(Note: We have been careful to replicate John Snyder’s spelling as exactly as possible. However, the punctuation is very vague on our copy and this transcription likely errs frequently in transcribing the punctuation. Also, the names in bold face are the transcriber’s addition. In the original document, the names are not in bold face.)
(Front Cover)
449
Last Will and testament of John Snyder
Letter issued Sept. 18, 1850
Centre County, Pa
Personally appeared before me John Tonner Register in xxx County of Centre Peter Heller and John Swartz who having been duly affirmed and sworn according to law did depose and say that they were present and saw and heard John Snyder the testater Sign and declare the within instrument of writing as his last will and testament and that at the time of So doing he was of Sound and disposing mind and memory according to the best of there knowledge observation and belief
No 4276 Peter Heller
John Schwartz
Sworn affirmed & Subscribed before me
August 15, A.D. 1850
John Tonner Reg.
(Body of will)
Be it remembered that I John Snyder of the township of Walker in the county of Centre and the State of Pennsylvania yeoman being of sound mind and memory do make and ordain this my last will and testament, in manner following for and concerning all my temporal estate I do hereby dispose of the same as follows. I will that my just debts and funeral expenses be duly paid and discharged. Item I give and bequeath to my eight children namely, Daniel Snyder, Henry Snyder, Elisabeth Snyder, John Snyder, Jacob Snyder, Catharine Snyder, George Snyder, and Susanah Snyder the sum of nine hundred dollars to each and every of them or their Heirs or asigns respectively, and these above several legaseys to each of my aforesaid children respectively is in part received by each and every of them and some of them have received all of theirs as will be shown in this my will below; out of the afects of my real estate. Item Be it rembered that on the twenty sixth day of February A.D. one thousand eight hundred and nineteen I sold all my real estate to three of my sons aforesaid vis. John Snyder, Jacob Snyder and George Snyder and took their obligations in penal bills for the same each giving his own for the respective share that he had taken of the Land I then made a dividend of the Principal of the proceedes of they sale of my real estate and Each one of my aforesaid children’s share is nine hundred dollars. I then collected of the several penal bills as the became due and after due. Just the principal of the said bills of the sale of my aforesaid estate and paid it to those my said children that bot no land as to be a part of their Legasey’s and charged my said sons no interest on their said notes which they or their asigns have paid off in full before this date of this my last will and testament. For this reason, at the time I sold my real estate of land to my aforesaid three sons, John, Jacob, and George, I entered into an article bearing date 22nd day of March A.D. 1820 jointly and separately with penalty as a reference to said article will their more freely appear, wherein they the said John, Jacob and George have bound themselves in a scertain yearly dowery for my support and therefore I have accquited them of the intrest on those Bonds which have been paid in full as aforesaid and those bonds yet unpaid. My will is that all the intrest due on the same shall be chollectable either in my own lifetime or by my Executors after my decease if their is need for it to pay my debts and after my decease all my intrest chollected and that which is yet to collect if it is wanted shall be applied to the payment of my debts and the remainder of the aforesaid intrest if any after said debts is paid shall then go back to the respective Heirs or their legal represcentatives of which the was collected respectively.
Item: all the bonds that is yet in my hands shall remain at intrest till after my decease for my support and after my decease my Executors shall then collect them and apply the principal of each bond to its Legatee as here in after stated and the Interest of each bond as above directed. Item. My said son Daniel Snyder Deceased recd in part four hundred dollars my will is that his ten children shall have five hundred dollars the remainder of his Legasey without intrest. Charles Snyder one of the said children has received his tenth of the aforesaid five hundred dollars of which I have his receipt in full without intrest and the remainder four hundred and fifty shall be equally divided among the other nine children share and share alike this above money is to come out of the bonds of George Snyder.
Item. My Daughter Susanah, wife of Henry Kleopfer both now deceased in her lifetime Recd in part five hundred dollars I will and bequeath the remainder four hundred dollars to be divided among the said Susanah’s five children share and share alike or their legal represcentatifes this money is to come of the principal of the said Jacob Snyder’s Bonds as a part of the land money.
Item. My said Daughter Elisabeth wife of John Beck has recd six hundred and ninety dollars and sixty three cents in part of her Legasey. My Will is that she shall have two hundred and nine dollars thirty seven cents the remainder out of the Bonds against the said Jacob and said George Snyder their Heirs or assigns. The later is now Deceased.
Item. My said Henry Snyder has received his Legasey in full in money without intrest.
Item. My said Sons John, Jacob and George have received each their Legasey’s in full in Land the said John and George are Deceased. Item. My Daughter Catharine Wife of Jacob Candy has received her Legasey in full in money. My will and request to the said Jacob Candy my soninlaw is that he pay to my Executors herein after named fifty dollars and if I should dye in one year after this date only one half of said sum on conditions that if my household goods and Book accounts will not defray any debts after my decease and then the above request shall be applied for and not other wise this above request I make for the two hundred and seventy five dollars I gave him about six or seven years before I sold my Real estate and made a divide to my Children as he never paid me Intrest.
And provided lastly and I do hereby order and direct authorise and empower my executors herein after named or such and so many of them as shall take letters testamentary and the survivors and survivor of them whenever and as soon as they in their discretion shall think proper to Bargain and sell and absolutely dispose of all and singular my Personal property that I shall have at my decease and for the best price or prices either by Public or private sale and collect all out standing Book debts and make settlements with all my creditors. If then the funds be suficient to pay the debts of my creditors out of my Books and personal property and aney should be left My will is that it shall be divided among my eight children or their legal represcentatives. And my further will is that if the debts be greater than the afects of my Presonal property and Books will defray then and in that case My Executors shall call on the above Request against my sonin law Jacob Candy for either one of which sums they are entitled to call as above stated in said request and after that fund be exausted if their still be debts Back not paid then and in that case onley they shall apply to the Intrest of the Bonds for to pay off all demand whatseve of my debts there shall be. And the remainder of the said Intrest shall be paid back to the Respective Heirs of which the Bonds are to be collected and I do further Will and ordain that the Bonds be then collected onley the principal of said bond in my disposal and give each legatee his full share of their Legasey, as above described in this my last will and testament. Lastly, I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my son Jacob Snyder and my soninlaw John Beck Both of Walker Township Centre county Executors of this my last will and testament and I do hereby revoke annul and make void all former and other will and testaments heretofore by me made and do declare this only to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I the said John Snyder the testater have hereunto set my hand and seal the twentieth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and forty four.John Snyder
Signed sealed published and declared by the said John Snyder the testator as and for his last will and testament in the presance of us who in his presence and at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses
Peter Heller JP
John Schwartz