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In the Name of God Amen Know all Men by these presents that I David Wattson of Frederick County and Province of Maryland Farmer, being weak in Body but of sound Mind and Memory; revoking all former Wills by me heretofore made, do make this my Last Will and Testament in manner and Form following |
Imprimis I leave and bequeath to my son John Wattson five pounds Sterling.
Item To my son George Wattson five pounds Sterling.
Item To my Daughter Mary Fugate five pounds Sterling which several Legacies are to be paid to the Respective Legates provided the Lands I expect to hold become my property, and not otherwise, Likewise it is my Desire and full Intention that M Henry Hall convey to my Daughter Mary Fugate and her Heirs one hundred and sixty five acres of Land including the House and Cultivated Lands and Spring where on She now Dwelleth, which said Lands are part of the thousand acres sold to Michael Miller.
Item I leave to my Daughter Mary all that quantity of land which George Coler stands obligated to make over to me or my Heirs, provided the said Mary or her Husband Peter Fugate pays unto the said George Coler or his Heirs the purchase agreed upon between him and me.
Item it is my Will and Desire that my Wife Sarah and my Son William be joint Heirs and Inheritors of all the residue of my Estate both Real and personal. Likewise I constitute and appoint my Wife Sarah and my Son William Wattson joint Executors of this my Last Will and Testament in Witness and confirmation of all and singular the foresaid Premisses I have hereunto affixed my hand and Seal this second Day of January 1769.
David Wattson **Seal**
Signed Sealed and perfected in the presence of (Signatures)Jos Perry Andrew Hoover Peter(his mark)Knowles
On the 13th Day of February 1769 Came Peter Knowles one of the subscribing Witnesses to the aforegoing Will and made Oath on the holy Evangelists of Almighty God that he did see the Testator David Wattson sign and Seal the said Will and heard him publish pronounce and declare the same to be his Last Will and Testament, and that at the Time of his so doing he was to the best of his apprehensions of sound and disposing mind and memory and that he also saw Joseph Perry and Andrew Hoover the other subscribing Witnesses to the said Will sign their Names as Witnesses thereto and in the presence of the Testator & in presence of him.
Sworn before JBowles Depy---
Obtained from Maryland Archives-Prerogative Court Records Frederick Co., 1769. Liber 37, Folio 293-294, SR 4431.
Note* This will was signed in Frederick Co., Md. Interestingly, the spelling of the name was Wattson. Contents of this will indicate a wife named Sarah, three sons, John, George and William and one daughter, Mary Watson Fugate. Caution: A copy of this will obtained from Frederick County records differs. According to the Maryland Calendar of Wills it is not uncommon for there to be three copies of a will and unfortunately, there may be differences in them.
John and George Watson received only 5 pounds sterling, while it appears Mary Fugate received substantial property and William and Sarah the rest of the estate. Land records indicate John had already settled in Pennsylvania and perhaps George had, also. This might account for the paltry inheritances.
