Amanuensis Monday -- 1772 Bond of Michael Ruth To Pay George Ruth For His Portion of Peter Ruth's Real Estate in Berks County, Pennsylvania Colony

This week's document for transcription is the  1772 bond of Michael Ruth to pay George Ruth his portion of Peter Ruth's real estate in Berks County, Pennsylvania Colony.

*  Berks County, Pennsylvania, "Estates 1752-1799 Resher, Gabriel-Seitzinger, Nich.",  folder "Ruth, Peter CU 1771", image 1535 of 2236:

*  Berks County, Pennsylvania, "Estates 1752-1799 Resher, Gabriel-Seitzinger, Nich.",  folder "Ruth, Peter CU 1771", image 1536 of 2236:

The transcription of this document is (handwritten portions in italics, not aided by Artificial Intelligence):

[image 1535 of 2236]

Know all Men by these Presents, that We

Michael Ruth of the Township of Cumry in the County of Bercks

in the province of Pennsylania Yeoman Eldest Son and Heir at Law

of Peter Ruth late of the said County Yeoman deceas'd Valentine Eckert

of the same Township Blacksmith and Philip Spohn of the Township

of Heidelberg in the said County Yeoman ...

are held and firmly bound unto George Ruth of the Township of

Cumry aforesaid Yeoman one of the Sons of the said Peter Ruth deceased

in the Sum of Seven hundred and sixteen Pounds thirteen shillings and

four pence ...

                             ... lawful Money of Pennsylvania

to be paid to the said George Ruth or to his ...

... certain Attorney, Executors, Administrators and Assigns

To which Payment well and truly to be made, We do bind ourselves,

our Heirs, Executors, Administrators, and every one of them, jointly and

severally, for and in the Whole, firmly by these Presents, sealed with

our Seals.  Dated the  Second  Day of  March  in the Year

of Our Lord One Thousand seven hundred and Seventy Two.

Whereas such Proceedings were had the Fourteenth

Day of November last past and the Eleventh Day of February last past

in the Orphans Court of the said County of Berks, relating to the Real

Estates in the Townships aforesaid, whereof the said Peter Ruth deceased

was seized at the Time of his Death ...

That an Inquest awarded by the Court valued the said  Real Estate at

the Sum of five thousand three hundred and seventy five Pounds

... lawful Money of Pennsylvania.  And further, that the said

Valentine Eckert and Philip Spohn ...

were approved as Sureties, to enter into Bonds with the said  Michael

Ruth eldest Son of the s'd Peter Ruth deced who died Intestate  for the Payment of

the Shares and Dividends of the younger Children of the said Deceased;

upon Sealing and Delivery of which Bonds the said Michael Ruth ...

                should hold and enjoy the said  Real Estate

whereof his said Father died seized Intestate ...

valued as aforesaid, to him, his Heirs and Assigns for ever, according to

Law, &c. As by the Records of the said Court appears, &c.

[image 1536 of 2236]

Now the Condition of this Obnligation is such, That

if the fore-bounden  Michael Ruth, Valentine Eckert and Philip

Spohn ...

or either of them, their, or either of their Heirs, Executors, or Admi-

nistrators, or any of them, shall and do well and truly pay, or cause to be

paid unto the afore-named  George Ruth his ...

certain Attorney, Executors, Administrators and Assigns, or any of them,

the just and full Sum of Three hundred and fifty eight pounds six shillings

and eight pence lawful Money aforesaid (his the said George's Share and purpart

of the said Money at which the Estate aforesaid is valued) in Manner following,

to wit, Two hundred and thirty eight pounds seventeen shillings & ten pence,

part thereof on or before the Eleventh Day of February next ensuing the

date of thyese Presents, and one hundred and nineteen Pounds eight shillings

and ten pence the Residue and in full Payment thereof, at and immediately

after the Decease of Catherine the Widow and Relict of the said Intestate Peter

Ruth deceased ...

without Fraud or further Delay, then this Obligation to be void and of

none Effect, otherwise to be and remain in full force and Virtue.

Sealed and delivered                                          Michael Ruth   {seal}

in the Presence of us.                                           Germ. Char.

James Aishell                                                     Philip Spohn    {seal}

Jn'o Price                                             

Reccd July 25 1772 the Original Bond (from James Read Clerk of the Orphans Court of which

the above is a Copy ...                                     pr  ?????? ??????

