In the name of God Amen I Henry Groothouse of Heidleburg in the County of Lancaster in the Province of Pennsylvania Yeoman being very sick and weak of Body but of perfect mind and memory Thanks be given unto God therefore calling unto mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed once for all men to die Do make and ordain this my last will and Testament Touching such worldly Estate whereof I am in anyways Seized or possessed off Imp'es It is my Will that all my just debts and ffuneral Charges be first paid

Item I give unto my dear and well beloved wife Ann in Lieu of her Dower the sum of six pounds a year to be paid to her yearly during her life and during, (a line has been left out of the text), the Same Six acres of Land Situate in Springfield in the County of Philadelphia part of the Lands lately devised me by my ffather Herman Groothouse in any place that there is water John Groothouse and Wiccard Millar part of my Executors herein named shall see convenient also a Logg House to be built by the said John Groothouse and Wiccard Miller on the said six acres for her to live in

Item It's my will that all my Real and Personal Estate w'ch I'm anyways seized or possessed of in the said County of Lancaster be sold by John Orts Micheal Shower and John Van housen part of my Executors herein after named whom I hereby Impower to sell the same and to convey the former It being about one hundred and sixty acres of Land Land, (repeat in text), with the appurtenances situate in Heidleburg as afores'd to the purchaser or purchasers his her their Heirs and Assigns for Ever

Item It is my will that all the Lands situate in Springfield in the County of Philadelphia (the six acres above devised to my wife Excepted) which my ffather Hermand Groothouse Lately gave bequeathed or devised me by his last will and Testament with the app'es be sold by John Groothouse and Wiccard Miller part of my Exec'es herein after named whom I hereby empower to sell and convey the same to the purchaser or purchasers thereof his her or their Heirs and Assigns for Ever

Item I give and bequeath the Money arising from the said Real and Personal Estate in Lancaster County and the said Lands in Philadelphia County over and above the payment of my just Debts and the sum of one hundred pounds I hereby direct my Exec'es to put out to Interest and the Interest therefrom annually to pay unto my said wife during her life for and to defray the annuity herein before bequeathed her unto my Ten Children (CC) Hermand Magdalene Jacob Peter Mary Christian Katherine Elizabeth Susanna and John equally to be divided amongst them and the part of such are of full age to be paid in a Convenient Time after my decease and of the rest as they shall respectively arrive at the age of twenty one years or Marry which shall first happen and if any of my said Children should Dye Before the age of Twenty one years or Marriage then in such case it is my Will that the share of him or her or them so Dying shall be Equally divided Amongst the Surviving Children

Item It's my will that my Son Harmand have all my Smith's Tools and Utinsils which he now uses he paying therefore the Sum of Ten Pounds Thirteen Shillings and Six pence

Item I give and Bequeath after my said wife's decease unto my Ten Children or such of them as shall be then living the Six acres of Land above devised to my said wife during her life with the Improvements then thereon and the one hundred Pounds above Directed To be put out to Interest during her life and all other of my personal Estate whatsoever not herein before bequeathed to be equally Divided amongst them

AND LASTLY I constitute make and ordain John Orts Micheal Shower John Vanhousen John Groothouse and Wiccard Miller Executors of this my Last Will and Testament and I hereby utterly disallow Revoke and disannuall all and every other Testaments Wills Legacies and Executors by me in anywise before this Time Named will'd and bequeathed Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament In Witness thereof I have here unto Set my Hand and Seal this third day of January in the year of our Lord One Thousand and Seven Hundred and Forty four/5

Henry Groothouse {Seal}.

Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said Henry Groothouse as his Last Will and Testament the words (during the same It being about one hundred and Sixty acres of Land with the appurt'es Situate in Heidleburg af'd Ort being first underlined) in the presence of

John Barge Thos York Jacob Gans ————

Philad'a ffeb 28, 1744 Then personally appeared John Barge Thomas Yorke and Jacob Gans the witnesses to the foregoing Will and upon their oath did declare they saw and heard Henry Groothouse the Testator therein named Sign Seal Publish and declare the same will to be his Last Will and Testament and that at the doing thereof he was of Sound Mind Memory and Understanding to the best of their knowledge ———— Cordm

Pet Evans Reg'r Gen'l

Be it Remembered that on the 28'd ffeb 1744 the Last Will and Testament of Henry Groothouse dec'd was proved in due form of Law and Probate and Lr'es Testamentary were granted to John Groothouse and Wiccard Miller Executors in the said Testament named being first Legally Sworn Well and truly to administer the said Deced'es Estate and to bring an inventory thereof into the Reg'r Gen'l's office at Philad'a at or before the 23d day of March next and render a true Acco't when thereunto Lawfully required Given under the Seal of the said office

& Pet Evans Reg'r Gen'l

Footnotes:

1) Jacob Greathouse whom was named as a son/heir in his father, Henry Greathouse's will, married Christian Van Huse [Vanhousen/Vanhooser], daughter of John Vanhousen, one of the executors of Henry Greathouse's will, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lancaster County, PA, on 12 Aug 1749.

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