The Last Will and Testament of Evert Wendell
1680-1750
Abstracts of Wills Vol V 1754-1760, pages 15-18:
Page 40.--In the name of God, Amen. "God's Will must be done
upon Earth as in Heaven, and this is my last Will and Testament."
I, EVERT WENDELL, of the city of Albany, Attorney at Law. I leave
to my oldest son Johanes all my surveying instruments, as Compass,
etc., Also my Law Books, in bar of all claims as heir at law and eldest
son, and I do hereby exclude him from all my real and personal estate,
"And I quit cut him out of all, nothing excepted I have in this
world, and my reasons are to me best known." "However, I
give and bequeath to his dear, pretty children, and the heirs of his
body, all my real estate in the Town of Schenectady, as house, lands,
pastures, gardens, and lots." "I give to my dear, trusty,
faithful, beloved, honest son, Abraham Wendell, all my lands and premises
in Albany, on both sides of the kill or creek, called the Beaver Creek,
or Kill, as by several deeds made over to me, Together with the stream
of water, and all buildings, saw mills, grist mills, brew house, etc.,
and all my carpenter and joiners' tools, log sledge and log chains,
and all that belongs to my saw mills," "Also my Large Holland
Gun, marked with my name on the lock," Also two lots of ground
in the south part of the city, being Lots 10 and 5, as by deeds from
the children and heirs of my father, Jeronimus Wendell may appear,
Also another lot of ground in the north part of the city, next to
the Pasture ground of Jesse De Vrest, "and have been allways
used for a Term pitches or Yards," as by the deeds of the heirs
of my father may appear. "Dear son Abraham, my will is that you
dispose of the said three lots, and the money shall go towards paying
my just debts, or you may keep them yourself, and pay the value to
my creditors." It is my will that the farm or tract of land at
the Normans Kill, which Killian Van Rensselaer and his wife Elizabeth
have given to me, I give it to my son Abraham, "and humbly desire
the Lord of the manor to confirm his ancestor's gift and give you
an ample title," "And you shall let your brother Philip
have two acres, he paying the tenth of the produce, according to the
custom of the manor of Rensselaerwyck." I leave to my dear youngest
son, Philip Wendell, all that my dwelling house and lot of ground
in the first Ward of Albany, as made over to me by several deeds,
and also my pasture land on both sides of the kill or creek, called
the Rutters Kill, adjoining to my lot, as the same was made over to
me by my father in law, Jan Lansingh, by his deed. But my son Philip
shall not sell the same while my wife is living and his two sisters
Elizabeth and Engeltie remain unmarried, But they shall remain and
dwell in the said house, except as they may agree in writing. My son
Philip shall have pasture for a horse in my pasture and free grinding
for his bread corn, And my sons Abraham and Philip shall build a Chocolate
mill for the use of my son Philip. I also leave to my son Philip my
wearing apparell and a gun. I leave to my three daughters, Ariantie,
Elizabeth, and Engeltie, "all my lot of pasture ground in the
south part of the city, just behind the city Stockadoes." Which
lot I purchased from my brothers Dirck and Daniel Brett, as by their
deeds. I leave to my son Philip my large Clock, which I will shall
remain in my dwelling house. I leave to my son Abraham all my negroes
after my wife's decease. All the rest of my estate I leave to my 5
children, Abraham, Ariantie, Elizabeth, Engeltie, and Philip, and
I make my son Abraham and my daughter Engeltie executors.
Dated July 29, 1749.
Witnesses, John H. Lydius, Tielman Schellwyne, Peter
Lansingh.
Proved before Myndert Schuyler, Esq., in Albany, July 20, 1750.