Will of John Frederick Pontius

 

Submitted by Merritt Woznick (sent to her by Joni L. Pontius)

 

 

Will of John Frederick Pontius, b. 1766 in Berks, PA, died 1814 in Seneca, NY.  John married Catherine.  Children include: George, John, Samuel, Jonathan; Catherine (m. Henry Keeler), Peggy (m. her cousin, George W. Pontius), and Mary (m. Henry Moger).

 

Transcription:

 

"In The Name of God amen I John Puntius of the Town of Fayette Seneca County and State of New York being in weak in Body but of Sound and Perfect mind and memory Blessed be almighty God for the Same, do Make

and Publish this my Last will and Testament in manner Following. that is to Say, first I Give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Catharine Puntius a Room in the House we Live in sold (?) as She remains my widow and also one thirt of the Garden North of the House we Now Live in, I also give and bequeath unto my beloved wife sixteen bushels of Wheat twenty Dollars in money Every Year as Long as She is a Life, also three Bushels of Buckwheat three Bushels of Corn, and fifteen Pounds of flax and Six Pounds of wool, and Six Pounds of Coffee yearly and Every Year as Long as She Long as She Liveth the money is to be paid Yearly of Follows,

 

"-George Puntius my Eldest Son is to Pay five Dollars and four Bushels of wheat, & my Second Son John Puntius is to Pay five Dollars & four bushels of wheat & Samuel Puntius my thirt son is to Pay five Dollars & four (?)  bushels of wheat, and my youngest son Jonathan Puntius is to Pay five Dollars and four bushels of wheat, to be Paid to their Mother Yearly in one Year after my Death, and so the above mentioned five Dollars & four bushels of Wheat Each as Long as She is alife, the Corn & Buckwheat and flax wool & Coffe above mentioned my Eldest Son Georg Puntius is to Pay to his Mother yearly and as much Salt as She may want for her own use and a sufficient quantite of fire wood and one Pair of New Shoes yearly and the use of Six apple trees Such as She will make jam of in the orchet, Yearly,  I also Give and bequeath unto my beloved wife one Cow, and to have the Cow Kep in pasture on the farm and well Kep through the winter as Long as She Remains my widow I also Give and bequeath unto my Eldest Son George Puntius fifty acres of Land of the North End of one hundred acres of Land being part of Lot Number twentynine in the township of Fayette together with the House and Barn, and the improvement thereon I also Give and bequeath unto my Son George Puntius one waggon one Set of plow Irons one Harrow and a windmill and one ox Chain, George Puntius is to pay to the Heirs that Gits No Land fouor hundred & twenty Dollars hereinafter mentioned, I also Give and bequeath unto my Second Son John Puntius fifty acres of Land of the North End of one hundred acres in the township of Fayette being part of Lot number fortytwo as it is Now Divided and my Son John Puntius, is to Pay the Heirs four hundred & twenty Dollars in manner following I Also Give and bequeath unto my Son Samuel Puntius fifty acres of the South End of the Said hundred acres Devided between John & Samuel Puntius Samuel Puntiuis is to pay four hundred & twenty Dollars hereinafter mentioned. I also Give and bequeath unto my Youngest Son Jonathan Puntius fifty acres of Land of the South End of one hundred acres Devided between George & Jonathan Puntius and Jonathan is to Pay four hundred Dollars in manner following. I also Give and bequeath unto my Eldest Daughter Catharine Keeler wife of Henry Keeleer five hundred and thirty three Dollars & thirty three Cents to be paid by my sons hereinafter mentioned I also Give and bequeath unto my Second Daughter Peggy Puntius wife of George Puntius five hundred and thirty three Dollars and thirty three Cents I also Give and bequeath unto my Youngest Daughter Mary mouger wife of henry Mogers five hundred and thirty three Dollars & thirty three Cents., I also Give and bequeath unto my Grantson John Bachman Son of my Elder Daughter Sixty Dollars to be paid. by George John & Samuel Puntius When Said John Bachman Comes of age, - in one Year after my Death George Puntius my Elder son & John Puntius my Second Son is to pay seventyfive Dollars Each thatisone Hundred and fifty Dollars between the two, to be paid to my three Daughters that is to Cathrine fifty Dollars, & to Peggy Puntius fifty Dollars, * Mary Mouger fifty Dollars in one Year after my Death, and then two Years …

 

"I do appoint my Eldest Son George Puntius and my Second Son John Puntius. Executors of this my Last will and Testament Hereby Revoking all former wills and Testaments by me made in witness Whereof I have here Set my hand and Seal this twentyfirst Day of March in the Year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and fourteen- John Puntius (his mark) witnessed by Ludwig Moffat? and John Hoster."

 

 

The odd spellings are all intentional, and appear thusly in the original.  The personal estate was appraised and inventoried on November 22, 1814 by John Hoster and George Pontiius Junior. There was quite a supply of Georges there, at least three.

 

from Joni L. Pontius  - July, 2000

 

(paragraphs have been added by the webmaster to aid in readability and did not necessarily appear in the original.)