Witness

William Recser

Francis Rood

           

The source citation for the entire probate folder is:

Berks County, Pennsylvania Probate Records, Michael Ruth's 1772 bond to George Ruth for part of Peter Ruth's estate, dated 2 March 1772, recorded 25 July 1772; imaged, "Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994," FamilySearch  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1999196), "#185 Berks County, Pennsylvania, "Estates 1752-1799 Resher, Gabriel-Seitzinger, Nich.", folder "Ruth, Peter CU 1771", images 1535-1536 (from images 1501-1570 of total estate folder).  Original records in County courthouses, Pennsylvania, microfilmed and digitized by FamilySearch.

Peter Ruth (also Roudt, Roodt, Routh, Root, etc. in some records) owned significant land in Berks County, Pennsylvania Colony when he died intestate in 1771.  The total acreage for the eight tracts of land in the estate is approximately 868 acres. 

The probate folder contains 70 images concerning this estate administration for Peter Ruth.  The real estate was subsequently apprised to be £5,375, and the personal estate was valued at over £1,300. Each of the heirs-at-law received a promissory note of £358-6s-8d each from the administrator, the eldest son Michael Ruth, who received all of the real estate.  Two-thirds of the  £358-6s-8d was to be paid by 11 February 1773 and one-third was to be paid after the death of Catherine, the wife of Peter Ruth.

Johann Peter Ruth (1704-1771) was born in 1704, perhaps in Wallhausen in Rhine Palatinate, emigrated to America in 1733, and died on 14 September 1771 in Cumru, Berks County, Pennsylvania Colony.  He was married twice, firstly in 1724 to Anna Sophia Lauer (1702-before 1735) in Germany,  and they had five children; secondly in 1735 to Eva Catherina Meyer (1715-1793) in Pennsylvania, and they had nine children.  All fourteen children from both marriages are named in the petition.

Johann Peter and Eva Catharina (Meyer) Ruth are my 6th great-grandparents through their son Gorg Ruth (1740-1812) who married Anna Maria Benss (1751-1796) in 1766 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania Colony.

=========================================

Read other transcriptions of records of my relatives and ancestors at Amanuensis Monday Posts.

NOTE: Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started a Monday blog theme years ago called "Amanuensis Monday." John offers this definition for "amanuensis:"

"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/08/amanuensis-monday-1772-bond-of-michael.html

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share your comments on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.  Note that all comments are moderated, and may not appear online immediately.

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Amanuensis Monday -- 1771 Petition of Michael Ruth To Partition Land of Peter Ruth in Berks County, Pennsylvania Colony

This week's document for transcription is the  1771 petition by Michael Ruth to hold an Inquest to Partition the real estate of his father Peter Ruth to the heirs-at-law in Berks County, Pennsylvania Colony.

*  Berks County, Pennsylvania, "Estates 1752-1799 Resher, Gabriel-Seitzinger, Nich.",  folder "Ruth, Peter CU 1771", image 1523 of 2236:

*  Berks County, Pennsylvania, "Estates 1752-1799 Resher, Gabriel-Seitzinger, Nich.",  folder "Ruth, Peter CU 1771", image 1524 of 2236:

The transcription of this document is (not aided by Artificial Intelligence):

[image 1523 of 2236]

To the Honorable the Justices of the Orphans Court of the County of Berks admon
Orphans Court held at Reading on and for the County of Berks the ___ Day of November
in the Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy one.

The Petition of Michael Ruth eldest Son and Heir at Law of
Peter Ruth late of the Township of Cumry in the said County Yeoman Dec'd

Humbly sheweth,
That Your Petitioners said Father died Intestate about ___ Months
since leaving a Widow, to wit, Catharine and Issue fourteen children, to wit, Your
Petitioner, Jacob, Christian, Peter, George, John, Henry, Francis, Catharine the Wife
of Henry Mayer, Mary Catharine the Wife of Jonas Eckert, Barbara, Eva, Magdalen
and Margaret, two of whom, to wit the said Magdalen and Margaret are now under
the Age of fourteen ^twenty one^ Years. And That the said Intestate was seized at the Time of his Death
in his Desmesne as of es?? of and in the Real Estate herein after described, Viz't.
One Messuage or Tenem't and four Tracts or Pieces of Land situate on Coconing Creek partly
in the said Township of Cumry and partly in the Township of Heidelberg in the County of Berks
aforesaid. One of them Beginning at a post in a Line of John Davis's land and extending thence
by the same N.66-1/2 W 170 f't to a Post thence by Land surveyed to Griffith Hughes North
182 f't to a Post thence by Vacant Land E.75 f't to a post thence by Land surveyed to George Kiesner
????? ???? f't to a post thence S.66 f't E. forty seven f't to a post, thence S. ??E 46 f't to
a white Oak, thence by Vacant Land S.27. West 188 f't to the Place of Beginning Containing
138 Acres and three Quarters of an Acre and the Allowance of six p'r Cent for Roads.
One other of them Beginning at a white Oak marked for a Corner and from thence extending
by Widow Davis's Land S.43.E 92 f't to a marked Hickory Tree, thence by Septimus
Robeson's Land S.28W. 75 f't to a post thence by John Davs's Land N.65.W 93 f't
to a post thence by the said above described Tract of 138 A's & 3/4 of an Acre N.25.E 110 f't to the
Place of Beginning Containing 49 Acres and an Allowance proportionable to six p'r Cent for Roads.
One other of them Beginning at a post set for a Corner and extending thence by Land granted
by Thomas Jenkyns to Thomas Bartholomew N.65.W 260 f't to a post thence by Land late of
Thomas Hughes the three next following C????? and Distances ???? N.65.W 40 f't to a Post S.W. 60 f't
to a post and S.37.E 288 f't to a post thence by Vacant Land N.E. 193 f't to the Place of Beginning
Containing 245 A's and a half and Allowance aforesaid. And the other of them Beginning at a post
in a Line of Land late of the aforesaid Thomas Hughes and extending thence N.E. 60 f't to a post
thence S.65.E 40 feet to a post thence by Land late of granted by the aforesaid Thomas Jenkyns to the said Thomas
Bartholomew N. 98 f.t to a post thence by Land of Benjamin Thomas West 22 f't to a post
thence South 27 West by the said Benjamin Thomas's Land 136 f't to a post thence S 37.E 10 f't to
the Place of Beginning Containing 28 Acres and Allowance aforesaid [which above described four
Tracts or Pieces of Land with the Appurtenances was granted by Thomas Bartholomew & Catherine his Wife
by Deed Dated the 16th day of January Anno Domini 1748/9 (Recorded at Reading in Book A Vol.3.
page 270 &c) unto the said Peter Rooth (alias Rood) in Fee]. Two other Tracts or Pieces
of Land contiguous to each other situate in the Township of Cumry aforesaid ^in the said County^ bounded and
limited as follows, to wit.^One of them^ Beginning at a post thence by James Seely's S.E 97 f't to a Post thence
by Peter Ruth's Land N37.W 174 f't to a Stake set for a Corner thence S40W 22 f't an a half
thence South East ????? to an Oak thence S.W. by Adam Spohn's Land 164 f't to a
Hickery thence by David Evans's Land S.E. 62 f't to a Chestnut Oak thence N.E. by the other Tract
above mentioned 46 f't to a Stake thence S.E. by the same Land 97 f't to the Place of Beginning
Containing 155 Acres and a half. And the other of them Beginning at a Corner of the last above

[NOT At bottom of the page:
^out of next Described Tract (Except a certain Lot of ab? to FRanc? Kni??? the Younger in Fee) Part therein granted by the Intestate in his Life Time.^]

[image 1524 of 2236]

