William Elder was born in 1707, the son of William Elder and Elizabeth Finch. In Prince George’s County, William Elder, married Ann Wheeler in 1729. Ann was the daughter of Richard Wheeler of Charles County, Maryland. Ann died August 11, 1739, at the age of 30 years.
Children of William Elder and Ann Wheeler:
- William Elder, born September 15, 1792
- Charles Elder, born 1730 (my 5th great-grandfather)
- Guy Elder, born 1731
- Richard Elder, born 1734
- Mary Elder, born 1735
On February 1, 1742, William Elder married Jacoba Clementina Livers, the daughter of his neighbor, Arnold Livers and his wife, Helen Gordon. William had five small children from his previous marriage, and Jacoba raised these children to maturity along with bearing seven children of her own. All twelve children were mentioned in William’s will.
Children of William Elder and Jacoba Clementina Livers:
- Elizabeth Elder, born February 7, 1743
- Arnold Elder, born February 13, 1745
- Anne Elder, born 1746
- Thomas H. Elder, born January 4, 1748
- Ignatius Elder, born 1749
- Francis Elder, born August 23, 1750
- Aloysius Elder, born May 1, 1757
Will of William Elder
Frederick County Will Book 1, Pages 573-575
In the name of God, Amen. I, William Elder, of Frederick County in the Province of Maryland, farmer, being old and infirm, but of sound and disposing mind and memory, thanks be given to God, therefore calling to mind the mortality of body and knowing that it is appointed for all man once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament. That is to say, principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hand of God who gave it and my body I recommend to the earth, to be buried in a decent Christian burial at the direction of my executrix, nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the almighty power of God. And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form.
Imprimis. I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife, Jacobus Clementina Elder, the plantation or parcel of land I now dwell on, being a part of a tract of land called Ogle’s Good Will, ,containing two hundred and seventy-one acres, more or less, and also another tract or parcel of land, being a part of a tract of land called Elder’s Choice, beginning at the beginning tree of the aforesaid tract of land called Elder’s Choice, running hence north ninety-four perches, then north forty-five degrees, east forty perches then south eighty one degrees, east twenty-eight perches, then south ten degrees east, one hundred and forty-four perches, then a straight line to the beginning tree containing fifty-three acres, more or less, during her widowhood. I also give and bequeath to my said wife all my Negroes during her widowhood, except those that shall be hereinafter mentioned, as bequeathed to others. I further give and bequeath unto my said wife, all my stock of horses, cattle, sheep, hogs and every other kind, with all my household goods, furniture and farming utensils, except such parts thereof as shall herein expressed as bequeathed to others during her said widowhood. My will is that is my said wife should marry, then all my personal estate to be sold, and the money to be equally divided amongst my beloved children, namely, Arnold, Thomas Ignatius, France Aloysius Elder, Elizabeth Brawner and Anne Spalding, their heirs and assigns forever. But is my said beloved wife dies my widow then the movables bequeathed to her to be her right and property.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my beloved
children, William, Charles, Guy and Richard Elder and Mary Lilly, one shilling sterling each to them, their heirs and assigns, over and above their respective parts and portions which I have heretofore given.
Item. I give and bequeath to my beloved daughter Anne Spalding, one Negro girl named Cate, which she hath already in her use and service, one cow and calf, two ewes and lambs, one feather bed and bedclothes and ten pounds Pennsylvania currency, to her, her heirs and assigns forever, to be levied out of my personal estate.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my beloved son, Ignatius Elder, my lot and house in Taneytown, also all my right and title to thirteen acres of land, more or less, adjoining William Brown’s Meadow on Toms Creek, to him and his heirs and assigns forever, also one hundred pounds Pennsylvania currency, one horse or mare, saddle and bridle, one cow and calf, two ewes and lambs, one father bed and bed clothes to him and his heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my beloved son Francis Elder all that tract or parcel of land called Elder’s Bowling Green, containing one hundred and three acres of land, more or less, to him, his heirs and assigns forever, also thirty-four pounds Pennsylvania currency, one horse or mare, saddle and bridle, one cow and calf, two ewes and lambs, one feather bed and bed clothes to him, his heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my beloved son Aloysius, all that tract or parcel of land I now dwell on, which is by this my last will and testament already bequeathed to my beloved wife, his mother, during her widowhood, to be by him possessed and enjoyed, his heirs and assigns forever and that after his said mother, her death or marriage, which first happen; also one horse or mare, saddle and bridle, one cow and calf, two ewes and lambs, one feather bed and bed clothes, to him, his heirs and assigns forever.
And further my will is that is case either of my sons, Ignatius, Francis and Aloysius Elder, or all them should be called off by death without leaving heirs of their body lawfully begotten, that then and in such cases the lands and legacies hereinbefore bequeathed to them shall be sold and the money arising from such sale shall be equally divided amongst the survivors of my beloved wife, Jacobus Clementina Elder, her children, namely Arnold, Thomas, Ignatius, Francis, Aloysius Elder, Elizabeth Brawner and Anne Spalding or their heirs and assigns, anything herein before contained to the contrary notwithstanding. And furthermore, in as much as something or matter mentioned in this my last will and testament will or may come to be executed or performed after the decease of my beloved wife (whom I intend as my executrix as picking all such part of this my will that are to be performed in her lifetime). Therefore, for the performance of such things or
matters, I do hereby constitute and appoint my beloved sons, Arnold and Thomas Elder, my faithful trustees, empowered for the execution of such part of this my last will and testament that may remain to be performed after the decease of my said wife. And lastly, I do hereby constitute, make and ordain my beloved wife, Jacobus Clementina Elder, the only and sole Executrix of this my last will and testament, and I do hereby truly disdain, revoke and disannul all and every other former wills and testaments, legacies, bequest and executors by me in any wise before named will, bequeathed, 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 this eighteenth day of April Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and seventy-three.
William Elder
Signed, sealed, published, pronounced and declared by the said William Elder as his last will and testament in the presence of us, who in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names
I underlined the word (the) between the fifth and sixth lines, the word (to) between the sixth and seventh lines, the word (as) between eight and nineth lines, the word (be) between the 50th and 51st lines and between the 55th and 56th lines the word (or) underlined before signed and between the 26th and 27th lines the word (personal) and between the 29th and 30th lines the word (wife) underlined before signed.
Archibald MacNabb, Anthony Livers, Arnold Livers
On the 23rd day of May 1776 came Archibald MacNabb, Anthony Livers and Arnold Livers, the three subscribing witnesses to the aforegoing will and made oath in the holy Evangelist of Almighty God that they did see the testator, William Elder, sign and seal said will and heard him publish, pronounce and declare the same to be his last will and testament and at the time of his so doing he was to be best of their apprehension of sound and disposing mind and memory and that they severally subscribed their names as witnesses to the said will in the presence of the testator and in the presence of each other.
Sworn before H. Bowles, D.C.
Categories: Family Stories
