Documents Related to Bennett Bryan's Estate

Last Will and Testament of Bennett Bryan - October 28, 1787
Will Proved November 5, 1787
Testamentary Bond Shepherd Bennett and David Williams - November 5, 1787
An Inventory of Bennett Bryan's Estate - Jan 30, 1988
Third Administration Acct of the Estate of Bennett Bryan - 1788
Administration Account September 9, 1789
Additonal Account of the Estate of Bennett Bryan - 1794

Last Will and Testament of Bennett Bryan

Note: Bennett Bryan died November 5, 1787
Sussex County
In the name of God ______ the 28th day of October 1787, I Bennett Bryan of Ceder Creek Hundred Sussex County in the Delaware state being sick and weak of body but of perfect mind and memory thank _________________ and calling to mind the frailty of my body, __ that __appointed for all Men once to ____ ______ make claim, ______, constitute and appoint this, and no other to be my Last will and Testament.

______ Gives _____ my soal into the Hands of god who gave it to me and as my body I leave it to be buried in a Christian and deacent manner at the discretion of my Executers, nothing doubting but I shall receive the same at the General Rejuvention by the mighty Power of God and as Buching such worldy goods do state where __it __ please God to Bless me in this life, I give Bequeath and Divide of the same, after the following manner and form viz.

Him I give, Bequeath to myh beloved Wife Rachel Bryan on third of all my Land, freely to be possessed and enjoyed by her while living in Widowhood, as afsaid one third part of all my Personal estate to be fully at her _______.

Him I give and Bequeath to my Beloved son James Bryan, the before mentioned third part of my land while I have left to my wife during her Widowhood, after her right ceases to the same; to him my said son his heirs and assigns.

Him I Give and Bequeath to my Beloved Son Shepherd Bryan one third part of my Land to him my said son his heirs and assigns.

Him I Give and Bequeath to my Beloved son Jonathan Bryan one third part of all my Land to him my said son, his Heirs and assigns.

Him I give and Bequeath to my Daughter Charity Bryan, Ten Pounds in principle only, without any Interest.

Him I Give and Bequeath to my other Six Daughters viz. Comfort Cordery, Elizabeth Bryan, Mary Bryan, Rachel Bryan, Sarah Bryan and Rebeekah Bryan, Twenty Pounds to each only principle, without interest ~ all which sum amonst my said seven Daughters, amounting to one Hundred and Thirty Pounds I order and appoint to be paid by my Before mentioned sons Shepherd, James, and Jonathan Bryan, unto whom I have left my land, with this provizo that to pay off their shares of the above mentioned Legaines, which shall be fourty five pounds a piece for each of my two sons Shepherd and Jonathan to pay, and my son James Bryan shall pay my two youngest Heirs, after they are of age, their Legains which is Twenty Pounds a piece, Foukrty in all, which shall be my son James part to pay.

All the Residue, the Remainder of my Estate that I have not mentioned after the payment of my Lawful Debts, I leave to be Equally Divided among my Children.

I do hereby Nominate and Appoint my above Named son Shepherd Bryan to be sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament and do hereby Dismantle, Revolk, and Disallow all former Wills and Testaments, Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament in Testimony whereas of I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the Presence of John Jester, Daniel Sturgis, William Poynter

Bennett Bryan - Seal

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Will Proved November 5, 1787

Sussex County so Memorandum this 5th day of November 1787 before me Phillips Kollock Registor for the Probate of Wills and granting Settorsssssss of Administrations for the County afs appear John Jestor and William Poyntor two of the Witnesses to the within Will both being sworn on this Holy Evangelists of Almighty God did depose ___say that in their sight Presence and hearing the Testator Bennet Bryan did in their sight presence and hearing sign seal Publish and declare M______ to be his Last Will and Testament and that at the doing thereof he was of a sound mind memory and Judgement and that they and each ____ together wiath Daniel Stuigis subscribed the same as Witnesses in the presence of the Testator and at his request

Phillips Kollock, Reg

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Testamentary Bond Shepherd Bennett (s/b Bryan) and David Williams on the Estate of Bennet Bryan
November 5, 1787

Sussex County so
Know all Men by these presents that We Shepherd Bryan of the County afs Yeoman and David Williams of the same County Yeoman - are held and firmly bound unto the Delaware State in the sum of Five Hundred Pounds of lawful Money of said State to which payment will and truly to be made M____ ourselves or Heirs Executors and Administrators firmly by these Presents Sealed with our Seales and dated the Fifth day of November One thousand seven hundred and Eighty Seven

