WILL OF ANDREW INSLEY SR.
DORCHESTER CO., MARYLAND
APRIL 14 , 1699
In the name of God Amen, I Andrew Insley of the County of Dorchester in the Province of Maryland being sick and weak of body but of sound and perfect memory before the Almighty God I knowing the incertainty of all things here below and certainty of a future fate and being desirous to sett mine house or affairs in order before my departure I do hereby make and appoint this to be my Last Will and Testament in maner & form following.
I will and bequeath my soule unto Almighty God my Creator and to Jesus Christ my blessed redeemer in whom I trust through whose mercies I hope for salvation and by whom I shall be judged at the last day and my body I bequeath unto the ground to be buried in decent and christian maner as my Executors shall think fitt and meek.
As for what temporal belongings and enjoyments the Lord in his mercy hath bestowed upon me I will and bequeath as followeth,
I will and bequeath unto my son James Insley all my lands and livings lying on the upper side or the north east side of a dividing line running left from a marked pine marked with four knotches two and two and two sides the said pine standing at the head of a pond near the head of a small gill or creek that if I walk out of Farum Creek and by the side of an old field near the place commonly called the Indian Cabbin the said dividing line running west from the said marked pine untill it meets or intercepts the line or lines of the land of William Safford called Betty's Lott.
I will and bequeath unto my son William Insley all my lands and livings lying on the lower side or the south west side of the said dividing line.
I will and bequeath all of the abovesaid land or lands or livings as is above expressed and divided being contained and expressed in three pattents to wit: Farum, Hampton and Andrews Fortune unto my abovesaid sons and their heirs forevermore.
I will and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Insley that parcel of land commonly called the Road ridge beginning at the marked pine standing by a marshey branch called Jockeys Cabbin branch being a bounded tree of the abovesd Bettys Lott running up the said branch bounded therewith unto the place that the main land runs over the branch and from thence with a line drawn left untill it meets or intercepts the southsouth east line of the said Bettys Lott and so running with said southsoutheast line to the first bounded expressed pine unto her and her heirs forevermore.
I will and bequeath unto my son in law Michael Todd and Margarett his wife one small parcel of land lying on the west side of a marshey branch adjacent unto William Deans plantation being part of the tract on which the said Todd is now inhabited upon unto them and their heirs forevermore.
I will and bequeath unto my son James Insley another tract of land commonly called Bentleys Point but in the pattent called Bettys Hope lying on Hoopers Island in Hungar River.
I will and bequeath unto my loving wife Elizabeth Insley one tract of land during her naturall lifetime called Betty's Desire and att her decease unto my son James Insley and his heirs forevermore. The two last expressed tracts I give unto my said wife during her naturall life and at her decease as they are expressed.
I will and bequeath unto my said wife Elizabeth Insley all my movable estate during the spane of her widowhood debts and credits & my debts being first paid and satisfied but in case she marries againe then the said moveable estate is to be divided by two or three honest neighbours into three parts the persons to be ? or chosen by my said wife and my son in law Michael Todd and not to be sold confiscated or imbargoed under any pretence or ? exceptible in case of reall necessity and the one third of the said moveable estate to be my wifes and the other two thirds thereof to be committed into the oversight and custody of my said son in law Michael Todd for the use and behoof of my written expressed terms and each one to have the part as or when they come to the full age of twenty one years without perverting the said moveable things be they cattle hogs mares or any household goods be it bedding or beds brass iron peuter or wood linnen or woollen into money or tobacco or any other thing or things but the moveables really as they are.
I give and bequeath unto my said sons my two guns the biggest to the oldest and the least to the youngest.
I will and bequeath the one half of the benefitt of my orchard rent to my son James when he shall attaine unto the years or age of twenty one if my said wife be then married if not then to be att her disposall during her widowhood provided that my said wife and my son James do plant and tend or cause to be planted and tended and kept securely fenced and planted in good distance one hundred and fifty aple trees to planted and tended and trimmed or pruned in the near cornfield by the Indian Cabbins being in my son Williams division of land and to and for his use and behoofs so that they be all bearing trees bearing fruit when he shall be or attaine to the full years or age of one and twenty otherwise if they neglect the performance thereof they shall give & allow (if they both injoy the benefitt of my orchard) the one third of the benefitt of my orchard for seavon years and if one injoys the whole orchard alone the said shall have the one half of the benefitt of the orchard for the said term or space of seavon years to be done and performed unto my said son William Insley ? shall attaine to the full or age of one and twenty.
I will and bequeath unto my loving wife Elizabeth Insley and my son in law Michaell Todd to be joint Executors of this my Last Will and Testament In wittness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale April 14th A. 1699
Andrew Insley (seale)
Signed Sealed and delivered in the presence of us.
John Goutey
Philip Wingod
William Robinson
Underneath the abovesaid Will was thus written
August the 2d, 1699
Then came before me Philip Wingot and William Robinson and proved
this Last Will and Testament of Andrew Insley wittness my hand and Seal
Jno. Rawlings, Dep.
Comissary? (Seale)
