Estate Files

In the Name of God amen. I Henry Berger in Bethel Township Berks County and State of Pennsylvania Farmer being at present old and infirm in Body but thanks to God of sound Mind and having taken into Consideration the Mortality of my Body and knowing that it is decreed that all Men shall once die do therefore make and ordain this as my last Will & Testament. That is to say First I recommend my Soul into the Hands of God who gave it to me hoping a Joyful Resurrection through the Merits of my Savior Jesus Christ and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like Manner, and concerning my Wordly Estate with which it has pleased God it bless me in this Life I give and bequeath it as follows.

First It is my Will and I do ordain that my Just Debts and funeral Charges be paid as soon as possible after my Decease.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Rosina Berger yearly as long as she lives Twelve Bushels of Wheat Three Bushels of Rye, and this grain must be taken to the Mill and the Meal & Bran must be fetched again and brought to the House where she lives. The wood which she may want for baking must be cut and carried to the Bake Oven and a fat Hog which is to weigh One hundred fifty Pounds shall be cleaned and emboweled. the Bowels to belong to her and forty pounds of Beef and this must be well salted by Peter Berger with his own Salt, and the half of the Kitchen Garden which must be manured & ploughed as his own and seven Bushels of Potatoes and the Right to fetch Apples for her own Use from any part of the Orchard and my fetch or cause to be fetched Cyder whenever she pleases from the Casks out of which he draws and the Priveledge to go to every part of the House Cellar and Spring House – and Twelve Pounds of hatcheld Flax and Twelve Pounds of Tow and four Pounds of wool and to keep a Cow with his Cattle winter & Summer and where his own Cows go, and if he does not feed the Cow well she has a Right to take another whichever she pleases in Spring every Year half a Bushel of fine Salt and three Gallons of Whiskey and every Fall a (fat meaning full) Bee Hive and a new pair of Shoes and a pair to be soled and eight pounds of Tallow for Candles and a Quarter of a Pound of Pepper & Allspice and a Quarter of Ginger and to have her Cloth woven free. And if she goes upon a Visit to take Care of her Things as if his own, and to pay her attention (or nurse her) or cause it to be done in every Respect when it may be necessary and if he should be too hard towards her so that she can not stay with him She may go to another and he must bring her every Thing before mentioned to her Dwelling Yearly and fire wood he must give and cut for her for her use as much as she may want.
I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Rosina Berger Three Chests with all the contents and a Kitchen CupBoard (or Dresser) with all that is in and upon it belonging to us—And two Beds that belong to us and Iron pots and to say the whole Household furniture which we have now in use And all the Money that is here in Cash or in Bonds & notes This all she shall have to her use as long as she lives and after her Death the Remainder shall be divided amongst my Children in equal Shares—with this Condition nevertheless that should she marry again she shall have nothing else or take nothing with her but her Cloaths. This is my will & Testament.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my beloved Son Henry Berger forty Shillings first & foremost. This is my will & Testament

Item. I give and Bequeath unto my beloved Son Peter Berger my Plantation situate in Bethel Township Berks County where I now live there are not quite Two hundred Acres with all the Appurtenances Buildings Water & Water Courses (or Rights) and wood together with all the personal Estate except what is bequeathed to the Mother to him and his Heirs for ever upon the Condition that he pays his Geschwister (this means his Brothers and Sisters but might be meant for Sisters only. Jno. Spayd) four hundred and fifty Pounds Gold or Silver Money as is now current in Pennsylvania viz& to his Sister Elizabeth Faustin One hundred and fifty pounds Good money but of those hundred and fifty Pounds Eight and twenty Pounds shall fall back to Peter Berger which he (meaning Foust) owes me and those eight and twenty Pounds I give to Peter Berger and after my Decease the said Peter Berger shall pay to his Sister Catharine Ponzius the sum of Twenty five Pounds upon the first of May next, but I authorize my Son Peter Berger to deduct the Book Debt from the first Payment. Next May afterwards he shall pay to his Sister Rosina Kriechbaumin the Sum of Twenty five Pounds and the May following that to his Sister Elizabeth Faustin and so on until they are paid –viz& every Year a Bond- This is my will & Testament.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my beloved Son Peter a Bond of Sixty Pounds in Money this is my will & Testament.

Item. And lastly I name and constitute Peter Berger & Henry Berger Executors of this my last will & Testament and hereby make void all other Testaments by me heretofore made and confirm this and no other as my last will & Testament. In Testimony whereof - I Henry Berger Senior have signed this with my own Hand and confirmed it with my Seal the 17th Day of December in the Year of our Lord One Thousand seven hundred & ninety two.

Signed Sealed and published by the Henry HB Berger
said Henry Berger Senior as his will his mark
& Testament in Presence of us—

George Berger translated by Jno Spayd
George Poncius