AAFA Wills

WILL OF JOHN ALVORD

In the Name of God Amen The sixteenth day of March An. Dom. 1758.

I John Alvord of South Hadley in the County of Hampshire in the province of Massachusetts Bay in New England, being weak in body but of perfect mind and memory; thanks be to God therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die; do make and ordain this my last will and testament, that is to say principally and first of all;

I give and recommend my soul to the hands of God that gave it; and my body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my Executor's nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection, I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God.

And as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this world I give, demise, and dispose of the same in the following manner and form, my just debts & funeral charges being first paid.

I give to Azariah my second son six pounds lawful money and the remainder of my estate both Real and Personal I give and bequeath to my children, namely, Moses, Azariah, Abigail, Jerusha, Dorcas, Rachel, Phineas, Luther, and Rebecca, to be divided to each of them in equal proportions;

My daughter Abigail to have the use and improvement of my daughter Rebecca's part until said Rebecca arrive at the age of eighteen years or to the time of her marriage (which shall first happen) provided my said daughter Abigail shall take care of, provide for, and bring up said Rebecca until she arrive to the above said time, and I do will and appoint my brother Thomas White and brother Saul Alvord executors of this my last will and testament & I do hereby utterly disallow all other testaments or wills by me in any ways before named ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the day and date abovesaid.

Signed, sealed, published, pronounced & declared by the said John Alvord as his last will and testament in presence of us subscribers who also; signed in his presence.

John Alvord (Seal)

Elijah Alvord
Gad Alvord
Daniel Nash

CODICIL

Codicil to the above will. South Hadley, July 6th, 1758.
Probate of the above will and codicil, July 11, 1758. For Inventory see Vol. 9, Pages 42, 43.

Copied from THE BURKE AND ALVORD MEMORIAL, pages 204 - 205.