*Will of Arent Schuyler and Jannetie Schuyler, his wife - 1685

In the name of the Lord, Amen. In the year of our Lord and Savior sixteen hundred and eighty-five, the twenty-fourth day of the month of March about seven o'clock in the morning, at New Albany in America, appeared before me, Jan Becker, notary public admitted by the Right Honorable Thomas Dongan, Esq., governor general on behalf of His Royal Highness James, [Duke of York], over all his territories in America, residing in New York, the worthy Mr. Arent Schuyler and Janneke Tellers, man and wife, residing here in New Albany, both sound and hearty of body, able to stand and walk, having full possession and the right use of their senses, memories and speech as outwardly appears, who, considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time and hour thereof, and being moved thereto by the particular love and affection which they bear toward each other, without persuasion or inducement of anyone, have caused this their last will and testament to be drawn as follows:

In the first place they commend their souls to the hands of Almighty God and their bodies to a Christian burial, revoking, annulling and canceling all testamentary dispositions and bequests heretofore made by them either jointly or separately, willing that the survivor of both of them shall remain in possession of and inherit all the effects, common property and entire estate, house, lot, real and personal, movable and immovable property, jewels, gold, silver coined and uncoined, linen, woolens, merchandise, household furniture, no thing or things excepted; to inherit, possess and hold the whole forever, whether he or she marry again or not, without turning over the least stiver's worth thereof to any parent or parents, relatives, or any person whomsoever, much less delivering any inventory, or statement, or furnishing any security, since the survivor is to remain the absolute heir, curator and executor of the whole estate, just as they jointly were when alive; with the understanding that if after the death of either of them there be found any child or children lawfully procreated by them, the survivor shall be holden, in case of a second marriage (but not before) to set aside for such child or children a half of the whole estate, as the survivor in conscience and justice shall then think proper, without being subject to any further demands whatsoever, with the express understanding that one child, whether male or female, shall not receive more than another, that is to say, that they shall all share alike, and that neither the honorable magistrates, constable or constables, nor the honorable orphan masters, nor any justice or court, nor any other authority or authorities, whether high or low, of whatsoever nature or character, or who or wheresoever they may be (saving their entire respect) shall have the right to interfere therewith, since the testators, jointly and severally, shut out and exclude them all and fully entrust the matter the one to the other, and notwithstanding that some law or laws, custom or customs, here or elsewhere, may otherwise direct, desiring that the same in this case may become inoperative and cease to have effect. And if so be that the survivor of them both happen to die unmarried, not having entered into wedlock a second time, and any children hereafter to be born of them in wedlock remain alive, then they shall all inherit alike, without reference to sex.

This the aforesaid testators declare to be their last will and testament, which they desire to have full force and effect, from the least to the most weighty article thereof, whether as will, codicil, donation, gift in anticipation of death or among the living, or any other bequest however it may be named, notwithstanding that certain laws or customs may otherwise direct, desiring the most favorable construction thereof for the maintenance of the aforesaid will. This being thus advisedly written at the desire of the testators, they have signed it with their own hands in presence of Mr. Jan Verbeeck and Jacob Abramz, as witnesses, to me, the notary, well known; datum ut supra. And they have requested me, the notary, to make two copies hereof of the same tenor, one to remain with the testators and the other with me, the notary, and they have mutually subscribed the same.

Arent Schuyler
Janneke Teller

PAGE IN PROGRESS


notes

Will dated March 24, 1685, perhaps probated May 23, 1701. Printed in Early Records of Albany, vol. 3 pp. 598-600. Some spelling, punctuation, and paragraphing supplied and adjusted for clarity. Some superfluous material has been removed.

Transformed from an online resource by SB.


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first posted 4/10/18