Three Rivers
Hudson~Mohawk~Schoharie
History From America's Most Famous Valleys

THE WILL OF FREDRICK BELLINGER
Probate dated 8th March 1768

(Contributed and Typed by Judy Dolanski)

In the name of God, Amen. The twenty first day of November in the fifth year of his Majesty's Reign, Anno Domini, one thousand seven hundred and sixty four. I, Fredrick Bellinger of Conajohary in the County of Albany and Province of New York, yeoman, being very sick and weak in body, but of perfect mind and memmory, blessed be God, wherefore calling to mind the mortality of my body, well knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament, in following manner and form, principally and first of all I give and recommend my Soul to God, my maker, who gave it, and my body I give and recommend unto the Earth from whence it was taken, nothing doubting, but I shall receive the same again at the general Resurrection, by the mighty Power of God, and as touching my worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me, I give, demise and bequeath in following manner and form.

Imprimis. I give to my son, Thomas, all my horses which is one gelding, three mares and one stone colt, four cows, two calves and five sheep, this is the catttle I give to him, as also, one iron stove, one cropcut saw and an instrument called in German a bund ax, a carpenters pickax, two squares, three iron pots, one large brass kettle, one frying pan, an iron chain to ride logs and one plough, one harrow with iron teeth, one dung hook and dung fork, one hand saw, four augres, two axes, seven pewter dishes, nine plates, two pewter kans, one pothook or trammel, one sley with irons, two chests, one case with flasks, five feather beds and two pillows and my clothes or apparel, two broad axes, six glass windows, one stubbing how and three other hows, one pair of thongs and a fire shovel, one skipple, one hatchet, one pitch fork, two guns, one tea kettle together with all and every the small remainder of my moveables, which I have not willed or nominated hereafter to any other person.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Elisabeth, the wife of Jacob Klock, Esq., all the iron works belonging to a grist mill, together with the millstones and a great iron hoop that is on one of the said millstones, all at present at Christopher Foxes at the German Flats, I give her also one great iron pot, one black trunk, one spinning wheel and reel and a pair of and-irons and after my wife's decease, all her apparel what she hath and after my decease the said iron works and things appertaining to the said grist mill, as also, the said and-irons are to be demanded by my said daughter, Elisabeth, or her husband, the said Jacob Klock, six weeks after my decease. But all other the above mentioned articles shall not have effect before the decease of my wife, but after her decease to be punctually complyed with and exactly performed and I do declare this and no other to be my last Will and Testament, and I do nominate and appoint the said Jacob Klock and Hendrick Frey, Esq. executors of this my last Will and Testament to see the same performed and fulfilled, and I do hereby revoke, disannul and entirely disallow all other and former wills and bequests by me hertofore made, acknowledged and confirmed, ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament.

Signed, Sealed, published, pronounced and declared by the said Fredrick Bellinger as his last Will and Testament in the presence of us, the Subscribers.

Fridrig (sein mark) Bellinger
Peter Eigenbrod
Philip (sein mark) Helmer
Johannes Eigenbrodt

Albany County} Be it remembered that on the Twentieth day of January 1768, personally came and appeared before me, John De Peyster , Surrogate of the said County, Peter Eigenbrod, Phillip Helmer and Johannes Eigenbrodt, all of Canajohary, in the County of Albany, and being duly sworn on their oaths, declared that they and each of them, did see Fredrick Bellanger sign and seal the within written instrument purporting to be the Will of the said Fredrick Bellanger, bearing date the 21 day of November 1764, and heard him publish and declare the same as and for, his last Will and Testamony, that at the time thereof he, the said Fredrick Bellenger, was of sound, disposing mind and memory to the best of their knowledge and belief of them, the deponents, and that their names subscribed to the said Will are of their respective proper hand writing, which they subscribed as witness to the said will in the testators presence.

John DePeyster, Surrogate

Albany County} Be it remembered that on the 20 day of January 1768, Jacob Klock, Esq. of Canajorie, in the County of Albany, one of the Executors of the within written Will of Fredrick Bellenger, likewise appeared before me, the said John Depeyster, and was duly sworn to the true execution and performance of the said Will, by taking the oath of an executor as by law appointed before me.

John DePeyster, Surrogate