Will of Benjamin Becraft
State of Indiana) Sct
Decatur County)
At the probate Court begun and held for the County and State aforesaid on Monday the 13 day of May in the year of or Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three.
Present the Hon. Angus C. McCoy, the Probate Judge of said court.
In the Name of God Amen. I Benjamin Becraft being very weak in body but by the blessing of God of sound mind and memory, but calling to mind the uncertainty of life and the mortality of my body do make the ordain this my last will and testament in the manner and form following to wit: First of all I commend my soul to God who gave it, and my body to the grave, to be decently interred and the necessary expenses of my burial to be discharged by my executor and as to my worldly estate with which it has pleased God to bless me, it is my will that it be disposed of in the following manner to wit:
Item 1. I give and bequeathe to my beloved wife Elizabeth all my personal and real estate during her natural life but at her death it is my will that my real estate and such of my personal estate as remains shall be sold by my executor and the money arising from said sale to be divided as follows (viz.) I consider that I have already furnished my daughter Rebecca Newman with one hundred dollars, my daughter Peggy with seventy five dollars, my son Benjamin, I have heretofore given as much as I intend to give him and give no further part of my estate. My son William I have furnished seventy five dollars therefore it is my will that the money arising from the ale of my estate be so divided among my children Rebecca Newman, Peggy Jackson, Nancy Barnes, Ann Evans and William Becraft so as to make/give them equal with [to?] what they have already received. (PART OF WILL NOT CLEAR AT THIS POINT)
Item. It is my will that my daughter Susan Myres have no share of my estate.
Item. It is my express (sic) will and desire that my beloved wife Elizabeth shall at her pleasure have the right to dispose of my household property or give the same to any of my children and in such proportion as she thinks proper.
Item. As to the children of my son James deceased an my daughters Betsy and Polly deceased, it is my will that they have no share of my estate as I consider I gave my said deceased children such share as I intended them in the life time. And I do hereby appoint and ordain my trusty and well beloved friend John Newman, executor of this my last will and testament. Hereby revoking all or any wills heretofore by me made. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 8th day of April in the year of our Lord 1828.
His
enjamin X Becraft (Seal)
Mark
Witnesses
Thomas Hooten
James Parnell
William Lowe
