c 1727 Barbara Meyer, daughter of John Meyer and Mary Lenhardy, was born about 1727. [1] [2]
c 1746 Barbara Meyer married Henry Smith, a trustee of the Lutheran church in Hellam Twp, York County, Pennsylvania. [3] [4]
1765 Henry Smith purchased land from Jacob Zeigler on May 3, 1765. [5]
1775 Henry Smith dated his will on February 23, 1775 in Lebanon Twp. The will was proved on March 11. Jacob Meyer and Jacob Erb were named executors. No widow was mentioned in the will. [6] [7] [8] [9]
In the name of God Amen I Henry Smith of Hempfield Township in the County of Lancaster and Province of Pennsylvania Yeoman being old & weak of Body, but of perfect, sound and disposing mind memory and understanding, calling to mind the uncertainty of Human Life and that it is ordered for all men once to die do hereby make and declare this as my last Will and Testament recommending my immortal spirit in the hands of my Great Creator who gave it, and my Body to the Earth from whence it came, in hopes of a Glorious Resurrection through the merits of Jesus Christ my Redeemer - And as to my worldly Estate with which it hath pleased God to bless me, do Bequeath the same in manner following First I order that all my Just debts and Funeral Expences be paid and discharged by my Executors as soon as conveniently may be after my decease - Item I give and Bequeath unto my Son in Law Ulrich Seiler one English Shilling Sterling and no more - Item I give and Bequeath unto my Said Son in Laws daug Elizabeth (being a child of my deceased Daughter Mary Catharin) one Shilling Sterling and no more - Item I give and Bequeath unto my Son John Smith Thirty pounds Lawfull money of Pennsylvania as his full share out of all my Estate both Real & personal - Item I give and Bequeath unto my daughter Catharin (wife of Philip May thirty pounds Lawfull money aforesaid, as her full Share out of all my Estate both Real and personal - Item I give and Bequeath unto my two Sons Philip Smith and William Smith all my plantation or tract of Land whereon I now live in Said Hempfeild Town - ship in the County aforesaid adjoining the lands of Isaac While lock Frederick Betz John Kauffman Philip Lehn Jacob Getz and John Waggoner, Containing one hundred and Twenty five acres of Land and allowance which Said land I give to them the said Philip & William their Heirs and assigns for Ever. Together with all & singular my personal Estate of what name So ever but never the less that they my Said Sons, Philip and William Shall be under and Subject to pay the Legacy or sum of thirty pounds unto my Said Son John herein Bequeathed to him and likewise pay the hereby bequeathed thirty Pounds unto my said Daughter Catharine which Said Sums they Shall pay in Manner following Vizt the sum of fifteen Pounds unto my said daughter Catharin in one year after my decease, the Sum of fifteen Pounds unto my Son John in two years after my decease. The sum of fifteen Pounds unto my Said daughter Catharin in three years after my decease and the Remainder Sum of fifteen pounds unto my said Son John in four years after my decease and further that my Said Sons Philip and William their heirs and assigns Shall and must allow and permit me the said Henry Smith to live in the dwelling house on said Land during my life and also deliver unto me yearly and Every year during my life fifteen Bushels of Grain half wheat & half Rye, also one hundred pounds of porke and fifty pounds of Beef and (page 423) Six pounds of Cash Current. And lastly I do hereby nominate make and and appoint my Sons Philip Smith and William Smith Executors of this my last Will and Testament disanulling and making utterly void all former and other Wills by me heretofore made declaring this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and Seal the twenty fourth day of August A. Dom one thousand Seven hundred and Seventy two -
Signed Sealed published pronounced & declared by the Testator Henry Smith (seal)
as his last Will and Testament in the presence of us
Frederick Batz Bernardt Russting John LemanLancaster County ss. On the twentieth day of December Anno Domini 1783 Before me the Subscribed personally appeared John Leman one of the Subscribing Witnesses to the foregoing Will and on his Solemn affirmation did declare and Say that he was present and saw and heared Henry Smith the Testator in the forgoing Will named Sign Seal publish pronounce and declare the foregoing writing as and for his last Will and testa - ment and that at the doing thereof he was of sound and well disposing mind memory and understanding to the best of his Knowledge observation and Beleif James Jacks Regr
Lancaster County ssd on the 16th day of March Anno Domini 1784 Before me the Subscriber personally appeared Bernhardt Russing another of the Subscribing Witnesses to the foregoing Will and on his Solemn Affirmation did declare and say that he was present and saw and heared Henry Smith the Testator in the foregoing Will named Sign Seal publish pronounce and declare the foregoing writing as and for his last Will and Testament and that at the doing thereof he was of Sound and well disposing mind memory and understanding to the best of his Knowledge Observation and Belief. James Jacks Regr
Be it Remembered that on the twentieth day of December Anno Domini 1783 & on the Sixteenth day of March Anno Domini 1784 the last Will and Testament of Henry Smith late of Hempfeild Township in the County of Lancastor was proved in due form of Law and Letters Testamentary thereon were granted to Philip Smith and William Smith the Executors therein named they being first duly qualified well and truly to administer the Estate of the said deceased and Especially to Exhibit a true and perfect Inventory thereof into the Registers Office at Lancaster on or before the twentieth day of January next and also to Render a Just and full account of their administration on the said Estate within one Examd year or when thereunto Lawfully Required Given under the seal of the said Office ss me
James Jacks RegrRecorded & Examined of James Jacks Regr
1784 Land from the estate of Henry Smith was described in a deed between heirs John Smith and Philip Smith. [10]
[1] Jane Evans Best, "Meyer Families Update," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 21 (April, 1998), 31-36, at 33, family MC1335.
[2] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Meyer D 1335, [Website].
[3] Jane Evans Best, "Meyer Families Update," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 21 (April, 1998), 31-36, at 33, family MC1335.
[4] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Meyer D 1335, [Website].
[5] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed K-210, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[6] Pennsylvania, Will and Probate Records, Lancaster County, Will C-270, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[7] Pennsylvania, Will and Probate Records, Lancaster County, Will C-272, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[8] Jane Evans Best, "Meyer Families Update," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 21 (April, 1998), 31-36, at 33, family MC1335.
[9] Pennsylvania, Will and Probate Records, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[10] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Z-199, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].