described Tract thence SE. by David Evans's Land 169 f't to a Stake thence NE. by the
same land 47 f't to a Stake thence by Jonas Seely's and the last above bounded Land NW
169 f't to a Stake, thence by the same land SW 46 f't to the place of Beginning Containing
44 Acres and a half [which last above described two Tracts of Land with the Appurtenances
were granted by Hannaniah Pugh and Mary his Wife by Deed Dated the tenth day of
October in the Year of Our Lord 1752 (Recorded at Reading as s'd in Book A. Vol.3. pa.2714)
unto the said Peter Ruth (alias Rude) in Fee.] One Messuage or Tenement and Tract
of Land situate in the Township of Heidelberg in the County aforesaid, bounded and limited
as follows, to wit. Beginning at a Corner marked white Oak in a Line of Philip Philips-
mayor's Land thence extending by the same N.59 W 172 f't to a Corner Post thence S.40
W. by Land of George Haines 100 f't to a Corner post of John Jones's Land granted or
intended to be granted to Michael Schmael thence by the saqme S.48E 300 f't to a Corner
Post thence by Vacant Land N.40E. 95 f't and a half to a post thence N.50W. 60 f't
thence S85W. 59 f't to a post thence N.5W 44 f't to a black Oak thence N.40E 25 f't
to the Place of Beginning Containing 167 A's and a half besides Allowance aforesaid
[Granted by William Resse??????? and Elizabeth his Wife] by Deed dated the
third Day of August in the Year of Our Lord 1763 (Recorded at Reading aforesaid
in Book A. vol. 3. page 1304) unto the said Peter Ruth in Fee]. And one
other Tract of Land called The Moon bounded and limited as follows. Viz't.
Beginning at a marked Chesnut thence by Jonas Seely Esq'r Land North forty
five Degrees West 130 f't to a post thence by Ludwig Moon's Land North forty degrees
East 74 f't to a Post, S50E. 112 f't to a marked Chesnut Oak, S10W 41 f't to a Stone
thence by Vacant Land S.45.W 50 f't to thep lace of Beginning Containing 59 Acres
& 61 ??? and Allowance of six p'r Cent for Roads [Granted by patent of the
eighth Day of July in the Year of Our Lord 1763 (Recorded at Philadelphia
in Patent Book AA vol. 10 page 431) unto the said Peter Ruth (alias Roodt
val Root) in Fee] with the Appurtenances. Your Petitioner therefore
humbly prays Your Honors to award an Inquest to make Partition of the said Real Estate
^Except before excepted^ to and among the Heirs of the said Intestate if the same can be done without Prejudice to or
Spoiling the Whole thereof. And in Case such Partition cannot be made That then Your
Honors will order and direct the said Inquest to value and ppraise all and singular
the said Real Estate (except before excepted) So that Your petitioner may hold and
enjoy the same upon paying or securing to be paid to the Relict and younger
Children of the said Intestate their several and respective Shares therein according
to such Valuation.
                 And Your Petitioner will ever pray &c.

The source citation for the entire probate folder is:

Berks County, Pennsylvania Probate Records, Eldest son's 1771 petition for partition of Peter Ruth's real estate; imaged, "Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994," FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1999196), #185 Berks County, Pennsylvania, "Estates 1752-1799 Resher, Gabriel-Seitzinger, Nich.",  folder "Ruth, Peter CU 1771", images 1501-1577.  Original records in County courthouses, Pennsylvania. 

Peter Ruth (also Roudt, Roodt, Routh, Root, etc.) owned significant land in Berks County, Pennsylvania Colony when he died intestate in 1771.  The total acreage for the eight tracts of land in the petition above is approximately 868 acres. 

The probate packet contains many more papers concerning this estate administration.  The real estate was subsequntly valued at over £5,300. The other heirs-at-law received a promissory note of £358 each from the administrator, the eldest son Michael Ruth, who received all of the real estate. The personal estate was valued at over £1,300. 

Johann Peter Ruth (1704-1771) was born in 1704, perhaps in Wallhausen in Rhine Palatinate, emigrated to America in 1733, and died on 14 September 1771 in Cumru, Berks County, Pennsylvania Colony.  He was married twice, firstly in 1724 to Anna Sophia Lauer (1702-before 1735) in Germany,  and they had five children; secondly in 1735 to Eva Catherina Meyer (1715-1793) in Pennsylvania, and they had nine children.  All fourteen children from both marriages are named in the petition.

Johann Peter and Eva Catharina (Meyer) Ruth are my 6th great-grandparents through their son Gorg Ruth (1740-1812) who married Anna Maria Benss (1751-1796) in 1766 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania Colony.

=========================================

Read other transcriptions of records of my relatives and ancestors at Amanuensis Monday Posts.

NOTE: Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started a Monday blog theme years ago called "Amanuensis Monday." John offers this definition for "amanuensis:"

"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/08/amanuensis-monday-1771-petition-of.html

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share your comments on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.  Note that all comments are moderated, and may not appear online immediately.

