and Testament
Revoking all Other wills and Testament by me Made In
Witness whereof I have hereunto Sett My hand and Seal this Third Day
of July in the year of Our Lord one Thousand Seven hundred and Seven-
-ty two ___ ___ ___ ___ 1772
Signed Sealed Published and Declared by James Sill
to be his Last will and Testament In the presents of us

Nehemiah Baker                                             James Sill {}
Ludia Baker
Nathan Baker

Chester 15th April 1774.  Then Personally appeared Nehemiah
Baker, Lydia Baker and Nathan Baker, and on their solemnly
Affirmations according to Law, did Declare; Affirm and Say, that they
were personally present and did see and hear James Sill, the 
Testator, in the foregoing Writing named, Sign, Seal, Publish,
Pronounce and Declare the same Writing, as and for his last Will
and Testament, and that at the doing thereof, he was of a sound and
well disposing Mind and Memory, to the best of their Understandings

     Affirm'd before,
          H H Graham Reg'r

James Sill appears to be a traditionalist, leaving the bulk of his estate to his wife and oldest son James, my direct ancestor. All his other children were bequeathed 20 pounds which James directed should be paid to them after periods of one to seven years after his decease. Only one of his grandchildren, James Regester[?] was named in the will receiving his 20 pounds because of some service he performed for him. It seems to me that this grandson must be the son of a daughter of James Sill but I don't know the mother was his known daughters Martha, Ann or Mary or another child** whose name hasn't come down to us.


*There are some differences but I haven't compared the two to see if they're material.
**If so, presumably she had died before James Sill made this will.


© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

From the Probate Files: Ann Sill - Allegheny County, Pennsylvania - 1851

Ann Sill, one of the daughters of William Sill (and therefore my fifth great aunt), signed her will on November 28, 1850, and it was presented in court on February 4th of the following year.

In the name of God Amen, I Ann Sill of
the Borough of McKeesport, County of Allegheny
State of Pennsylvania, being weak in body
and of sound mind memory and understanding
but considering the uncertainty of this transitory life do make and publish this
my last will & Testament in manner and form following, to wit; First,
It is my will, I do order, that all my just debts and funeral Expenses be duly
paid and satisfied as soon as conveniently can be after my decease Second,
I give devise and bequeath to my sister Jane Penny and my niece Margaret
Miller my farm of land situate in Versailles Township, containing one hundred
acres, or thereabouts, which is now in the occupancy of John Gray to them
the said Jane Penny and Margaret Miller  their heirs and assigns forever
share and share alike, Subject however to the payment of the sum of Fifty
dollars each as set forth in the following bequests Third - If the congregation
worshiping in the Presbyterian Meeting house in this Borough should within
the period of four years from the time of my decease, erect a new meeting house
I give and bequeath unto the Trustees of the same the sum of One Hundred Dollars
for the purpose of assisting in paying the expense of erecting the same
which sum is to be paid by my sister Jane Penny and my niece Margaret
Miller viz Fifty Dollars each when the said building is finished, which
sum I have left as a lien upon the farm above bequeathed to them. Fourth, I
give and bequeath unto my brother Jesse Sill the sum of Tow hundred Dollars
and my watch Fifth I give and bequeath unto my nephew John Penny son of 
William the sum of Two hundred Dollars - Sixth - I give and bequeath to the
American Bible Society the sum of One hundred Dollars, to be applied to
the uses and purposes of said society. Seventh - My nephew John Penny
has in his hands the sum of Five hundred Dollars of my money, out of which
is to be paid the foregoing legacies to my brother Jesse Sill, and The 
American Bible Society: which it is my will that he may retain 
      
              

the same, in his hands for the term of one year after my decease without paying
interest therefor; and if at the expiration of that period, he is unable to pay
the said legacies, it is my desire, and I order that he be not distressed therefor
but that he have further time, not exceeding Three years, to pay the same
he giving the Legatees security, and paying them lawful interest annually
for the time he retains the same in his hands after the first year above
mentioned. His own Legacy he may retain in his hands; and what shall
remain of the other one hundred Dollars after defraying my funeral expenses
etc he shall pay out to my residuary Legatees hereinafter named, in the
same manner as the above mentioned legatees are to be paid. Eighth - 
I give and bequeath to Rachel Miller, daughter of Margaret Miller one of
my beds and bedding. Ninth. I give and bequeath to her sister Caroline
Miller my Bureau.            
                                            Tenth - I give and bequeath to her sister Martha
Miller one set of chairs. Eleventh. I give and bequeath to Mrs. Jane Webb, one
of my Beds and Bedding - Twelfth. I give and bequeath to Martha Houghton all
the articles contained in my cupboard, consisting of Plates, Dishes etc
Thirteenth - I give and bequeath to Mrs Jacobs (wife of my Pastor) my saddle
bridle and whip Fifteenth I give and bequeath unto Ruth Penny and Marga-
ret Penny, all that shall remain of my personal estate, after paying my just 
debts, funeral expenses and the foregoing Legacies to be divided between
them, share and share alike. Lastly, I nominate constitute and appoint
Hezekiah Gamble to be the Executor of this my last will, hereby revoking
all others, by me heretofore made, and declare this and no other, my
last will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twenty eighth day of November A.D. one thousand eight
hundred and fifty                                                     Ann Sill {seal}
Signed sealed and delivered by the said Testator as her last will and
Testament in the presence of us, who have subscribed in the presence of each other
The words son of William being first interlined between the 20th and 21st lines
from the top of the first page                                John Patterson
                                                                              Alex Miller

