Will of Ruth Royston
Baltimore Maryland Orphans Court Will Book 17:250
Written 28 May 1837, probated 23 March 1839
In the name if God, Amen, I, Ruth Royston of Baltimore County and State of Maryland, being in perfect health of body and sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding: considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof, and being desirous to settle all my worldly affairs, and thereby to be the better prepared to leave this world, when it shall please God to call me hence, do therefore make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following, this is to say.
First and principally I commit my soul into the hands of Almighty God, and my body to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executors hereinafter named, and after my debts and funeral charges are paid, I devise and bequeath, as follows.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my youngest son Wesley Royston my negro boy named Joshua Smith, to serve him fourteen years after my death. And after that time I give and bequeath the said negro boy Joshua smith unto his mother Balinda Smith for ever. I wish it fairly understood that I make the above bequeath unto my Wesley Royston to compensate him for any expense may arise from sickness, and to pay my funeral expenses.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my son Wesley Royston, one feather bed, bedstead, boulsters and pillows and one pair of blankets and quilt.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my son Caleb Royston one cherry tree desk, one double coverlid and my best quilt.
I give and bequeath unto my son William Royston one cherry tree dineing table. I give and bequeath unto my son Robert Royston my silver specticles.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my son John Royston my large family Bible. Item, I give and bequeath unto my granddaughter Ruth Royston Benson, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Benson Thirty dollars, to be paid to her when she arrives at the age of sixteen years out of a note due me from my son Robert Royston.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Ruth Green wife of Elisha Green my armed chair. I give and bequeath unto my son Joshua Royston of the city of Baltimore and my daughter Margaret Mills wife of William T. Mills of the City of Baltimore a note of hand due me from my son Wesley Royston for the sum of fifty dollars to equally divided betwn them to be paid to them by my executors hereinafter named, immediately after my death. Item I give and bequeath unto Ruth Royston daughter of Robert Royston five silver tea spoons. Item. I give and bequeath unto my two daughters Margaret Mill and Ruth Green all my wearing apperell to be equally divided between them after my death. All my other effects of every nature and kind not herein named belonging to me, I will and direct to be sold and after paying my debts if it shoul owe any the proceeds to be equally divided among my four sons William Royston, John Royston, Caleb Royston and Wesley Royston.
And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my eldest son Robert Royston to be sole Executor of this my last Will and testimony revoking and annulling all former Wills by me theretofore made ratifying and confirming this and none other to be my last will and testament. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this twenty eighth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty seven.
Ruth Royston her mark seal
Signed, sealed, published and declared by Ruth Royston the testator as her last will and testament in the presence of us, who at her request and in her presence, and in the presence of each other, have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.
John Crawford
Alexis Green
Baltimore county Ss. On the 23 day of March 1839, came Alexis Green one of the subscribing witnesses to the aforegoing last Will and Testament of Ruth Royston late of said county decease, and made Oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God, that he did see the Testatrix sign and seal this Will, that he heard her publish, pronounce and declare the same to be her last Will and Testament , that at the time of her so doing she was to the best of his apprehension of sound and disposing mind, memory, and understanding, and that he together with John Crawford the other subscribing witness thereto, subscribed their names as witnesses to this Will in her presence, at her request, and in the presence of each other. Sworn to in Open Court.
Test D. M. Perine, Register of Wills for Baltimore County
Transcribed 31 August 2009 by Barbara Shroyer from FHL microfilm 0013598. The spelling errors were transcribed as written.