William Allison 1696-1778: Last Will and Testament

Last Will & Testament

of Willm Allison Dec.

No.V

In the name of God Amen I William Allison of Antrim Township, Cumberland County and province of Pennsylvania, being far advanced in years and infirm yet being of a sound and well disposing mind and memory but having in mind the uncertainty of present life do this twenty second day of September in the year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven Constitute and ordain this my last will and testament in the following manner. Viz- It is my will that in the first place all my debts and funeral charges be paid out of my personal  estate by my executor hereafter mentioned- Secondly I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Catherine one negro wench named Venus, one horse creature of 40 pound value together with her saddle and chair also one feather bed with furniture and chair for the same the horse to be kept for her at the expense of my son William. To my wife Catherine I also bequeath the sum of 30 pounds yearly and every year to her natural life to be paid her in quarterly payments by my son William in case she don’t choose to live with him but provides she ** to live with him then in that case he is to pay her in quarterly payments as aforesaid a sum of 15 pounds yearly during her natural life allowing her a sufficient maintenance and accommodations also appropriating to his sole use any one room in my present dwelling house. I also leave her all the silver spoons of whatever sort or size with whatever furniture she may choose in case she lives with son William as before mentioned. Thirdly to my son John (for whom I have already made such provision as my circumstances permit) I leave the sum of five pounds currency to be be paid one year after my decease. Fourthly I leave to my son Patrick Allison his heirs or assigns the sum of one hundred pounds currency. Fifthly I leave to my daughter Agnes McCrea, wife to Robert McCrea, his heirs or assigns the sum of one hundred pounds currency exclusive of what I have already advanced to her or her husband. Sixthly I leave to my son Robert Allison his heirs or assigns the sum of one thousand pounds including the sum he is indebted at this time. Seventhly I leave to my daughter Catherine Hendricks wife of James Hendricks his heirs or assigns the sum of two hundred pounds currency exclusive of what I have already advanced her or her husband. Eighthly I leave to my grandson William McCrea the sum of ten pounds to be paid him at the time expiration of his arriving to age. Ninthly I leave to my grandson William Allison ten pounds to be paid him at the time he arrives at the age of twenty one. Tenthly and as compensation to my nephew John Allison for his great care and tenderness toward my brother Robert Allison during the time of his sickness I leave him his heirs or assigns the sum of sixty five pounds currency. Eleventhly I leave and bequeath to my son William Allison his assigns or heirs all and singular of my estate both real and personal of whatsoever ?nature ?kind and ?sort it may consist of or in that it is not already bequeathed other ways my said son William subject nevertheless to the full payment of the devises and bequests heretofore made to my other legatees as is before whereafter specified and limited that is to say my three children Viz Patrick, Agnes & Catherine my said son William is to pay them their legacies each in two equal payments the first to be paid one year after my decease the other half the second year after my decease. William is also to pay my son  Robert his legacy any time not to exceed three years after my decease on such sum or sums as may be most Convinient for himself, also that he pays the Legacy Bequeathed to  my nephew John Allison any time not exceeding three years after my decease But in case my son William do pay or discharge any part of the aforementioned said Legacies before my deceased. I taking Receipts for such sums the same shall be deemed I understood as part of in whole of the said Legacies as such Receipt or Receipts may Contain, lastly I do hereby *** nominate & appoint my loving ife Catharine Allison with my sons John Allison, Robert Allison & William Allison whole and Sole Executors of this my Last Will & Testament Revoking dis…. & making Boid all & every other former Wills & Testaments be and heretofore made declaring this and this only to by my last Will & Testament.  In Witness whereof I the said William Allison find above mentioned have hereunto set my hand and Seal the Day above written

Signed Sealed published I          

Declared as the last Will and                         Wm Allison (seal)

Testament of William Allison

In Presence of us who Evidence

The same as such at his Request

Elias Davison

Henry Pawling

His

David *  Larimor

Mark

         Be it Remembered that on the twentythird Day of February Ano Domini 1779 the Testament and last Will of William Allison deceased was Legally proved, of which the foregoing Record is a true Copy and Letters Testamtary is sued on the said 23^rd Day of February A.D. in the common form to Catrine Allison belisct & widow of the said Deceased Exec w John Allison, Robert Allison, and William Allison Executors therein named. Administration acct. thereof to be exhibited in the time appointed by Law. Witness my Hand

William Lyon Regrs

Source:Willm Allison Probate Date: 22 Sep 1777, Probate Place: Cumberland, Pennsylvania, USA

Item Description: Case number 1, Wills, Vol A-C, 1750-1779

Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 [database on-line].  

Original data: Pennsylvania County, District and Probate Courts.

John Allison 1670-1728 : Last Will and Testament

John Allison's will has many unclear words and missing parts. Uncertain areas are marked with a question or blank line.

In the name of God amen, this the 6^th of November one thousand, seven hundred and twenty eight, I John Allison of the township of Donegal in the county of Chester a yeoman being very sick and weak of body but of perfect  mind and memory, thanks be to God, therefore calling unto mind the morbidity of my body & knowing that is appointed once for all men to die do make and ordain this my last will & testament that is ________and last of all I give and recommend my soule into the hands of God that gave it hoping through Jesus Christ my only ____ lord Savour and redeemer that I shall ? live happily in the enjoyment of him through all Eternity in the higher ___ of __________________.   _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The jenneral resurrection  ________________________________________________________________   wordly estate when it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give______ and dispose of______  _____ in the following manner and form. 

I will that my just debts and funeral expenses be paid out of the first & ______ of my personal estate and___  remains of my estate. I in the first place will to my long beloved wife have this my dwelling house and all within it so long as she lives and I will it she be maintained by the products of the plantation through the care of my two sons John and Robert during her natural life and I alow her my riding hors and my cow called shishe.   

I leave to my eldest son James my black suit of clothes? and to my second son William 20 pounds current money of this __province to be paid by my two sons John and Robert Allison and I allow him ___ young sorel mear (mare) with his plow and irons? and lashings? and the improvements of the plantation I bought of James Brownlie with all the right and ___ I had from him. And to my son Patrick that young hors come of the black mear (mare). And to my two sons John Allison and Robert Allison I leave the improvements of this plantation I now dwell upon to live unaimously? together as long as they see convenient of themselves and their labours and gains? is all to be in on until parting and in the time they live together. They are to clear land at the woolen hall? for Robert thirty acres of land to be cleared in three years after this date with a well dug and walled and a Dwelling house built with the floors laid and Chimlie and ____ a barn with all the ?midowing (meadow?) in the swamp ___   _____ lowermost fence of the pasture and the whole ? work ________________________________________________________  to be paid of the whole? head. And I impower my two sons John and Robert ______________ ably? to recover and gette? in all my just debts & demands and I leave them what stock I ?enjoy enjoy both cows, horses, mears & sheep __  ___ is not named to any other of the family and when they ?see ___  ___  ___ John Allison is to have my now Dwelling Plantation with the Improvements theirof and Robert to the improvements __ is to be made at the watter hole/ woolen hall & all the moveables to be Equally divided both money goods and cattell (cattle).

I leave to my daughter Jean ten shillings to be paid at meeting.

I leave to my daughter Margaret twenty thirty pounds with her hors and sadle with a young bay mear (mare) in ten pound of the money.

I will and appoint the above __ Jannet Allison my beloved wife to be Executor of this my last will and testament and if there should be any ?debates fall out believe her and any of her children with respect to anything. In this my last will and testament I do will and appoint that the last ___ ?debates or differences be amicably taken away by the Rever. Mr James Anderson minister of the gospel in this place which I leave E____   ___ all ___ my Consearns (concerns) and I do hereby utterly disallow and renounce  & dis______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________& testament in ­­_____ whereof  I have ______________________________________________________

Signed sealed Published & Pronounced & Declared

By the ___ John Allison as his last will and testament in the presence of us the subscribers

Richard Allison                                                                                   John Allison

James Cook                            20 February 1728

A ?Hutchinson     _______

______ his mark

Source: Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 for John Allison

Chester Estate Papers, No 262-374, 1700-1810: 

Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 [database on-line].  

The Allison Wills: Sons, Daughters, Silver and Slaves

Beloved wives, cows, mares, sons, daughters, silver, slaves. The Search Sisters have transcribed the wills of our Pennsylvania Allisons. We have wrestled with handwriting peculiarities, the legalese, the odd spellings, smudges and holes.  Perhaps there are mistakes in our translations, but we believe we have the essence of these documents. 

These next three posts contain the transcribed wills that we believe link our Pennsylvania grandfathers: John Allison 1670-1729 who we believe to be the first of our Allisons to have migrated from Ulster in Northern Ireland, establishing his family in Chester County on the Pennsylvania frontier.   His son William Allison 1696-1778 is our fourth great grandfather who likely was born in Ireland as well. William continued the farming tradition acquiring land and wealth, creating a family, despite the French and Indian Wars and the Revolution. He passed his estate to his children, handing the running of the family plantation to his son William Allison 1749 -1825 in what is now Antrim Township in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. William fought in the American Revolution and was brother to Colonel John Allison who established the village of Greencastle, Pennsylvania.