John Insley Will

Will of John Insley
Dorchester Co., Maryland
March 16, 1877

In the name of God Amen, I John Insley of Dorchester County in the State of Maryland being aged and weak in body but of sound and disposing mind and understanding considering the certainty of death, and the uncertainty of the time thereof, and being desirous to settle my worldly affairs, and thereby be the better prepared to leave this world when it shall please, God, to call me hence, do therefore, make and publish this my last will and testament, in manner and form following that is to say,

First and principally I commit my soul into the hands of Almighty God and my body to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor hereinafter named and after my debts and funeral charges are paid. I devise and bequeath as follows

Item I give and devise unto Thomas Insley my brother and my two sisters Hester A. Hackett and Mary Briley, one half, 1/2 of the Farm on which I now reside known as Reeds Regulation and containing 179 Acres more and or less their heirs and assigns in fee simple.

Item I give and devise unto the two eldest children of James J. M. Gordy and wife the other half of the farm before mentioned and their heirs and assigns in fee simple.

Item All the residue of my Estate Real & personal consisting of a House and lot in Seaford Sussex Co. Delaware described in a deed to me from James Darbee and Hester Ann Darbee and all my personal property in whatsoever it may consist I leave to be sold by my Executor and after my debts and the expenses are paid, the remainder if any I give unto my Brother Thomas and my two sisters Hester A. Hackett and Mary Briley each to share and share alike.

And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint John W. Hastings to be sole Executor of this my last will and testament revoking and annulling all former wills by me heretofore made ratifying and confirming this and non other to be my last will and testament.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this the 16th

sixteenth day of March, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and seventy seven.

John Insley (seal)

Signed sealed published and declared by John Insley the within named testator as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses.

Witnesses:

Samuel A. Williams

Samuel Eskridge

Wm. S. Williams

State of Maryland, Dorchester County to wit:

On the 6th day of May Anno Domini 1880, personally appeared John W. Hastings, the above named executor, and made oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God that this paper or instrument of writing, purporting to be the last will and testament of John Insley late of the said County, deceased, was deposited in his hands for safe Keeping by the said Testator, and that, to the best of his Knowledge, it is the true and whole last will and testament of the said deceased, and that he Knows of no other of a younger date.

And at the same time personally appeared Samuel A. Williams and William S. Williams, two of the subscribing witnesses to the aforegoing last will and testament of the said John Insley late of the said County, deceased, and made oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God that they did see the said testator sign and seal the said will; that they heard him publish, pronounce and declare the same to be his last will and testament; that at the time of so doing he was, to the best of their apprehensions, of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, and that they together with Samuel Eskridge, (who resides in the State of Delaware) the other subscribing witness to the said will, respectively subscribed their names as witnesses thereto in the presence and at the request of the said testator and in the presence of each other.

Certified by E. W. LeCompte

State of Maryland, Dorchester County, to wit:

I hereby certify that the aforegoing is truly copied from the original will now on file and of record in my office.

In testimony whereof I hereto subscribe my name and affix the seal of my office on this eleventh day of May in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and eighty.

E. W. LeCompte