The Last Will and Testament of Frederik Gottman, dated 7 April 1788, was contributed his 5x great-granddaughter, Nancy Talleur. Nancy transcribed the handwriting exactly, maintaining early handwriting conventions.


LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF FREDERIK GOTTMAN, April 7, 1788
Montgomery County Surrogate's Court


LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF FREDERIK GOTTMAN

In the name of God Amen. J (sic) Frederik Gottman of German Flatts District in the County of Montgomery and State of Newyork (sic) farmer, being Week (sic) in Body, but of Sound Memorie and understanding blessed be God do this 7th Day of Aprill (sic) in the year of ouer (sic) Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred & Eighty Eight make and publish this my last Will and Testament in the Manner following, that is to say, first (sic) Give and bequeath unto my son Peter Gottman five Pounds New york Currency for his birth Right, to be payed (sic) out of the personal Estate, Second j give and bequeath unto my Three Sons Viz Peter Gottman, Conrad Gottman and Johannes Gottman and their Heirs all my Real Estate wich (sic) have now in pofsefsion (sic), being two Hunderd (sic) acres one hunderd of them is Called and Knowen (sic) by the Name of Lott No. One on the South Side of the Mohawk River in a pattent (sic) granted to Jost Petry and others, the Second Hunderd acres, am pofsefsed (sic) of adjoining this my Lott, is leafed (sic) to me by the Trustees of ouer Church on Saide Side, and pays yearly and every year three pounds Newyork Currency to the overSeers of the Church, with Saide Rent and Quitt Rent of the first mentioned Hunderd acres of land shall be payed by them three of United Brothers, my Sons as Peter Conrad and Johannes Gottman in Equal Shares further this is my Abfolute (sic) Will that the Waygon (sic), Harrow, Plough Slay and Giers (sic) belonging there unto Shall remain unto them and their Heirs to pfarm (sic) The orchard shall be Divided amongst them three, Except two trees Wich shall be referved (sic) for the only ufe (sic) and benefit on my Beloved wife Anna Margaretha if she should happen to become my widow and she Shall nominate them as for her ufe, and the Barn shall be for the ufe of All Three as long as they can put thier (sic) Grain in and By or with the help of Barraks, but if it should happen that it would not do for them all three, So that the Barn would be too Smal (sic) and the place not convenient then the Barn with the ufual (sic) place shall belong to Conrad and Johannes Gottman and the Last mentioned Conrad and Johannes shall help to Build an other for Peter Gottman and bear like expenses, further j give and Bequeath unto my son Frederick Gottman One Hunderd acres of Land out of a Pattent Granted to Rudolph Staly (1) and others, further j give and bequeath unto my Daughters Viz Catharina Weber, Wife of Georg Weber, Maria Vols Wife of Melger Vols Margaretha Skinner, Wife of Gersiphon Skinner, each of them the Sume (sic) of fifteen pounds good and lawfull (sic) Monney (sic) of the State of Newyork, to be payd (sic) by my Three Sons Peter, Conrad and Johannes Gottman as following that is to say two year after my Deceafe (sic) they shall pay to Catharina Weber Maria Vols and Margareth (sic) Skinner the Sume of Nine Pounds, that is to say the Sume of Three pounds to Each and So yearly and every year hereafter untill (sic) payd to the amount of fivteen (sic) pound to Each of my Daughters: further the Timber Boards and Shingles wich have been Determined to Build a Dwelling Houfe (sic) shall be for the ufe of Conrad and Johannes to set it on The old place where the former houfe has been on; further it is my Abfolute (sic) will that my three sons Peter, Conrad and Johannes Shall give Yearly and every year to my beloved Wife during the Time She remains my Widow Anna Margaretha Gottman twelf (sic) Shippel of Good Wheat, three Shippel Of Indian Corn one fat Hog of one Hunderd Pound, one and a half pound of Tea twenty Pound of Suygar (sic) one half a pound of peper (sic) one half A pound of allfpice (sic) two gallons of Rum one half a Shippel of Salt And their Shoes and Stokings (sic) nesefsary (sic) for her ufe. Further She shall have the choife (sic) of one Cow amongst all them and two sheep, with two last articles as the Cow & the two Sheep, shall be keept (sic), by my three sons Conrad, Peter and Johannes in pasture and winter feed, but if they so mantain (sic) this my beloved wife in all things as becoming my Widow then they are to give nothing during her stay with them, and she shall have Liberty to go and Live with any of my Childern (sic), but in cafe (sic) of Siknefs (sic) they shall provide if with them Such Necefsaries (sic) as the prefent (sic) Necefsity (sic) calls for and Then further the best of the Horfes (sic) (2) shall be with the Cows, Hogs Sheep and fowls Divided share and share alike amongst all my childern, but the refidue (sic) of all my perfonal (sic) Estate shall Remain together untill the Death or remarriage of my beloved wife and shall be with them for his or their ufe where she lives with, but after her Death or remarriage this Effects shall be divided in Equal Shares amongst all my Childern and my beloved wife anna margaretha (sic) shall have the ufe of the bed; as part of the bed belongs to her she is at liberty dispofe (sic) of and like wife (sic) (3) of two Hoggs here she pleafes (sic) and the rest all belonging to my childern. And j do ordain and make for this my Last will and Testament Frederick Frank and Johannes Mayer, to take care and see the Same performed according to my true intent and meaning in witnefs (sic) whereof the Saide Frederck Gottman have to this my last will and Testament Set my Hand and Seal the Day and year first above Written Signed Sealed and Delivered by the Saide Frederick Gottman as and for his last will and Testament in the Prefence (sic) of us who where (sic) prefent (sic) at the Signing and Sealing

Wherof on the twenty first line wich is not determined for the plough and belonging to the Land as above mentioned have been read Before Signing and Sealing

Wittnefses.

(Signed) Wm Petry
(Signed) Connrad J. Foltz
(Signed) Andreas Peiffer
       his
(Signed) Frederik  X  Gottman
       mark


Copied by Nancy Richardson Talleur on 28 December 1998 from the original document.

Footnotes:

(1) Staleys patent
(2) In the original document the following is crossed out at line number 21: "wich is not Determined for the plough and belonging to the Land as above mentioned"
(3) like wise
(4) strikeout above, see footnote number 2



The above will contains the "long s", which appears as an "f". The small letter "j" as a stand-alone letter should be interpreted as the word "I".




Nancy would appreciate assistance from anyone who could help her establish the birth and/or burial site of her great-grandfather, Jacob Getman RICHARDSON and his wife, Ida BURTON. He was born on 1 Sep 1845 in Frankfort and died on 2 Aug 1919. Ida was born on 9 May 1851 and died 12 May 1884. Nancy is trying to get into the DAR and has no formal record of their birth or death, and is working from notes her father left. They lived in Mohawk on Main Street.



The above will contains the "long s", which appears as an "f". The small letter "j" as a stand-alone letter should be interpreted as the word "I".




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Last Updated: 4/1/99
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