I Christian Merckel of or near Mussillie Creek in the County of Philadelphia In the Province of Pennsylvania, Yeoman, being at present in good Health and of Sound Mind and Memory, blessed be the Lord for the same, butt considering the uncertainty of this Transitory Life, Do therefore hereby make this my Last Will and Testiment in Manner following, That is to say and First of all I Recommend my Soul into the Hand of All mighty God, and my Body to the Earth to be buried in a Christianlike and decent Manner at the Discretion of my Executors herein after named. And as touching my worldly affairs and Estate wherewith the Lord has blessed mine Endeavours, I will and dispose of the same as follows, That is to say --- It is my Will and I give and devise unto my two Sons Peter Merckel and George Merckel (they paying the Legacies herein after mentioned) and their Heirs and Assigns, All and singular my Land and Estate both Real and oersonal whatsoever, To hold unto them the said Peter Merckel and George Merckel Share and Share alike in Equal Shares and portions and to their Heirs and Assigns forever.
Item It is my Will And I give unto my two other Sons Christian and Caspar Merckel That is to say unto Each of them the Sum of one hundred Pounds Lawfull Money of Pennsylvania to be paid unto Each of them the said Christian and Caspar, by the said Peter and George Merckel out of my Estate in Manner herein after mentioned.
Item It is my Will and I give and Bequeath unto Each of my five Daughters, Viz -- Catherine (Stover) Frankina (Rugh) Marie (Hill) Anne Maria (Cramer) and Anne Lena Merckell, The Sum of Forty Pound Lawfull Money of Pennsylvania Each, to be paid unto Each of them my said five Daughters, by the said Peter and George Merckel out of my Estate in manner herein after mentioned, That is to say, That they the said Peter and George Merckel shall within one year next after my Decease pay the Sum of Fifty Pound Currency above mentioned. The Legatees above named their heirs Executors, Administrators or assigns, and so yearly in Every year next after pay the like Sum of Fifty Pound toward discharging all the above stated Legacies untill the same and Every part thereof are fully paid off, Yet so that they My said two Sons Peter and George shall and may deduct and discount so much of any of the aforesaid Legacies, as at the time of my Decease -- shall appear to have at any time before been paid by the said Peter and George, unto my other two Sons Christian and Caspar, or unto my said five Daughters or unto any of them as part of their said respective Legacies or Share in my Estate, And I do hereby Nominate and appoint my said two Sons Peter Merckel and George Merckel to be the only Executors of this my Last Will and Testament hereby Enjoining my said Executors to pay and discharge all my just Debts and funerall Expences, And I Do hereby revoke any other Wills and Testaments by me at any time heretofore made hereby ratifying and declaring this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and Seal the twenty fifth Day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and forty Nine -----
Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania. The twenty second Day of May in the Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty six, Personally appeared Peter Reiff one of the Witnesses to the aforewritten Will and being solomly sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God did depose and say, on his Oath, that he saw and heard Christian Merckel the Testator therein Named Sign Seal Publish Pronounce and declare the same to be his Last Will and Testament and that at the Time of doing thereof he was of Sound Mind Memory and understanding as he verily believes. And further that the name of said Deponent in German Characters, thereto subscribed, was by him subscribed as a Witness thereto, and also