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Treasure Chest Tuesday -- 1766 Marriage of George Ruth and Anna Maria Benss in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

This week's Tuesday Treasure is the 1766 marriage record of Gorg Ruth and Anna Maria Benss in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania church records:

The Ruth-Benss marriage record is the second from the bottom on the page:

The transcription of this entry is:

"RUTH -- Gorg, s. of Peter Ruth, and Anna Maria, d. of Weyrich Benss; Jan. 21, 1766."
The source citation for this marriage record is:

"Pennsylvania Compiled Marriage Records, 1700-1821," digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 March 2019), Lancaster > Rev. John Waldschmidt, 1752-1786, page 249, Gorg Ruth and Anna Maria Benss marriage entry.

This is a Derivative Source record, with Primary Information and Direct Evidence of their names, marriage date and marriage place.  The names of the two fathers is Secondary Information.  I will attempt to find an Original Source record in the Lancaster church records.

George Ruth (1740-1812) is the son of Johann Peter Ruth (1704-1771) and his second wife, Eva Catherina Meyer (1715-1793).  Anna Maria Benss (1751-1796) is the daughter of Johann Weyrich Bentz (1705-1782) and Anna Maria Barbara Schlauch (1711-1796).  George and Anna Maria (Benss) Ruth had at least five children between 1770 and 1779.

George and Anna Maria (Benss) Ruth are my 5th great-grandparents.  I am descended through their first child Catharina Ruth (1770-1813) who married Philip Jacob Konig (1764-1829) in York, Pennsylvania in about 1788.

=============================================

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2019/03/treasure-chest-tuesday-1766-marriage-of.html

Copyright (c) 2019, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Amanuensis Monday - 1812 Will of George Ruth (1740-1812) of Cumru Township, Pennsylvania

This week's document for Amanuensis Monday is the 1812 will of  George Ruth of Cumru Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania: 

[George Ruth estate, image 2 of 4]

[George Ruth estate, image 3 of 4]

[George Ruth estate, image 4 of 4]

The transcription of this will is:

[George Ruth estate, image 2 of 4]

In the Name of God Amen.  I George Ruth of Cumru
Township in the County of Berks and State of Penns-
ylvania yeoman being sick in Body but of sound
Mind and Perfect under standing thanks be given to
God for the same and Calling to mind the mortality of
My Body Knowing that is is appointed for all men once to
die I do make and ordain this my Last Will and testam-
ent that is to say, Principally and first of all I recom-
mend my soul into the Hands of God that gave it and
My Body to the Earth to be Buried in a Christian like
Manner.  It is my Will and I do hereby Order that all my
just Debts and Funeral Charges be Honestly Paid and adgusted.

I give and bequeath unto my beloved Wife Barbara one
thousand Pounds of Good and Lawful Money of Pennsyva^nia
one year after My decease.  It further My Will that My Wife
Shall have as much of my Husel good and Kidchen for??????
as Much as My said Wife ones of it and twoo Cowes and
one Mare Black mare and it is My Will that My Wife
Barbara shall have the use of Half of my Personal Esta-
t is ?????? my ?????? ??? ??????? ???????. ??? ?? ?????
Son George Ruth all my Real Estate that is to say
three thracts of Land Boundet and Described as follow
joining Land of Henry Ruth Peter Ruth Sebastian
Miller and ulrich Hauver Containing one Hundred and forthy
Eight Ecers be the same More or Less the other thract bounded
John Hay George Ru?man ^and Georg Kr??k^ John Harman and Henry
Ruth Containing one Hundred Twenty five Acres be
the same More or Less the other thract is Wood Land joining
Land Jacob Ludwig and ulrich Hareder Containing fifty seven
Ecers be the same more or less all together Three hundred
and Thirty Ecers be the same more or less With all the
A ????? ?????? ?? ?? ???? ?? ???????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ???
for What it is ??????? give the above ????? land to My
beloved abovementioned Son George Ruth for Ever It is
further My wish and bequeath Unto My beloved daughter
Elisabeth the interest of one thousand Pounds yearley and
and Every during Her Natural Life and after My daugh-
ter Elisabeth Her deat the one thousand Pound Where my
daughter Elisabeth tranes the interest during her Natural

[image 3 of 4]

