Will of James Hunt A.k.a. Reverend James Hunt

signed 19 December 1785;  proved 28 December 1795

In the name of God Amen:  I James Hunt of Montgomery County and State of Maryland being in a good State of health thru the goodness of God and of sound disposing mind  memory and judgment  but calling to mind my mortality and the uncertainty of human life do make and constitute this my last will and testament in manner and form following that is to say first and chiefly I commend my body to God who gave it whenever it shall please him in his infinite wisdom to call me hence by death  trusting in his mercy that he will raise the same to eternal rest thro my redeemer Jesus Christ on whose merits I depend for eternal life and my mortal body I yield to the dust to be buried in a decent manner by my executors after named in the great ally in the church near Bladensburg near to the door of the square inclosing the pulpit  my grave to be covered with a marble slab with a plain inscription shewing my age  time of my birth &  death & with a short epitaph__admitting there the faithfulness of God I shall receive the same [--?--] the last day raised from the dead to die no more.  And as to the earthly good things with which it has pleased God in his providence to bless me  I dispose of them in the following manner  First I will that my funeral expenses & all my lawful just debts be paid & these Items I give and bequeath to my two sons James Hunt & William Pitt Hunt all and singular my goods  lands and tenements in Montgomery County State of Maryland being a small parcel or part or parcel of land called Brothers Industry lying on the [dividing?] line of said tract and also my Dwelling plantation being a resurvey on part Brothers Industry & part Hopsons choice & on Magruders industry now called Tusculum and also a tract of land in the branches of Catawbo Creek Hallafax County in the Commonwealth of Virginia and all and singular the land or lands I may be possessed of at the time of my death in these or any other parts of the world, to be equally divided between them  to them and their heirs forever. 

Item  I give and bequeath to my son James Hunt a negro man Thomas Bladen & a negro man named Tom Miner and my negro woman named Peg & 4 negro girls vizt:  Lucy, Sarah, Mille & Flora, and one negro boy named James, a silver porringer and my walnut desk 

Item.  I give and bequeath to my son William Pitt Hunt my negro man Jack & negro woman [Jean? Jesi?], negro woman Phillis also four negro girls vizt:  Judah, Rachel, Henne & Easter, also my negro boy George and a Walnut desk and my silver half pint [case?].  Item  I will that all the residue of my furniture  my books  globes  philisophical instruments, stock of horses, Cattle sheep & hogs and every other article or thing pertaining to my personal estate or in any wise pertaining to me of what Kind or nature soever whether real or personal to be divided between my two sons James Hunt & William P Hunt above named. 

Item I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Ruth Hunt my chair & chair horse to her & her heirs forever.  Also it is my will and I do bequeath to my beloved wife Ruth Hunt the full free and uninterrupted possession & use of all and singular my lands above described as also of all my negroes goods & chattels during her natural life at which period vizt:  at her death to pass to my sons as above bequeathed with all & singular the increase thereof provided nevertheless my beloved wife do not sell or otherwise alienate any part of said estate but retain it in her proper personal use for the express purpose of her personal support during her natural life & this I also intend in lieu of her dower ~ provided also if she can share any part or parcel of the estate and shall choose to do so she may relinquish such part to my sons in her lifetime he or they giving her a receipt and discharge for the same, provided also that she pay & discharge any necessary expenses that may arise in finishing the education of my son William Pitt and his apprentice fee.  Committing my dear household to the protection of Kind Providence recommending them to the favor of a good God whom I serve in the gospel  I appoint my loving wife Ruth Hunt executrix and my son James Hunt & my son William Pitt Hunt executors of this my will & finally hereby revoking & disanulling all other will or wills by me heretofore made.  I do constitute, appoint ordain & declare this to be my last and only will & testament.  In witness whereof I  hereunto set my hand and affix my seal, this nineteenth day of December one thousand Seven hundred and eighty five

James Hunt   {Seal}

Signed Sealed and declared in the presence of us under written who witnessed the same at the request of the testator in his presence & in the presence of each other.

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Montgomery County to wit:  28^th December 1795  Came John Wallace one of the subscribing witnesses to the within last will and testament of James Hunt late of Said county deceased and made oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God that he did see the testator therein named sign and seal this will and that he heard him publish pronounce and declare the same to be his last will and testament, that at the time of his so doing he was to the best of his apprehension of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding and that he together with Patrick Magruder, John Wallace Douglass & Robert Douglass the other three subscribing witnesses thereto subscribed their names as witnesses to this will in the presence of the testator at his request & in the presence of each other.  Certified by Saml Turner   Register         

Transcribed by William M. Hunt from xerographic copy received from Register of Wills, Montgomery County, Maryland,  Liber C  folio 222

Notes: