Notes for: Anna Barbara Becker
The will of Jacob's mother-in-law, Anna Pickel, made in 1805 lists "Granddaughters, Elizabeth Bodine and Sarah Bodine, household furniture, when of age. Grandsons, John Bodine, Frederick Bodine, William Bodine and Samuel Bodine, bonds and notes..." This appears to be the only known reference so far for Jacob and Mary having a son named Samuel. I don't know if there is any significance to the ordering or not, but it would appear that Samuel was the last son. It's not definitive, though. The reference for this will is "New Jersey Colonial Documents: Calendar of Wills, 1801-1805," v. 39, p. 352.
It seems a little strange that Anna does not mention her son, Nicholas, in her will. Joan Best sent me some thoughts on why that might have been:
Anna Barbara Pickle dies in 1805. She has only personal property to distribute, as the real estate and all that goes with it has already passed to her son Nicholas [see will of his father], and through him to her grandchildren by him, with a smaller lot to be sold for the benefit of Mary's children when the youngest turns 21.
I would guess, in the interest of equity, Anna Barbara leaves her personal property to her daughter Mary and Mary's children. It is strange that she doesn't acknowledge her son and his children, but may have explained it to them in person.
End of info from Joan Best.
Here is Anna Barbara Pickel's will:
In the Name of God Amen
I Anna Barbara Pickel of the Township of Alexandria County of Hunterdon and State of New Jersey Being weak of Body but of Sound mind and memory Do make and Ordain this my Last will and Testament.
In the first Place I recommend my Soul into the Hands of its master Depending entirely on His Goodness and mercy, and my Body I recommend to the Dust to be Buried in a Christian and Decent Manner; Secondly it is my will that all my Debts and Funeral Expences be paid and Satisfied, and Respecting my Worldly Estate wherewith it has Pleased God to bless me it is my will & I do Hereby Order it to be Disposed of in the following Manner.
First, I do Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Bodine My Negroe wench Rachel to be Sold if She has no use for her and the Money to be put to Interest and Divided as She Sees Proper among the Heirs of Her Body also my young wench Hetty after She arrives at the age of Eighteen years to be Disposed of as my Daughter Mary Sees Proper and Divided as aforesaid.
Item, I do Give and Bequeath unto my Grand Daughters Elizabeth Bodine and Sarah Bodine my two feather Beds Bedding *** to be Equally Divided in Value Between them by my Executors Hereafter Named Also my two Tin Plate Stoves to be Divided in the Same Manner~ also I Give and Bequeath to my Grandaughters Elizabeth and Sarah all my Household Furniture of Whatsoever Kind to be Equally Divided Between them Share and Share alike when they arrive to the age of Eighteen (crossed out, but I believe it says Eighteen) years of age but if it So Happens that Either of them Should Die Before they arrive at that age or Should Die Leaving no Heirs then I Give and Bequeath Such Share to the Survivor of them and their Heirs forever.
Page 2
Item, It is my will that all the money and Bonds or Notes with the Amount thereof that i shall Die Possessed of Shall be first out and *** at *** the Principal and Interest Arising therefrom Shall be Divided Equally Between my Four Grandsons as they Arrive at the age of Twenty-one Years (Vigt* John Bodine, Frederick Bodine, William Bodine, and Samuel Bodine) Share and Share alike.
Lastly, I do Constitute and Appoint my Friend John Eckle executor and my Beloved Daughter Mary Bodine Executrix of this my Last will and Testament hereby Giving and Granting to them or the Survivors of them every Power and Authority Necessary for Executing the Same, Hereby now revoking all former wills my me made.
In Testimony whereof I have Hereunto Set my Hand and Seal this Sixteenth Day of April in the Year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred and five (1805 is written after this, but may have been added by someone).
Signed Sealed and Declared to be her Last will and Testament in the Presence of us
David Everitt
Ann Everitt
The mark
Anna Barbara X Pickle (Seal)
of
Sworn at Flemington the 23rd day of October 1805 before me James J. Nelson, Surrogate
To Mr. James J. Wilson, Surrogate,
Sir, this is to let you know that I have concluded not to serve as an Executor to Barbery Pickels estate and do give up all to Mary Bodine the Co-Executrix, from your friend.
John Eckel
October 19, 1805
*The word "Vigt" that comes before John Bodine's name occurs quite a bit in some other wills I've seen. I'm not sure what it means, but it doesn't seem that important - some kind of abbreviation.
An interesting thing that someone has pointed out about this will is that Mary is not called "Mrs. Jacob Bodine" or "wife of Jacob Bodine." I'm not sure how common it was to skip this protocol if the husband was still alive at the time of the will. It could indicate that Jacob had died by then or that he had left. This should be checked out better with someone who understands the protocol of wills at that time in history. At this point, I don't tend to think it implies anything.