The Condition of the above Obligation is such that if the above bounden Shephard Bryan Executor of the Last Will and Testament of Bennet Bryan late of Sussex County decd do make or cause to be made a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the Goods, Chattels and Credits of the said decd which have or shall come to the hands, possession or knowledge of him the said Shepherd Bryan or to the hands or possession of any other person or persons for him and the sums so made do exhibit or cause to be exhibited into the Registors Office for the County afs on or before this Fifth day of February next ensuing and the _____ Goods, Chattels and Credits of the said decd at the time of death and all other his Goods Chattels and Credits of this said decd which at any time after shall come to his hands or possession of him this said Shepherd Bryan or to the hands or possession of any other Person or Persons for him do well and truly Administor according to Law viz. shall pay the debts in which the said decd stood obliged so far forth as the said Goods, Chattels and Credits will extend and the Law will charge and do make or cause to be made a true and jus tAccokunt of his said Administration on or before the Fifth day of October next ensuing, and all the rest and residue of the Goods Chattols and Credits afs which shall be found remaining upon said Executors Account, the same being first examined and allowed of by the Orphan's Court for the County afs shall distribute and dispose of according to Law and the true intent and ________ of the Last Will and Testament of the said decd then this Obligation to ve void and of none effect or else to remain in full force and Virtue.

Shepherd G.Bryan - seal
David Williams - seal

Sealed and Delivered in the Presence of
Phillips Kollock
Wm Harrison

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An Inventory of Bennett Bryan's Estate - Jan 30, 1988

A true Inventory of all the goods and Chattles that was belonging unto Bennett Brian late of Sufsex County decd laid before us the subscribers by Sheppard Brian Administrator and appraised this sixth day of November 1787.

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Third Administration Acct of the Estate of Bennett Bryan
1788

An Additonal Account of Shepherd Bryan Executor of the Testament and Last Will of Bennet Bryan late of Sussex County decd as well as all such and do much of the Goods, Chattels and Credits of the said decd as came to his hands or possession, as also of his payments and disbursements ou of this same viz. The said Accountant Charges himself with a Ballance of said Estate remaining in his hands at the Last Settlement ammounting to:
67,,7,,5
Amount of Credits 10,,4,,1
Ballance 57,,3,,4
Widows third 19,,1,,1
Due the Heirs 10 in Number 38,,2,,3
Each Share 3,,16,,2 5/4


The said Accountant Prays on Allowance of sundry Payments and disbursements viz:
No. 1 Paid William Layton Per Acct provided 0,,8,,0/td>
2 Paid Robert Jor__ on a Judgement ____ 4,,3,,4
3 Paid lost on ditto 0,,5,,0
4 Paid for Stating this Acct 0,,2,,6
5 Paid fees at Passing 0,,9,,3
6 Allowed for this Accountants trouble and Expenses 1,,0,,0
7 Allowed this Accountant on half of the appraised value of 76 Bushels of Corn at 21 per Buchel which appears by the deposition of Richard Hays Esq. to relativs there to 3,,6,,0
Pounds 10,,4,,1


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Administration Account of the Estate of Bennett Bryan
September 9, 1789

The Account of Shephard Bryan Executor of the Testament and Last Will of Bennet Bryan late of Sussex County Yeoman deceased of ale such and so much of the Estate of the said Bennett Bryan deceased as came to his hands from _____ or knowledge, as also his Payments and Disbursements out of the same as follows that is to say:
First the said Accountant charges himself with the amount of the inventory of the ______ Estate of teh said Bennett Bryan, as _____ in the Register's Office Ammounting to the Sum of 146,,16,,1
Also with Cash Recieved of Robert Jones3,,0,,0
Also With ditto..do...do..0,,7,,6
Also With ditto..do.. Of John Stewart0,,7,,6
Also With ditto..do.. Of Alex Parmore0,,4,,10
Also With ditto..do.. Of ___ Giling0,,7,,6
Also With ditto..do.. Of B______ Stayton0,,1,,0
Also With ditto..do.. Of George Walter E__0,,3,,9
151,,8,,10


