This week's document for transcription is the 1733 Will of Caleb Beck (1675-1733) of Schenectady, Albany County, New York.
[image 299 of 552]
The transcription of this will is:
[image 299 of 552]
In the Name of God Amen The Eight Day of March in the year of our
Lord one Thousand Seven hundred and twenty Eight an nine I Caleb Beck
of Schanectady in the County of Albany Gentleman being very sick and
weak in Body but of perfect mind and memory Thanks be given unto
God therefore Calling unto mind the mortality of my Body and Knowing
That it is Apointed for all men 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 Hands of god that gave it and for my body I
Recommend it to the Earth to be Buried in a Christian Like and decent manner
At the Discretion of my Exectors nothing Doubting but at the General
Resurrection I Shall Receive the same again by the mighty 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 as followeth Viz.
Imprimus I give and bequeath unto my well-beloved Son Caleb Beck
all my wearing Cloaths from head to foot, and that he Chuses the best gun in
the house and has it mended and prepared as he thinks fit for himself
and my Pocket Pistol and Sword at the Cost and Charge of My Estate Together
with all my Printed Books and the Great New Chest and if he Learns a trade
To have five pounds to buy toels.
Item I give and bequeath to my Son in Law John Fairly two foot and a
Halef of Ground fronting the Street that Leade to the Church on the North side
of his own Lott and at the Eastmost end one foot and a halef wide that
?tending to the breath of his own Lott.
Item then all Debt to paid which must be paid ot of the Debts due to Caleb
Beck by bonds bills and Books Debts and as my Ecec'tors think fit to Dispose of
horses waggens or slee or any other moveables that can be mist tord paying
the same.
[image 300 of 552]
Item I give and bequeath and Leave in full possession Anna my Dear
and well beloved wife all and Singlar my moveables and immoveables
Estate good and Chattles Duering her Natural Life or so Long She Remain a
widdow and then to my Son Caleb and to his Heirs and assigns for Ever.
Item in twelve month after he have the Estate in possession to pay or Cause
to be paid unto his sister my beloved Daughter Angeltie twenty five pounds
of Current money of province of newyork.
Item that my wife Anna thinks fit I give her full power and a
athority to sel and Dispose of a lot of Ground behind where the bobbing
house stands fifty foot fronting the Street and so backward to Nicholas Schuylers
to pay Debts.
Item I Constute ordain and appoint my Dearly beloved wife Anna my
Executrix to gether with Thomas Williams a Gentleman of albany and
Liu't Helmas Vedder of the Town of Schanectady and I do hereby utterly
Disalow Revoke and Diannul all and Every other former Testaments wills
and Legacies Requests and executors by me in any ways before this time
Named willed and 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 the Day and year above written.
Signed Sealed published pronounced C Beck {seal}
and Declared by the Caleb Beck as
his Last Will and Testament in the
presence of us the Subscribers
Robbert Yates
Abraham Meebie
Robert Freeman
[image 301 of 552]
Albany the 29 Sepr 1733
Be it Remembered that on the day and year above Written personally appeared before
me Myndert Schuyler being thereunto Delegated and appointed Abraham Meebo
& Rob't Yats two of the Subscribers Wittnesses to the within Written Will of Caleb beeck
and made Oath on the holy Evangelish of Almighty God that they saw the said Caleb
beck Sign & Seal publish & Declare the same to be his Last Will, and that at the
time thereof he was of Sound Disposing mind and memory to the best of their Knowledge,
& further Declare the saw Robert freeman subscribe as one of the Wittnesses to the Within
Will in the presence of the testator.
Myndert Schuyler
The source citation for this probate case file is:
"New York County, New York, Wills and Probate Records, 1658-1880 (NYSA)," indexed database with digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 July 2019), citing original records from New York State Archives, Series No. J0038-82: Probated Wills, 1671-1815 Wills, > Box 01-02, Aretse, Rutt-Arentse, Johannes, 1679-1760, images 299-301 of 552, Caleb Beck of Schenectady probate file, will written 8 March 1728/9, proved 29 September 1733.
Caleb Beck (1675-1733) married Annatje Janse Mol (1678-????) in 1703 in Schenectady, and they had at least five children:
* Anna Beck (1704-1749), married 1728 Jacobus Jillise Van Vorst (1703-1797).
* Caleb Beck (1712-1713)
* Caleb Beck (1714-1787), married 1747 Elizabeth Truax (1723-1797)
* Engeltie Beck (1715-1758), married 1742 Isaac Abramse Truax (1715-1790)
* Margaret Beck (1717-1801), married 1751 John W. Brown (1727-1814)
Annatje Janse Mol married first to John Fairly (1675-1703) and they had a son John Fairly (1700-????) who is probably the "son-in-law John Fairly" in the will.
In his will written 8 March 1728/9, Caleb Beck does not name his oldest daughter, Anna Beck, who married Jacobus Van Vorst in 1728 before Caleb write his will. The Schenectady Dutch Reformed Church record book clearly states that Anna Beck was baptized 7 October 1704 with parents Kaleb Beck and Anna Mol. He does name the other three living children, Caleb, Engeltie and Margaret in his will. The will was proved in the Albany County Probate Court on 29 September 1733.
Caleb and Annatje (Mol) Beck are my 7th great-grandparents, through their daughter Anna Beck (1704-1749) who married Jacobus Van Vorst (1703-1798) in 1728.
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