In the name of God Amen. I Michael Rider, Snr of Londonderry Township Dauphin County, and State of Pennsylvania Being in Health of Body and of Sound mind, Memory, and understanding, Blessed be God for his mercies, and Calling to mind the Mortality of my Body and that it is appointed for All Men once to die I do make and ordain this to be my last Will and testament in manner and form following, first and principally I do give and recommend my Soul into the Hands of Almighty God who gave it, and My Body to the Dust to be Buried in decent Christian burial at the Discretion of My Executors, nothing Doubting but to Receive the Same again at the General Resurrection by the Mighty power of God, and as to such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased the Lord to Bless me with in this life I do give and Bequeath as follows.
ITEM I do Give and Demise unto my Beloved wife Magdalena for her settled abode after my Decease all that Dwelling house and Garden on the Land that my Son John Rider Bought of John Landis at Springcreek in said Township together with the Stable for three Creatures and a hogstable for which I have contracted with my said son John, and also that acre of plowland which is to be Inclosed by my said Son John for her use, and my said Son John shall plough and dung the same, and the Garden for her use, when Demanded for and during her Natural life, twelve Bushels of Good wheat, twelve Bushels of Rye, twelve Bushels of good Indian corn, Two tons of Good hay, to be put on her stable. One Barrel of Good Cider (if any is made) and sow one quarter of an acre with flaxseed for her and haul sufficient firewood to her house, and have it Ready cut for her use at all times, and my said Son John shall keep my wife's creatures in the pasture fields with his own, and shall give her a horse Creature to Ride where she pleases, and my wife shall have full privilege in the Springhouse and also to take as many apples, peaches and pears for Eating and drying as She wants for her own use, and I do Give Demise and Bequeath unto my said Wife all and singular my household and kitchen furniture and also my cows and swine of which I may or shall be possessed at my death for her proper use during her natural life and I do bequeath unto my said wife the Interest of four hundred pounds yearly. and I do order that the sum of four hundred pounds out of Estate shall be kept in the hands of my Executors for that purpose During her natural life, and it is my will that the said devises and Bequests made to my said wife shall be in Lieu of her Dower or third part of my Whole Estate.
ITEM I do give and Bequeath unto my three Sons Michael, John and George unto each, the just and full sum of Money which I have allowed to Each of them and which Each of them hath received by retaining the same of and from their first payment of the purchase money for the Lands which I have Conveyed unto Each of them, and which said sums of money shall be in Lieu and full satisfaction for their proper Shares or parts out of the whole estate.
ITEM it is my will that when my son David Rider shall have fully paid of Whenever he shall give sufficient security for the faithful discharge of the yearly payments as the same shall come due on the land on which he now Resides, situate in West Hanover Township and County of Dauphin aforesaid which I have Designed for him at and for the sum of Fifteen Hundred and Seventy-eight pounds and out of which I have allowed him four hundred pounds out of the first payment as a part of his Share out of my Estate. My Executors shall Deliver him the Deed of Conveyance which I have prepared for him if he gives the Security aforesaid.
ITEM it is my will that the Remainder of my Estate not herein before Bequeathed including monies arising from the sale of lands to my three sons viz: Michael, John and George and the four hundred pounds which I have allowed to my Son David in his first payment and all my Estate whatsoever not herein before Bequeathed shall be equally divided amongst my eight children to wit: Jacob Rider, Adam Rider, David Rider, Henry Rider, Magdalena intermarried with John Shartel, Elizabeth, who was the wife of Jacob Keefer but now deceased, Susanna the wife of George Hoover and Catherine the widdow of Michael Ober dec'd Share and Share alike to them and their Lawful heirs. But all such sums of money which I have Guven to each of my Said Eight children and have entered the same in a book for that purpose shall stand Against each of them as a part of their Respective Shares, and I do hereby empower as my said soninlaw Jacob Keefer to receive his said wife's Legacy for the use of her Children, and that he shall hereby have power to Release for the same, and it is my will that if after my Death my wife should choos to live with either of her daughters she shall have the privilege to Rent away her house, Garden, stables, plowland, firewood and Hay together with all those contracted articles and privileges devised to her which my son John is to Give, deliver and allow unto her, and give the rent thereof to the one with whom She shall then live.
ITEM it is further my will that all my Household and kitchen furniture and Creatures, demised hereby to my said wife which shall Remain after her Death, shall be sold, with all Effects whatsoever, together with the four hundred pounds left on Interest for my said Wife, and the whole amount shall be equally divided amongst my Said Eight Children last mentioned to them and their lawful heirs, and it is my will that each and every Legacy, by me herein Bequeathed to each and Everyone of my said Children shall be to Each of them and their lawful heirs. And it is further my will that if any of my said Children should bring any Lawsuit whatsoever for any part of my Estate, such so doing shall Receive no more than the sum of five pounds out of all my Estate and lastly I do nominate and appoint my two sonsinlaw, John Shartel and George Hoover to be the Executors of this my Last will and Testament and I do hereby Revoke and disannul all former wills and Testaments by me in any wise formerly made, and I do Declare this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the Twelfth day of February in the year of OUR LORD Eighteen Hundred and Sixteen.