Wills
Orange County Wills
Orange County, New York
Will transcribed by Roberta (Bobbi) Needham.
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF JOHN GRAY
I John Gray of the town of Monroe County of Orange and State of New York being infirm of body but of strong mind, do declare this to be my last will and testament. That may be bequeathed in the following manner viz: First moity to my well beloved wife Hannah I give all my household furniture together with all the linen and bedding and a silver watch and one cow and one womans saddle. Second moity to my to my oldest son Joseph S. Gray I give four acres of woodland on the northeast corner of my farm adjoining the lands of Joseph Stevens and the tannery farm and one cow together with one pair of oxen, my right in a certain Sorrel mare, one bed, one set of harness and all other farming utensils belonging to me now in his possession. Third moity to my second son James Gray and my third son Abel Gray I give my home farm together with all my personal property that has not already been disposed of with the encumbrance of paying all demands against my estate,
and supporting and providing for the family and schooling the younger children until the boys are of a suitable age to learn a trade and until then they shall be subject to work on the farm under the control of their mother and James and Abel and also to pay to my daughter Sarah Gray two hundred and fifty dollars and one cow one bed and bedding one half dozen silver teaspoons and the best womans saddle when arrived to the age of twenty one or if she should marry before she shall then be entitled to the same and James and Abel shall also have possession of all my land until John and Charles shall arrive to the age of twenty one and they shall have the privilege of cutting wood on any of the premises in a prudent and discretionary manner. Fourth moity to my fourth son John Gray and my fifth son Charles Gray I give those two certain pieces of land the one bought by me of Samuel Smith and the other of Joseph Stevens containing each about forty acres of land to be equally divided between them when they shall each one arrive at the age of twenty one, that is that John when he is twenty one shall be entitled to the benefit or profit of his equal half until Charles is twenty one then each one shall have actual possession of his equal half.
And I do hereby constitute nominate and appoint my wife Hannah as executrix with Lewis H. Roe and my son James executors. I have never consulted no professor of law in forming my will and never intend that they shall have anything to do with it. And if anything shall by misfortune take place or any dissatisfaction arise between my heirs about the moities allotted to each of them that those disputing heirs can't agree themselves, that each one shall choose him a competent man acquainted with business to explain the intention of the said will. And if those two men can't agree they shall choose a third person, and their decision shall be as binding to the parties as if it came from the Supreme Court of the United States and therefore I do declare this to be my last will and testament made the eleventh day of May 1832. Sealed and signed in the presence of Thomas Galloway Abel King and Selah S. Brock
Signed
John Gray