Moses Wolford, my 5th great grandfather, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and died in 1845 in Coshocton, Ohio. His last will and testament was written in the last year of his life and upon his death, probated in Coshocton County’s probate court.

Will of Moses Wolford Dec’d

Will & Probate

The state of Ohio                                                        Court of common Pleas
Coshocton County                                                     October Term to wit on the
23^rd day of October A.S. 1845

Be it remembered that on the day & year aforesaid. The last will and testament of Moses Wolford late of Cochocton County dec. was this day produced in writing and Joseph Hardiman & Jacob [J/I?] Kennedy, credible witnesses thereunto being in open court duly sworn & severelly examined & whose testimony was taken in writing and signed & duly filed and is appearing to the court from the above testimony of said witnesses that said last will and testament was duly executed. that the testament of the time of executing the same was of full age, of sound mind & memory, and not under any restraint. & is by the court ordered that said last will and testament, together with the proof thereof be recorded by the clerk of this Court.

Which said last will and testament is in the words and [figures] following to wit,

I, Moses Wolford of Bedford Township, Coshocton County, in the state of Ohio, do make and publish this, my last Will and Testament in manner and form following, that is to say. First, it is my will that my funeral expenses and all my just debts be fully paid. Second, I give and devise and bequeath to my beloved wife [NANCY] ANN WOLFORD in lieu of her dower, that is to say she is to remain in the house where she now lives, and share the sole control of the same during her natural life, and to have one fourth of the produce that is raised on the said farms, that is to say the north east quarter of section twenty four of township number five and range number eight in the military district of lands directed to be sold at Zanesville, Ohio, containing by estimation one hundred and sixty acres [purchased 1815, per description above], during her natural life,  [the produce being] the wheat, rye, oats by the bushel at her house, corn when husked to be put in a crib where she may direct on the place, hay in the stack and potatoes when dug where she may direct, to have what fruit she may need for summer and fall use and for drying, etc. when there is fruit and the one fourth of the winter fruit for buring, etc, and the sixth part of the sugar that may make [sic] to delivered to her at her house, and live stock, two cows, six sheep, six head of hogs, stock to be pastured and kept on the place, also all the household and kitchen furniture and other items not particularly named and otherwise disposed of in this will, during her natural life as aforesaid, and that at the death of my said wife, all of the property hereby devised or bequeathed to her as aforesaid or so much as there may then remain unexpended after paying her funeral expenses and costs, debts, etc. contracted for her use, I wish to be sold by my executor hereafter named and the proceeds to be equally divided among my children, namely ELIJAH WOLFORD, GODFREY WOLFORD, JEREMIAH WOLFORD, MOSES WOLFORD, MATHIAS WOLFORD, BARBARA CLOUSE, ELIZABETH GONSAR, MARGARET WOLFORD, SARAH WOLFORD and HARRIET WOLFORD, and to their heirs and assigns forever share and share alike. Third, I give and devise to by two sons MOSES and JEREMIAH WOLFORD the quarter section as above named whereon I now live, to be equally divided between them by running a straight line through the center from east to west of said quarter, [MOSES] to have the north and JEREMIAH the south part of said quarter by paying their brother ELIJAH WOLFORD one hundred dollars each within three years after probate of this will, these bequeaths intended to make them equal to my two sons GODFREY WOLFORD [father of Elijah Clarence Sr] and MATHIAS WOLFORD, who have deed for their portions of lands in other tracts. Fourth, I give and devise to my daughters BARBARA CLOUSE, ELIZABETH GONSAR, MARGARET, SARAH AND HARRIETT WOLFORD, my eighty acres of land, being the south half of the north west quarter of section number twenty three in township number five, range eight in the military district of land directed to be sold at Zaneville, Ohio, [purchased by Moses in 1831, as described above], said land to be sold as soon as convenient by my executors and the proceeds thereof be divided amongst my said daughters, so that BARBARA CLOUSE shall have fifty dollars and ELIZABETH GONSAR forty dollars less than the others in the division.  BARBARA CLOUSE and ELIZABETH GONSAR received the aforesaid amounts already more than the others. Fifth, I give and devise and dispose of the rest and residue of my property not yet bequeathed in the following manner (IE) my will is that it be sold by my executors as the law directs and the proceeds arising therefrom to be applied to the payment of my debts and other incidental expenses, then my widow to have the one equal share and the other two thirds to be equally divided among my children as follows, to wit:  ELIJAH and GODFREY WOLFORD, MOSES and MATHIAS WOLFORD, BARBARA CLOUSE, ELIZABETH GONSAR, MARGARET, SARAH, and HARRIET WOLFORD share and share alike.  The last bequests to make them equal to their brother JEREMIAH WOLFORD, having got his share already, this last article not to be understood to embrace any of the property left in this will to my widow, and lastly I hereby constitute and appoint my two sons JEREMIAH and MOSES WOLFORD to be my executor for this my last will and testament revoking and annulling all former wills by me made and ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 27th day of January Eighteen Hundred and Forty Two.

MOSES “X” WOLFORD [signed]

Signed published & declared by the above named Moses Wolford as and for his last will & testament in presence of us who at his required have signed and [written] to the same.

Source:
Coshocton County, Ohio, Probate Court Record Book Volume D, 1837-1846, p 444, Last Will and Testament of Moses Wolford, 1845; “Ohio, Wills and Probate Records, 1786-1998,” digital images, Ancestry.com (Ancestry.com : accessed 29 Oct 2015) http://interactive.ancestry.com/8801/005449235_00252/8333841?backurl=http://person.ancestry.com/tree/28087067/person/5130324954/facts/citation/122815735528/edit/record.