[S184] William M. Sargent, compiler, Maine Wills 1640–1760 (Portland, Maine: Brown Thuston and Company, 1887), 664-667, Probate Office vol. 8, folio 143. Transcript from mainegenealogy.net:In the Name of God Amen. I Abraham Bowden of York in the County of York & Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Husbandman, being weak in Body but Sound in Mind & Memory, Thanks be to God, and calling to Mind my Mortality and knowing it's appointed for all men once to die, Do make and ordain this my last Will & Testament, and principally & first of all I recommend my Soul into the Hands of God that gave it hopeing thrô Christ for its eternal Salvation, and my Body to ye Earth to be buried in decent Christian Burial at the Discretion of my Executrix hereafter named. And as touching Such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life, I give demise and dispose of the Same in the following Manner.
Impr. My Will is and I do hereby order that my just Debts and funeral Charges Shall be paid out of my personal Estate:
Item. My Will is that my Wife Martha Shall have the Improvemt and Income of the whole of my Estate both real & personal during her natural Life, and in Case of Need by Sickness or other adverse Providences her Circumstances Should be render'd Such as that the Said Income will be insufficient for her Comfort & Support my Will is that She dispose of Such part of the personal Estate as will be needful for her Support. And after my Said Wife's Decease, I give demise & dispose of my real Estate or ye Reversion thereof to my four Sons, Abraham, Iohn, Paul & Ebenezer in the Proportion following namely, to my Said Sons Abraham & Paul that part of my homestead Lands lying on the Northwest Side of the Country Road, and bounded Northeast by the Short Lands [Sands], North West by Iohn Milberry, and to run from the Said Lands [Sands] by ye Said Milberry to a Gap in his Fence that crosses a path from Said Milberry's House to mine, and thence from said Gap Southeasterly to the End of my Partition Fence being a Stone Wall, and from the Northwest End of said Wall to run a Strait Line to ye High Way or County Road aforesd within Two Rods to ye Northeast or back Side of my House, and thence by the Said Road to the Lands aforesd together with that Island in the Barberry Marsh so called, which I purchased of Deacon Goodin to hold to them and their Heirs forever. Or in Case either of my Said Sons Abram and Paul should die leaving no lawful Issue then my Will, is the Survivor of them & his Heirs Shall Have the whole of that part intended for Such deceased.
Item. I give to my Said Sons Iohn & Ebenezer & their Heirs all the Rest & Residue of my Homestead Lands lying on the Northwest Side of the aforesd Road with my dwelling House Barn & all other Buildings thereon, or in Case either of my Said Sons Iohn & Ebenezer Should die leaving no Issue then my Will is Such Deceased's part Shall descend to his Surviving Brother and his Heirs.
Item. I give to my aforesd Sons Abraham Iohn Paul & Ebenezr and their Heirs all that my Ten Acres of Land on the Cape Neck so called on the Southeast Side of the aforesd Road together with all my Rights and Shares in the Lands now or lately called the common & undivided Lands in York aforesd with the Reversions and Remainders thereof to be equally divided to & among them or their Surviving Heirs
Item. I give to my Daughters Mary Hannah Sarah & the Children of my Daughter Lydia Decd and their Heirs all my Household Stuff Furniture and Utensils within Doors equally to be divided to them into four parts the Children of my Sd deceased Daughter to have one of them, except one Bed which I give to my Son Ebenezer with Bedding at my Wife's Discretion to be delivered to him at Such time as my Said Wife Shall see fit.
Item, I give to my Daughters Mary Hannah & Sarah five Shillgs each and to the Children of my Daughter Lydia Decd five Shillings to be paid them by my aforesd Sons in equal Proportion out of that part of my Real Estate I have given them respectively.
Item. I give all the rest & residue of my personal Estate as Quick Stock Utensils of Husbandry and whatever else is not hereinbefore disposed of to all my Children equally to be divided to & amongst them & their Surviving Heirs the Said Children of my Said Decd Daughter to draw one Share.
And I do hereby nominate & appoint my aforesd Wife Martha to be Sole Executrix of this my last Will & Testamt Hereby revoking & disannulling all other Wills, Legacys and Bequests by me in any Wise heretofore made, ratifying & confirming this & no other to be my last Will & Testament.
In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal the Tenth Day of Iuly in the 25th year of His Majts Reign Anno Domini 1751.
Signed Sealed published pro-
nounced & declared by the
Sd Abram Bowden the Tes-
tor to be his last Will &
Testamt in presence of us
after ye Words &
were interlined
Saml Clark, Iohn Milberry
Iohn Swett Abraham X Bowden (Seal)
his mark
Probated 7 August 1751. Inventory returned 21 Sept. 1751, at £209: 5: 4, by Samuel Clarke, John Milberry and Norton Woodbridge, appraisers.