Will of John Van Rensselaer - 1782

In the name of God Amen. I, John Van Rensselaer, Esquire, of Green Bush, Albany County, being weak in body.

All that part of my lands at Claverack; parcel of the lands conveyed to my father by my uncle, Killian Van Rensselaer, or otherwise acquired within the tract hereafter described, I separate from the rest to entail the same, to wit: beginning by a small creek called Wahankasick where it empties into Hudson’s River and northerly up the river to the mouth of Major Abraham’s or Kinderhook creek; thence into the woods ten miles; thence southerly as far as my right goes and thence to place of beginning; the same unto Richard Morris and Volkert P. Douw , Esquire, and their heirs during the life of my grandson, John Van Rensselaer, son of my deceased son Jeremiah, to the intent to support the contingent remainders in this my will after limited, so that the same may not be destroyed, but in trust to permit him to receive the rents and profits during his natural life. After his decease to go to the first son of the said John, lawfully issuing, born and unborn, and to the heirs male of the body of such first son lawfully issuing, for default of such issue, then to the second, third and every other son of the said John, successively and in remainder, the one after the other as they shall be in seniority and priority of birth, and the several and respective heirs male, sons of the eldest of such sons. Etc. In the case of all such issues male failing, and that my said grandson shall have a daughter at his death, the same to go to the said Richard Morris and Volckert P. Douw and their executors for the term of ninety-nine years next ensuring without impeachment of waste, in trust for raising by lease, mortgage or otherwise, in case of one daughter only, £1,000; if two are more daughters then $1,500 for such daughters, in equal share; payable at their respective age of twenty-one, or marriage. If any such daughter or daughters survivors to have the shares of them so dying; if all die in like estate, then the said sums shall not be raised, but if raised shall be paid to him to whom the freehold in the premises as hereinafter mentioned, shall be in trust for. In case said John shall leave no son or daughters, or if he shall have left a daughter or daughters, and either of said sums shall be raised, but if raised shall be paid to him to whom the freehold in the premises as hereinafter mentioned, shall be in trust for. In case said John shall leave no son or daughters, or if he shall have left a daughter or daughters, and either of said sums shall be raised, paid and satisfied then the said term of ninety-nine years shall be void; and then the premises to go to said Richard Morris and Volckert P. Douw, Esquires, during the life of my son Robert to support the continent remainders hereinafter mentioned; to entail in like manner to my son Robert and his issue;

Also, to my son Henry, and his issue make; and to my son James and his issue male; and to my daughter, Catherine Schuyler, and her issue male. The possessors of the freehold in the estate above devised, together with my other tenants, from time to time, shall annually pay to my wife during her widowhood, £250 in quarterly payments; the first installment within six weeks after my decease; the second, six months after, and then quarterly. If there is default of payment, then she is to enter into the lands so entailed, and the other tenanted lands and holds the same till she shall have received the arrears with interest at seven per cent. This bequest to be in lieu of dower.

Further unto her, all my wearing apparel, and one Negro, wench which she may choose, a Negro boy Robb, a chariot and a pair of horses and harness; a bedstead with a set of curtains and the time of our intermarriage or afterwards; Also, the liberty of living during her widowhood in my house and Greenbush.

Unto my son James, my house and ground in the First Ward of the City of Albany. My executors shall, out of my personal estate, build for his use on the old stand, a new brick house two story’s high.

The rest of my personal estate unto my sons, Robert, Henry, and James, and to my daughter, Catherine Schuyler, in equal shares. In as much as I have given to each of my children a Negro, I give to my son James, my Negro, Lewis; unto my aforesaid grandson John (son of Jeremiah), my Negro named Saratoga Jack, in the room of Tea, was returned to me. Unto my said grandson, all my farmer’s utensils belonging to my farm at Green Bush. The remainder of my personal estate (one sixth of all my linen excepted, which I give to my wife), unto my aforesaid children and my said grandson, in equal shares. I make my sons, Robert, Henry and James, and my daughter Catherine and my grandson John, executors.

PAGE IN PROGRESS


notes

Will dated July 29, 1782. Probated February 26, 1783. Printed in Abstract of Wills volume 36, pp. 87-90. Paragraphing supplied!

Transformed from an online resource by JP

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first posted 9/20/03; recast and revised 11/22/17