Joseph Harper's Will

28

Common Pleas At a special court opened the thirty first
day of August Anno Domini One Thousand Eight Hundred five —
Present Aaron Wheeler, Calvin Austin, and John Walworth Judges
Called at the request of the Widow Harper, and heirs of Joseph Harper
deceased late of Richfield Trumbull County and State of Ohio deceas’d _
Will of the said Joseph Harper exhibited to the said Court which said will
proven by William McFarlain and Ezra Greogory as the law directs - as and
for the last will and Testament of the deceas’d —
Will of Joseph Harper late of Richfield Trumbull County
and State of Ohio
In the name of God Amen Sixteenth day
of July in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and four Joseph
Harper of Richfield in Trumbull County and State of Ohio being weak of
body but by the Goodneƒs of God, of sound mind and memory, calling to mind the
mortality of the body and knowing that it is appointed to man once do die Do make
and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner following that is to say
First I do resign my body to the dust to be decently buried at the discrecsion of my
Executors in hopes of a Glorious Resurection through the merits of Jesus Christ at the
last day and I resign up my soul to God who gave it. Improvements I do give
and bequeath to my beloved Wife Catherean Lot one hundred and fifteen
Containing one hundred and twelve acres and half in the eleventh Town and
fifth Range. Also two cows and six sheep with all the household furniture
to her own proper use and her own heirs and aƒsigns forever Also the use of all the improved
land that are made on Lotts Number fifty six and Seventy-one from this so long as she
continues my widow and no longer: Also I do give and bequeath to my son Joseph Lott
Eighty seven containing one hundred Acres – and one yoke of Oxen, Also to my son John
one

 29
Will of Joseph Harper late of Richfield ye Continued
one lott of land Number seventy one Containing one hundred Acres Also my son Montgomery
lott Number fifty six containing one hundred Acres Also my son Joshua lott Number seventeen
containing one hundred Acres Also my son Alexander lott Number one hundred and four
Containing one hundred Acres of land Also my Daughter Margaret lott number one hundred
and thirty eight Containing one hundred Acres of land Also my daughter Agens lott
one hundred and sixteen Containing one hundred Acres of land Also my daughter Mary
Lott Number one hundred and fourty Containing one hundred Acres of land. Lotts Number twenty
three and lott Number four to be sold by my Executors to pay my debts and if their should
be a remainder the said remainder to be applied in Schooling the youngest Children
and I bequeath unto my Wife and the above named children all my Lands in Townships num
and eight in the second range
ber Nine in the third Range ^ to be equally divided between them and their heirs or aƒigns for
ever Also all my money that is on hand or that is due on bond notes or otherwise to be divided as
above after paying debts and Schooling the youngest Children Also all the chattels is not
willed to my Wife and my son Joseph is to be equally divided between the Children Lastly
I do Constitute and appoint my trusty and well beloved friends Ebenezer and William Hewins
both of the County of Trumbull and town of richfield my only and Sole Executors of this my Last–
Will and testament and I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke and diƒannul all and every other
will testament and bequeath and legacy rectifying and confirming this and no other to be my
last will and testament. in witneƒs whreof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the
day and year first above written and in the twentyeighth year of our Independance —
Joseph Harper S.S.
The words “eleventh” in the fifteenth line and the words “lott Number” )
in the thirty third line being underlined before the sealing }
of the said will ____ _____ ____ ___ __ _ _____ ___ _ _ _ )
William McFarland
Ezra Gregory
Benjamin Morƒe
State of Ohio Trumbull Connty
This may certify that whereas we Ebanazer Hewins and
William Hewins the subscribers being appointed Executors in the last Will and testament
of Joseph Harper late of Richfield Deceas’d Do hereby signify and make known our –
determination not to act as Executors on said Will or to do any thing in the premises and
do for ever resign all the power Granted to us by said Will. In Witneƒs whereof we
hereunto set our hands this 29th day of August 1805. Ebenezer Hewins
William Hewins
Witneƒs
Benjamin Morƒe
Marian Morƒe Trumbull County ƒs – Personally came before me this
29th day of August 1805 Ebenezer Hewins and William Hewins
signors of the above Instrument and acknowledged the same to be their free act and deed
Benjamin Morƒe Justice
Richfield 29th August 1805
This may Certify that the Subƒcriber the Widow of the late Joseph Harper deceased
and whereas the Executors named in the last Will of the said Joseph Do refuse serving
by which the right of administering doth belong to me now this may further certify
that I relenquish my said right of administration, and request that Testamentory Letters
may be granted to our kindsman James A. Harper in whom we Confide.
Witneƒs Catherine Harper
Aaron Wheeler

 

 Miscellaneous Notes
In a meeting with Emily Varner (Trumbull County Archivist) on Dec. 3, 2003 I have
recorded the following notes.
Indentures - Emily has seen these on Land Transactions also. She has assumed that
they were used as an interim document before the deed was recorded.
S.S. State Seal or Signature Seal
Section is often used in the place of Lot
Only Marriage Licenses are real signatures in the recorders office. The documents
written in the books are transcribed by the recorder and signatures are his.
George in the Trumbull County Law library is a good source.
In Ashtabula, Troy Bailey was the President of the Genealogical Society in the
Public Library where the County placed the old documents and microfilm. Emily claims
that he was a good person to work with.
Lot numbers often went from the bottom right of a section to bottom left then next row
up from right to left again. This however was certainly not always the case The Wills in
the book are all transcribed.
The person who was the first recorder was George Parson. He held the position for
possibly 75 years according to Emily.