I know I have inundated you with DeMott information in the last week or so, but wanted to share the will of Lawrence DeMott, father of Peter DeMott.  Lawrence was born in 1718 and died May 14, 1800, in Mercer County, Kentucky.  According to old records, he, too, is buried in the Bonta-DeMott Cemetery, but his stone is no longer there.  He does have a patriot marker at Old Mud Cemetery for his service during the Revolutionary War.  Lawrence’s wife was Dorothea Vanderbeek.

Lawrence DeMott, Pvt Somerset County Militia, Col Quick’s 2 NJ Regiment, Revolutionary War, October 14, 1719 – May 14, 1800.  Old Mud Cemetery, Mercer County, Kentucky.

Will of Lawrence DeMott

Mercer County Will Book 2, Pages 143-146

In the name of God, Amen, the ninth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight, I, Lawrence DeMott, Sen., of Mercer County and State of Kentucky, being weak in body but of perfect and sound mind and memory, thanks to God for his mercies, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament.  That is to say, my worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give and divide and

dispose of in the manner and form following.

Imprimis.  It is my will and I do order that in the first place all my just debts and funeral charges be paid and satisfied.

Item.  It is my will and I do order that Martha Buice, my daughter, shall have one hundred and thirty acres of land lying and being in the County of Mercer and State of Kentucky on Harrods Run, it being the same I purchased of Daniel Bulger and David Shepherd, and the same whereon she now lives, to have the same to her during her life, that is if her daughter, Rachel DeMott, shall live until she arrives at the age of eighteen years that then she, the said Rachel, shall enter possession and enjoy one-half of the aforesaid land, to be laid off on the end that I purchased of David Shepherd, and that at the death of my said daughter, Martha, the whole of the said land shall be sold and the money arriving from said sale shall be divided in the following manner.  If the said Rachel, or her issue, if any living at that time, shall be entitled to and receive the on-half of the money arriving from said sale, and the children of my said daughter, Martha Buice, if any she has by her husband, Nicholas Buice, shall be entitled to and receive the other half, but in case of failure of issue on the part of Nicholas Buice or the death of said Rachel without issue, the whole shall be divided amongst my children, to wit, Lawrence DeMott, Peter DeMott, Abraham DeMott, John DeMott, Mary Banta and Deborah Van Nuys and their heirs or such of them as then be, but with this deduction first.  There shall be paid unto my grandson, Lawrence DeMott, son of my son Derrick DeMott, the sum of one hundred pounds current money of Kentucky, but in case there should be failure of issue only by one of the above, to wit, my daughter Martha or my granddaughter Rachel, in that case the part which shall be left by such failure shall be paid and divided in the following manner.

That is to say my grandson Lawrence DeMott as above shall receive the sum of one hundred pounds as above specified and the remainder shall be equally divided between two of my sons, Lawrence and John.

Item.  I will that my daughter Mary Banta shall have one hundred and seventy-five acres of land whereon she now lives in said County and State, being the same I purchase of Mr. Cull and Clyde and Alexander Bucannon, to have and to hold the same to her, her heirs and assigns forever.

Item.  I will that Deborah Van Nuys, my daughter, shall have one hundred and twenty-four acres of land whereon she now lives, being part of a tract I purchased of Mr. Thomas Madison, and which was laid off for her some time past, to have and to hold the same unto her, the said Deborah Van Nuys, her heirs and assigns forever.

Item.  It is my will that my grandson Lawrence VerBryke, shall have one hundred and four acres of land whereon he now lives, it being part of a tract I purchased from Mr. Thomas Madison, and which was laid off for him some time past, to have and to hold the same unto him, the said Lawrence Verbryke, his heirs and assigns forever.

Item.  It is my will and I do order that all the bonds, notes or accounts or dues of any kind whatever owing or payable to me from Derrick DeMott, my son, Sarah Hall, my daughter, My sons Lawrence, Peter, Abraham and John, and my daughters Mary Banta and Deborah Van Nuys, immediately at my death be cancelled and discharged from the payment thereof.

Item.  It is my will that Sarah Hall, my daughter, and Derrick DeMott, my son, be paid them as a legacy by Lawrence DeMott and John DeMott, out of their share of the estate, the sum of three dollars each when demanded,

they having had their shares before this will was made.

Item.  It is my will and I do hereby appoint my sons Lawrence DeMott, Peter DeMott, Abraham DeMott and John DeMott, executors of this my last will and testament, and I do hereby order that no sale be made of my property whatever that I possess at my death, but that each and all of the persons I have given the property in my lifetime shall be vested in each of the different legatees.  And I do hereby revoke, disannul and disallow all other former wills and testaments and executors by me in any ways, willed, named before this time, ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament.  In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written.

Lawrence DeMott, Sen.

Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of Thomas Freeman, Cornelius A. Van Arsdalen, Peter Van Nest

May County Court 1799, Mercer County

The last will and testament of Lawrence DeMott, Sen., was proved by the oaths of Thomas Freeman and Cornelius A. VanArsdalen, two subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded, and the codicil thereof endorsed was proved by the oaths of Thomas Freeman, one of the subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be certified.

Teste.  Thomas Allin, CC