Secondly the said Accountant ___ of this court an allowance for sundry Payments and Disbursements out of the same Estate, as follows that is to say:
No 1By Cash Paid Col. Hale at R Receipt 5,,9,,4
2By Cash Paid Isaac Beauchamps as R Probate and Receipt0,,13,,0
3By Cash Paid Luke Watson on an Excution of Richard Meetnig0,,12,,6
4By Cash Paid Luke Watson on an Exon Eilliam Polk Esq; af___0,,13,,10
5By Cash Paid Luke Watson for Testators Levy for Year0,,6,,2
6By Cash Paid Dr. Rench as Receipt 7,,7,,6
7By Cash Paid Samuel Barnet as R Probate and Receipt2,,5,,0
8By Cash Paid on a proven acct and Judgement of Patrick Buck's 5,,0,,10
9By Cash Paid Elizabeth Willey as her probate and receipt1,,7,,0
10By Cash Paid Nehemiah Carey as per probate and Reci3,,10,,10
11By Cash Paid Thomas Poynter junt as per probate and Receipt0,,5,,0
12By Cash Paid Benjamin Huron as per probate and receipt1,,1,,9
13By Cash Paid Phillips Kollock Esq; for Probate of Bennet Bryan and Will, as R Receipt1,,12,,6
14By the Accountants own account against TestatorXXXXXXXXX
15By amount of Funeral Charges 4,,10,,6
16By the expense of gathering and cribbing 130 bushels of corn at 4 3,,16,,8
17By Cash Paid Richard Hays as appraiser's feed as R receipt0,,14,,5
18By Cash Paid William B___ ____ for ditto as R Receipt 0,,14,,5
19By the Amount of goods delivered to the Widow at the Appraisment as a legacyXXXXXX
20By Court fees at Prparing Acct.
21By Cash Paid for Stating ditto
22By Cash Paid David Williams for come iby to Lewes to enter in Admin Bond0,,10,,0
The Credit Account brought over 39,,4,,3
No. 23By Cash paid Nancy Ealton for her Judgement against ____0,,4,,7
24 By Cash Paid John Jester Witness to Will0,,10,,0
25By Cash Paid James Rench as of Reciept3,,4,,0
26Cash Paid Robert M. Gonigal as _______0,,15,,0
27Cash Paid James Bryan as _______3,,14,,9
28Cash Paid Comfort Cordray as ________5,,0,,0
29Cash Paid William Poynter as ______0,,10,,0
Paid for _______ this acct0,,10,,0
Paid for at ________ ditto0,,9,,3
47,,17,,10
D Rench3,,4,,0,,
51,,1,,10
30Paid Charity Bryan as her Account Receipt with Probate16,,9,,7
By this Account and ___ account against this Testates allowed for 6,,0,,0
By Cash Paid Thomas Cordrey ___ account proven by Receipt1,,3,,0
74,,14,,5
Ballance76,,14,,5
151,,8,,10


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Additonal Account of the Estate of Bennett Bryan - 1794

The Additional Account of Sheppard Bryan Executor of the Testament and Last Will of Bennett Bryan decd as well of all and so much of the Goods and Chattels and Credits of the said deceased as Came to his hands and possession of his payments and Disbursements of the same.

The said Accountant prays and allowance for his payments amt of the same.

The accountant Charges himself with the ballance remaining in his hands at the time of his Last Settlement amounting to 57,,3,,4

Note: This is the ending amt on the Third Administration Acct of the Estate of Bennett Bryan - 1788 which indicates that the Widow and Heirs shares were calculated, but not paid to them.

Paid Luke Ricketts as per account and _____ 2,,5,,9
Paid Sylvester Webb as ____ ---_____ 2,,6,,2
Paid for at passing this acct 0,,8,,6
Paid for Stating Ditto 0,,2,,6
5,,2,,11
Ballance 57,,3,,4


Ballance as above 52,,0,,5
Widowsw third 17,,6,,9
Due the Heirs 34,,13,,8
Each Share is 3,,9,,4?
Passed September 3, 1794

Note: This bottom portion of this document confused me at first becasuse it states that the Widows third was 17,,6,,9 and Rachel Bryan died in 1791 - untill I realized that this accounting and similar accounting on Third Administration Acct of the Estate of Bennett Bryan - 1788 seems to be just a calculation of what the Heirs are worth - it does not constitute a disbursement to them. This is particularly horrifing to me on a personal level when I wonder what that money would have meant to Rachel and her daughters during their lifetime . ~ Karen


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