Will of Christian Deppen
September 27, 1775

In the name of God--Amen, I, Christian Deppe, of Heidelberg Township, Berks County and Province of Pennsylvania Yeoman, Being of Sound and Perfect Mind and Memory, Thanks be therefore given to the Lord for the same and all other his Mercies, Having Considered the Certainty of Death, and Knowing that it is Appointed for all Men Once to die, Have thought fit to Settle my Worldly affairs in the best Manner I Could And I do hereby make this my Last Will and Testament in Manner and Form following, To Wit--Hereby revoking all Wills by me heretofore Made and Acknowledge This and no Other to be my Last Will and Testament. First and of all Things, I Recommend my Soul To God Who gave it, and my Body I Recommend to the Earth to be Buried in a Christian and decent Like Manner at the Discretion of my Executors hereinafter named.

Imprimus first --it is my Will That all my Just debts and Funeral Charges be duly paid and discharged out of my Personal Estate.

Item I give and Bequeath unto my Eldest and Beloved Son Hannes the Sum of Fifty Pounds over and above his other Share or Shares hereafter Mentioned, out of my Personal Estate.

Item I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Barbara, the wife of Peter Zimmerman, The Sum of One Hundred and Twenty five Pounds To be paid at the Expiration of One Year after my Decease out of my Personal Estate.

Item I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Anna, the wife of George Feakley, the like Sum of One Hundred and Twenty five Pounds To be paid at the Expiration of Two Years after my Decease out of my Personal Estate.

Item I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Freanica The like sum of One Hundred and Twenty five Pounds to be paid at the Expiration of Three Years after my Decease out of my Personal Estate.

Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth The like sum of One Hundred and Twenty five Pounds To be paid at the Expiration of Four Years after my Decease out of my Personal Estate.

And I do hereby disallow my said Daughters -- Barbara, Anna, Freanica and Elizabeth They or Either of them, or any Person or Persons from or under them or Either of them after the above Legacies being duly paid, from Ever having Claiming or to Claim any Further Right or demand Whatsoever of in or to any part of my Estate Either Real or Personal.

Item. I give and Bequeath unto my Six Sons -- Hannes, Peter, David, Joseph, Jacob and Abram all that the Plantation I now live on lying in Heidelberg Township, Berks County and Province of Pennsylvania, and that my Plantation lying in said Township on which my son Peter now lives and also Fifty Acres of Land in Northumberland County and Province aforesaid Jointly, That is To say, Each an Equal Undivided Sixth Part, To Hold To Them, Their Heirs Forever. Provided Nevertheless That if Either of my Sons Should Choose To Sell out his Right of the above Real Estate, after my son Abram Comes to the Age of Twenty One Years but not before Then and in Such land he may Convey to Either of his Brothers, but to no other Person or Persons Whatever.

Item I give and Bequeath all the Residue of my Personal Estate Whatsoever unto my Six Sons Hannes, Peter, David, Joseph, Jacob, and Abram to be Equally Divided amongst them Share and Share alike after The Payment of the Legacies above Mentioned. --

Item I do hereby Appoint my Sons Hannes and Joseph to have the Management of all my Real Estate after my Decease untill my son Abram Comes to The Age of Twenty One Years, and To be Accountable for all and every the Profits arising therefrom unto my other Sons Peter, David, Jacob and Abram, Who are to have Each an Equal Sixth part of and Such Profits -- Anything Herein Contained to the Contrary Notwithstanding --

And I do hereby Nominate and Appoint my Son Hannes Deppe and my Son Joseph Deppe To be the Executors to This my last Will and Testament. In Witness Whereof I the said Christian Deppe have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this 27th day of September in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy five.

Signed Seald Published                                                                                           his
and declared by Christian Deppe                                                        Christian  +  Deppe
the Testator in the foregoing Named                                                                   mark
for and as his Last Will & Testament
in the Presence of us Who at his Request
and in his Presence have set our Hand
as Wittnesses Hereunto --
     Philip Moyer
     Johann Caspar Read
     Adam Kalbach.

Proved by the above witnesses and recorded by Henry Christ on Aug. 24, 1782 at Reading, Berks Co., PA.

Go to my page on Christian Deppen. Also please see my will page for more wills.

For the sake of clarity I have inserted paragraphs at logical breaks in the text and put names in bold, but in no way have I changed the spelling or grammar of the original.

Will Book B, pages 39-41.