Life After her deat it shall be devided Among her
Hairs Sheere and Sheere alike It is further My Will and I
Aqueath unto My beloved Grand son Peter a Son of My daugh-
ter Elisabeth the sum of four Hundred Pounds good and Law-
ful Money  It is further My will that My beloved daughter
Catherina a Wife of Jacob Konig Shall Have one thousand
Pounds ???? My Real Estate good and Lawful Money
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Pounds Where is before ????????? one year after My
decease and Unto My daughter Elisabeth one
thousand Pound twoo years after My deceaset Not
the Principle but the Interest yearley and Every year
turing Her Natural ^Life^ and after Her deceased the ???? ?????
ant Pount or Principle Must be paid to the said Elisa-
beth Her Hairs directley After Her death and unto My Grand
Son Peter a son of my daughter Elisabeth the sum
???? ?????? the sum of four Hundred Pounds three
years after My deceased.  My Grand ???? ????? ????? ???? ????? ???
or his Executors thel he the said Peter shall ?????? ??? ???
of twenty one years He shall tran the Prenceble and
My beloved daughter Catharina shall trans
one thousand Pounds in Manner as follows that
is to say the first three Hundred and thirty three Pounds
Six shillings and eight Pence four years after My decease
and so Every year that she had of the said thousand Pounds
an fully paid it is further My Will and I Ordain Nomina-
te and appoint my Trusty frainds and Brothern Law
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????
????????????????????????????????????????????William
Addams of Heidelberg Township in Berks County
and Henry Ruth of Cumru township in Berks County to
be Executors for My daughter Elisabeth and four My Hole
Estate Executors of this My Last Will and Testament.

[image 4 of 4]

And to See the same justly and Honestly fulfilled
According to the true intent and meaning thereof and
I Hereby make null and void all others Wills and Testamants 
by me Heretofore made Either in words or Writing
Retafying and Allowing this and Now other to be
my Last Will and Testament I Witness whereof
???????????????????????????????????????????
???????????????????????????????????????????

Signed sealed Pronounced and       }
Declared by the said George Ruth  }        Georg Ruth   {seal}
As his Last Will and Testament      }
in the Presence of us                       }
John Miller
W^m Bell

Registers Office Reading Berks County May 11^th 1813
????????????????????????????????????? John Miller and
W^m Bell Witness to the foregoing Writing Who after they
were duly Sworn according to Law, did declare and say
that they were present and did see and hear George Ruth
the testator Sign, Seal, publish, pronounce and declare
the said Writing as and for his Last Will and Testament
and that at the time of the Doing he the said Testator
was of sound Mind Memory and Understanding to the
best of their Knowledge and as they verily believe.  And
further that the Names John Miller and W^m Bell were
of their own Handwriting thereto subscribed in the
presents of each other and in the presents and at the
Request of the Testator.
                                                          Ja?? Shneider  Reg^r

The presence of the tape obscuring several lines of the handwriting on all three pages severely hampers understanding of the details of the legacies.In addition, the spelling ability of the person writing this will for George Ruth doesn't help.  

The source citation for this estate file is:

"Pennsylvania Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993," indexed records and digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 March 2019), Berks > "Probate Estate Files, Rothermel, Sophia - Seibert, George, 1800-1850," images 807-810 of 2401, George Ruth will, proved 11 May 1813.

In his will (the date of writing is obscured by the tape on the pages), George Ruth names his wife (Barbara), his son George Ruth (born about 1775), his daughter Elisabeth (born about 1779) and her son Peter, and his daughter Catherina (born about 1770), wife of Jacob Konig.  

George Ruth (1740-1812) is the son of Johann Peter and Eva Catherina (Meyer) Ruth of Berks County, who migrated from Germany in the 1730s to Pennsylvania.  .  George married (1) Anna Maria Dorothea Bentz before 1740 in Pennsylvania, and (2) Barbara Krum before 1812.  

The mention of daughter Catherina, wife of Jacob Konig, is of paramount importance to me, because Philip Jacob and Catherina (Ruth) Konig are my 4th great-grandparents.  They married before 1789, probably  in York County, Pennsylvania. 

                                     =========================================

NOTE:  Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent  TransylvanianDutch blog) started a Monday blog theme years ago called "Amanuensis Monday."  John offers this definition for "amanuensis:" 

"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2019/03/amanuensis-monday-1812-will-of-george.html

Copyright (c) 2019, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.