Amanuensis Monday: The Will of Nehemiah Newans

Well it's Amanuensis Monday all over again. As GenaBloggers, one of my fav sites, says: Amanuensis Monday – An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts.

So today I'm going to transcribe the Last Will and Testament of my Revolutionary War ancestor, Nehemiah Newan who has been reaching out beyond the grave and making his presence felt! So here goes and thank goodness this one was pretty easy to read. Special thanks to the nice people in Ontario NY Records and Information Management who copied and sent it to me:) It is dated 23 March 1820. He died in November of that same year.

"I, Nehemiah Newans of the town of Canandaigua in the County of Ontario and State of New York do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following ---"

Then follows the proforma wording about payment of debts and continues as follows.

"All the rest and residue of my estate both real and personal as shall remain after my debts are paid I give and bequeath unto my well beloved wife Mary Newans to have and to hold the same to use and enjoy during her natural life and the remainder of all such estate after her decease shall invest in the heirs of my sons Elias Thompson and Thomas Newans ---"

The document goes on to name Moses ATWATER Esq. as sole executor. Witnesses were Thomas BEALS, Chester LOOMIS, and E. S. (?) COBB.