An American Family History

In the Name of God Amen the twenty-seventh day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty-four I George Fox of Kingwood in the County of Hunterdon and western Division of the province of New Jersey

Yeo: Being very Sick and weak of body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be to God. Therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that Give it and my body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in a christian like and Decent manner at the Discretion of my executors and as touching such wordily Estate where with it hath pleased God to Bless me in this life I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form

Imprimis I give and bequeath to mary my Dear wife all my moveable Estate only she shall allow my sons the Use of the team to Carry on the farm and affairs of the mills they allowing her a comfortable maintenance while She remains my widow and if She dies my widow my will is that She Divide the said moveables as she Sees proper among my daughters But if she marrys again then all the horses Except one which she shall Chuse shall be left to the Discretion of my Executors to be Equally Divided in quantity and quality.

I will that if my Executors shall see it necessary to sell part of my lands to Pay my Debts and Carry on the affairs of the mills let it be sold off next to Joshua Waterhouse or else off of the land I lately took up which they shall think proper.

I will that mary my wife shall have the use of my lands and Dwelling house and other Buildings till My Sons come to the age of Twenty one Years if She continues my widow during which time she shall have the Benefit of their Lodging and apperell during the whole term Except She shall think Proper to bind them to trades that is Left to her discretion.

I will that my Sons be put in possession of their respective portions in the following order and manner. Item

I give and bequeath to my beloved Son George Fox five acres of Land to be Surveyed off the upper end of my land joyning his plantation on which he now liveth in one year after my Decease in his actual possession

I give and bequeath to my Dearly beloved son Ambros Fox one half part of my lands according to quantity and quality except ten acres of Land which is to Go with my half the mills Except my Executors See proper to Sell part for the use as above said then he to it. Ambros Shall have half the remainder as above said in his actual possession in two Years after he is twenty one years of age.

I give and bequeath to my Dear Son Absalom Fox all my rights and interest to the Saw mill and Grist mill that is to Say one half of Each with ten acres of Land the most convenient to Said mills to be in his actual possession at twenty one years of age.

I give and bequeath to my Dear Son Amos Fox the one half part of my Lands according to the aforementioned Division Equal with my Son Ambros to be in his actual possessin at the age of twenty one years

I give and bequeath my lands and mills to my sons as aforesid and to the Heirs and assigns forever I will also that my wife have her living with my son amos and out of his Share if she remains my widow but if She married She is debared of that priviledge tho at the same time hols her Property in the movables I will that the Use of the Land and Benefit of the mills be for maintaining the family and paying my Debts till

Each son shall come into possession of their respective Estates as above mentioned and further

I give to my Dear son Gabriel Fox 5 pounds

And lastly I constitute make and ordain my beloved Sons George Fox and Gabriel Fox my only and Sol Executors of this my last will and testament and I do hereby utterly Disallow revoke and Disannull all and Every other and former Testaments wills Legacys and Executors by me in any ways before this time Named willed and bequeathed Ratifying and Confirming this and only this and no other to be my Last will and testament in witness where of I have hereunto Set my hand and seal the day and year first above written 

Signed Seald Published Pronounced and declared by the said George Fox as his Last will and testament in the presence of us the Subscribers

Note before Executing these presents is added that if it can be made appear the the mills and ten acres of Land is of more value than Ambrosses and amos share absalom shall pau out to ambros and amos to make them Equal with himself. and if on the contrary it can be made appear that ambros and amos has the valuablest prtion they shall pay to absolem to make him equal with themselves.

Evidence below all
Malakiah Bonham
Nehemiah Bonham
William Lock