[All the above are from "Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G991-MTMH?cc=1999196&wc=9PMX-ZNL%3A268499101%2C281889701 : 3 July 2014), Allegheny > Wills 1845-1854 and 1888 vol 6-7 > image 436 of 724; county courthouses, Pennsylvania.]

                               Be it Known that on the 4th day of Feby. A.D. 1851 person-
ally came before me John Scott Register etc in and for the County aforesaid John Patterson&
Alex Miller Ergo the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing instrument of writing who being
by me duly sworn did declare and say that they saw & heard the Testatrix Ann Sill
sign publish and declare it as being her last will and Testament. That at the time of so
doing she was of sound mind, memory and understanding to the best of their observation &
belief and that at her request and in her presence they subscribed their names as witnesses thereto
     Given under my hand the above           John Scott  Register
Allegheny County    }
                                 } Be it Known that on the 4th day of Feby 1851 Letters testamen-
tary with the will annexed on the estate of Ann Sill were granted to Hezekiah Gamble
Executor in said will name who was duly sworn to administer the goods and chattels rights
& credits which were if said decd. to make a true Inventory & appraisment of the personal
property & file the same in the Registers office in one month to settle an account of his
administration in one year or when thereto legally required and to comply with the provisions of an
act of assembly of this commonwealth entitled an act relating to collateral Inheritances
        Given under my hand etc                       John Scott  Register
Recorded Feby 5th 1851

It's clear from these clippings from the Pittsburgh Daily Post dated April 28, 1853, that Mr. Gamble complied with his instructions to comply with the provisions of the law pertaining to "collateral inheritances":*

[Newspapers.com]

Looking back at her father's 1841 will, we see that Ann retained the property he left to her (and that John Gray was still residing there).

I haven't been able to determine whether McKeeesport's Presbyterian congregation built a new meeting place in time to receive Ann's bequest but I learned that The American Bible Society is still in existence.


 *Here's a description of Pennsylvania's inheritance taxes: "Traditionally, the Pennsylvania inheritance tax had two tax rates. A rate of six percent applied to assets that passed to so-called lineal descendants, such as children, grandchildren and stepchildren. A rate of 15% applied to so-called collateral beneficiaries. This included brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews and all others."




© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Working on Wednesday: Joseph Baker, Jr. (1667 - 1735) Yoeman

It seems there were two men known as Joseph Baker, Jr. in late 17th century Pennsylvania only one of whom was the son of Joseph Baker Sr. who arrived in the colony in 1684 with his older brother John. And that Joseph Jr. isn't my direct ancestor.*

Of course, historically the appellation of Junior could be applied to the younger of two men with the same given name without it signifying a father-son relationship and that what happened here. My Joseph Baker is believed to be the nephew of Joseph Sr. and John, therefore he would have been a grandson of John Baker, Sr. of Edgmond in Shropshire (about 2 miles west of Newport). His father's name is unknown.

['Shropshire by John Seller' Seller, J. (c. 1703) Furneax Antique Maps]

It's unclear when Joseph Jr. left Shropshire for Pennsylvania--he may have traveled with his uncles but the reason they all left was because they were Quakers** and hoped to find greater religious freedom in the New World. The township they ended up living in was named Edgmont, originally in Chester County, now in Delaware County.

[From "Our Family Ancestors" by Thomas Maxwell Potts. Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, 1895.

Source: Internet Archive - original at Allen County Public Library, Ft. Wayne, Indiana ]

Thomas Maxwell included a "fac-simile" of the page of the Baker family bible.

[From "Our Family Ancestors" by Thomas Maxwell Potts. Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, 1895.

Source: Internet Archive - original at Allen County Public Library, Ft. Wayne, Indiana ]

And here's a reminder of how I'm descended from him:

[Ancestry.com]

*Joseph Sr.'s son Joseph had four children we know of: Robert, Sarah, Hannah and Joseph.
**There are numerous mentions of "Joseph Baker" in the Chester Monthly Meeting Minutes but I don't know which ones might refer to my ancestor.





© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.