IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN the fifteenth day of Aprill in the year of Christ one thousand seven hundred & thirty & four I Cornelius Reynolds of Essex County being weak in body but of perfect sence & memory thanks be to God for the same do make & ordain this my last will & Testament as followeth Vizt. Item I give and bequeath to my Son Wm. Reynolds all my land whereon I now dwell after my wifes decease & if he should dye without heir the same to my Son Cornelius & if he should dye without heir then the same to return to my Daughter Sarah & if she should dye without heir then the same to be Equally divided amongst my three daughters Vizt. Anne, Margarett and Mary. Item I give to my five daughters vizt. Elizabeth, Anne, Sarah, Margarett & Mary twelve shillings a piece to buy them each of them a gold ring before they come to ye age of Eighteen Except Eliza. which already past that age. Item I give to Martha my beloved Wife all the rest of my Estate both real & personall during her naturall life not to be Interuped or called to account by any person for the same provided she never marry but and if she should marry then my will is that my sd Estate be Immediately equally divided amongst my six children vizt. William, Cornelius, Anne, Sarah, Margarett & Mary, And do constitute & ordain my sd Wife sole Executrix of this my last will & Testament. IN WITNEE whereof I have sett my hand & seal the day & year above written.
At a Court held for Essex County at Tappa on the xviiith day of February MDCCXXXIV. This last Will and Testamt. of Cornelius Reynolds decd was presented in Court by Martha Reynolds the Exx. therein named who made oath thereto and being also proved by the oaths of John Long & Blomfield Long two of the witnesses thereto was admitted to record
KNOW ALL MEN by these presents that we Martha Rennolds, Blom. Long & Thos. Tharp are held & firmly bound unto Wm. Daingerfield, Sal. Muscoe, Robt. Brooke, Jas. Garnett, Nicho. Smith & Richd. Tyler Gent Justices of the County of Essex in sum of two hundred pounds Sterling this xviiith day of Febry MDCCXXXIV.
The Condition of this obligation is such that if the above bound Martha Rennolds Exx. of this last will and Testament of Cornelius Rennolds decd do make or cause to be made a true and perfect inventory of all the goods chattles & credits of the sd decd the same so made do exhibit or cause to be exhibited in the County Court of Essex at such time as she shall be thereunto required by the sd Court & further do make a just and true account of her actings and doing therein when thereto required by the sd Court and do well and truly pay and deliver all the Legacies contained & specified in the sd Testament as far as the goods chattles and credits will thereunto extend according to the value thereof & the Law shall charge Then this Obligation to be void....
At a Court held for Essex County at Tappa. on the xviiith day of February MDCCXXXIV (those bound) acknwledged this bond to be their act & deed which is ordered to be recorded.