Reverend Stephen Keney
Crom Elbow Precinct, Dutchess County, Province of New York
Will - May 1756
Proven Mar of 1791
Transcribed by Nancy Lanni
Submitted to Henry of MA "project" by Randolph Currie

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"In the Name of God Amen this fourteenth Day of May 1756 I Stephen Keney of Crom Elbow Precinct in Dutchess county and Province of New York Being of Perfect Mind and Memory thanks be to God therefor but calling to mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all Men once to Dye Do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament that is to Say first of all I Recommend my Soul into the Hands of God that gave it and my Body I Recommend to the Earth nothing Doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive the Same again by the mighty Power of God and as for such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath Pleased God to Bless me in this Life I give and Dispose of the Same in the following Manner and form.

Imprimis After all my Just Debts are taken care of and paid out of my Estate by my Executors Hereafter Named I Give and Bequeath to Persillah my Loving wife one third part of all my Real and moveable Estate During her Natural Life...

Item. I Give to my well Beloved Daughter Anna Keney one Hundred Pounds New York currency to be paid to her by my Sons out of my Estate that I shall give them to be paid by them Severally at the time of their Life I shall Hereafter order.

Item. I Give to my Loving Son Stephen Keney one fifth part of all my Read and Personal Estate Excepting Delaware Purchases on Condition Shall pay to his Sister Anna Kiney Named above the Sum of Twenty Pounds New York Money at or Before two years from my Decease and also I give one Right in the Delaware Purchase.

Item. I Give to my Loving Son Jesse Keney one fifth part of all my Real and personal estate Excepting Delaware Purchase on Condition that he shall pay to his Sister Anna Keney named above the Sum of Twenty Pounds money at or before two years from my Decease.

Item. I Give to my Loving Son Roswell Keney one fifth part of all my Real and Personal Estate Excepting Delaware Purchases on Condition he shall pay to his Sister Anna Keney named above the sum of Twenty Pounds money at or before he arrives to the full age of Twenty three years old Also I give to my beloved son Roswell one half of one Right in the Last Delaware Purchase.

Item. I Give to my Loving Son Nathaniel Keney one fifth part of all my Real and Personal Estate Excepting Delaware Purchases on Condition he shall pay to his Sister Anna Keney above Named the Sum of Twenty Pounds money at or before he arrives to the full age of Twenty three years old Also I give to him my said Son Nathaniel one Half of one Right in the Last Delaware Purchase.

Item. I give to my Loving Son Didymus Keney one fifth part of all my Real and Personal Estate Excepting Delaware Purchases on Condition he shall pay to his Sister Anna Keney Named above the full Sum of Twenty Pounds money Before he shall arrive at the full age of Twenty three years old. Also I give to my said Son Didymus one half of one Right in the first Delaware Purchase.

My mind and Will is that if Either of my above Named Sons should Dye while in Sm... or unmarried that then those of my Sons that Live shall share equal. in that part of their Brother or Brothers which is Decd.

Lastly I Do hereby Nominate Constitute and appoint Abraham Addams of the Precinct County and Province before Named together with my Loving Wife Prisillah before Named to be my Executors of this my Last Will and Testament Hereby utterly Revoking and making null & Void all other former Wills by me made also Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament in Witness whereof I have Herunto set my Hand and Seal this Day an Year above Written."

Dutchess County So Be it remembered that on the fifteenth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety one, personally appeared before me Gilbert Livingston Surrogate of the said County .... Thompson of Washington town spinster, being duly sworn on her oath declared that she did see Stephen Kinne sign and seal the preceeding written instrument, purporting to be the will of the said Stephen Kinne bearing date the fourteenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty six and heard him publish and declare the same as and for his last will and testament and at the time thereof he the said Stephen Kinne was of a sound disposing mind and memory to the best of the knowledge and belief of her best judgment, and that Amos Thompson Asa Thompson and this deponent severally subscribed the said will as witnesses thereto in the testators presence.

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The People of the state of New York by the grace of God free and independent. To Stephen Kinne of Spencer town in Columbia county farmer, eldest son of Stephen Kinne late of the nine partners in Dutchess county and state of New York farmer deceased, and William Bell of Washington town in Dutchess county farmer, Send Greeting. Whereas the said Stephen Kinne deceased did in his life time make his last will and testament in writing bear date the fourteenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty six, and thereby appointed Abraham Adams and his wife Pricillah executors of his said last will and testament and soon after died, and Whereas the said Abraham Adams and the said Pricillah Kinne the executors in the said last will and testament of the said Stephen Kinne named ....the making of the said last will and testament, have departed this life. And we desiring that the goods chattels and credits of the said Stephen Kinne deceased may be well and faithfully administered applied and disposed of according to the true intent and meaning of his said will. Now know ye that at Poghkeepsie in Dutchess county on the fifteenth day of march in the years of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety one before Gilbert Livingson Esquire Surrogate of our said county the last will and testament of the said Stephen Kinne deceased (a coppy whereof is hereunto conveyed) was proved and is now approved and allowed of by us. And the said deceased having whilst he lived and at the time of his death goods chattels or credits within this state by means whereof the proving and registering the said will and granting administrations of all and singular the said goods chattels and credits and all the auditing allowing and final discharging the amount thereof doth belong unto us. The administration of all and singular the goods chattels and cerdits of the said deceased, and any way concerning his will is granted unto the said Stephen Kinne and William Bell they being first duly sworn well and faithfull to administer the same and to make and exhibit a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the said goods chattels and credits, and also to render a just and new account thereof when thereto required. In testimony whereof we have caused the seal of office of our said surrogate to be hereunto applied.

These Letters of Administration to Stephen Kinne, Jr. and William Bell states that Stephen died "soon after" making his will in May of 1756, even though it wasn't proven until Mar of 1791.

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NB - If probate began in March 15, 1791, Stephen died before that date. If the Mar. 17 on his marker is correct, then the year must be 1790 (misread as March 17, 1770).

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Stephen's 1756 Will (probated 1791)
From Randolph Currie:

KENEY, Stephen [of] Crum Elbow; [signed] 6/14/1756, [recorded in Dutchess County Will Book] A, page 240
Mentions: wife, Drusillah [sic]; daughter Anna; sons Stephen, Jessey [sic] Roswell, Nathaniel, Didymus.
Refers to land in the Deleware [sic] Purchase [in PA]
Executors: wife, Abraham Adams [a long time neighbor]
Witnesses: Amos, Asa, and Sara Thompson
Probated: March 18, 1791. On March 15, 1791. Sara Mead late Sara Thompson of Washington acknowledged her signature.

NB - all information in brackets added by me.
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