Will of Abraham Schuyler - 1709


In the name of God, Amen. Know all men by these presents that I, the undersigned, Abraham Schuyler, burgher and inhabitant of Albany in the province of New York, hale and sound in body and having full possession of my understanding, memory and speech, considering the frailty of this life, the certainty of death and the uncertain hour thereof wishing therefore to dispose of the temporal effects which God Almighty has granted me, commending first and foremost my soul to the gracious hands of God my Creator and Savior and my body to a Christian burial, dispose as follows:

That after my death my respected wife Geertry Schuyler shall remain in full possession of my whole estate and effects, that is real and personal estate, nothing therefrom excepted, during her widowhood.

That on the remarriage of my aforesaid wife, before her wedding day, she shall relinquish all my real estate, as well houses and lots as lands, to my five children, to wit, David aged about seventeen years, Christyna aged about fifteen years, Dirck aged about ten years, Abraham aged about five years, together with the child or children which in this resent wedlock we may yet have, to the end that the same may be equally divided among my children, share and share alike, except that my eldest son David shall for his birthright have the sum of five pounds current money of this province, with the understanding and my will is that my house and lot lying here in Albany in the Brouwers straet, at present by me occupied, shall go to my two sons David and Jacobus aforesaid, share alike, which house and lot they shall receive by appraisal of three impartial persons, in order that the just portion may be turned over to the other child or children when each child attains his or her majority or marries; with the further understanding that if my aforesaid wife marry again, she may never the less remain in occupancy of the little house on the street and have the use of a lot in the rear of the breadth of said house, for the term of seven years beginning from such marriage day and no longer.

My wife remains holden on the marriages of each of my children to give a proper according to the value of the estate.

I nominate and appoint as guardians and executors of my children and whole estate aforesaid my two brothers David and Myndert Schuyler with my two brothers-in -law Wessel and Samuel Ten Broeck, to the end that my foregoing will in all its parts may be observed and maintained. All that is here in before written the testator declares to be his last will and testament. Thus with my own hand subscribed and sealed in Albany this fifteenth day of December annoq. domini one thousand seven hundred and nine.



notes

Will dated December 15, 1709. Printed in Early Records of Albany volume 4, pp. 171-72. Most original spellings retained. Paragraphing supplied!

Transformed by JP


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first posted: 4/29/02