Jonathan Cottingham's Will
Worcester Sst (Somerset): In the Name of God Amen I Jonathan Cottingham of the County of Worcester Planter being of Perfect Sense and Memory thanks be to God Almighty do make Constitute ordain and Declare this my last Will and Testament in manner of form following First I Give my soul to God who gave it me and as for my Settling of my Worldly Estate which it hath pleased God to bestow upon me I Give and bequeath as followeth Vizt: I Give and bequeath to my Son William Cottingham my mannor plantation whereon I now live and all the Land Adjoining thereto lying being on the North side of the Cool Spring Branch but my Will is that my beloved wife Margaret Cottingham remain on the same and enjoy her equal part of the use thereof during her widowhood and at the end thereof all and every part of the aforesaid Land and plantation to the only proper use and behoof of my said Son William Cottingham his heirs and Assigns forever But in case my Son William Cottingham should die without heir of his Body lawfully Begotten then my will is that his Land shall devolve to my Son Thomas to him his heirs and Assigns forever Item I Give and bequeath unto my Son Daniel Cottingham all of the Land whereof he is now possest lying and being on the Southermost Side of the Cool Spring Branch and the Branch to be the Division betwixt the Land of my Son William and of my Son Daniel Cottingham which said Land I Give to my Son Daniel to him his heirs and Assigns forever Item I Give and bequeath to my Son Charles Cottingham the Plantation in Kent County on Delaware whereon my Son Jonathan now liveth together with any moveables that he had from me to him the said Charles Cottingham his heirs and Assigns forever Item I Give and bequeath to my Son Jonathan Cottingham all the moveables he is now possessed of in Kent on Delaware to him and his heirs forever as his full Share of my Estate Item I Give to my Son William Cottingham my case and Bottles and the Couch with the Leather Bottom to it likewise the gun now called his to him the said William Cottingham his heirs and assigns forever being his full Portion Item I Give and bequeath unto my Son Daniel Cottingham the Cow Calf Heifer with their Increase which he hath been possest of for some years past being in full of his portion to him his heirs and assigns forever Item I Give to my Daughter Mary Nicholson one Shilling Sterling in full of her Portion my will further is that my well beloved wife Margaret Cottingham have the use of all the remaining part of my personal Estate during her Widowhood and at the end time of the same to be divided among my children in manner and form following Vizt: one sixth part thereof to my Daughter Sarah Laws and the remaining part to be divided betwixt my Sons Elisha Cottingham and Thomas Cottingham Lastly I Do hereby appoint my son William Cottingham and my well beloved wife Margaret Cottingham my whole and sole Executor and Executrix of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking and Disannulling any former Will or Wills by me Executed or Expressed and Acknowledging this only to be my last Will and Testament and all others by me entered into to be Null and Void In Testimony hereof I hereto have put my hand and affixed my seal this Seventh Day of October Anno Domini Seventeen Hundred and Sixty Acknowledged Sealed and Delivered in presence of us
Thomas Jones
Southy Newton Jonathan Cottingham
John Barnard Dead his mark

Imprimis I the aforesaid Jonathan Cottingham being in perfect Sense and memory as aforesaid having omitted in the former part of my last Will and Testament the Disposal of my Stock of Hogs I hereby Will and bequeath to my Son William Cottingham aforesaid all my Stock of Hogs which I shall or may be possessed of at my Death only he the said William allowing his mother Margaret Cottingham a Sufficient Quantity out of the said Stock of Hogs yearly to subsist on during her Natural life if required and at the Death of his said mother the aforesaid Stock of Hogs or what remains of them to belong to my said William to his heirs and assigns forever Item I Will and bequeath to my said Son William to him his heirs and assigns forever my hand Mill and Looking Glass and Chest which I am now possessed of to him his heirs and assigns forever Item I Will and bequeath to my said Son William to him his heirs and assigns forever Two Ewes and Lambs to be Chosen out of my flock with their Increase to be his from the Day of the date hereof Item I Will and bequeath to my said Son William 1 grindstone to him his heirs and assigns forever this as an Addition to the former part of my last Will and Testament aforesaid Disannulling all others I hereto have put my hand and affixed my seal this Twelth Day of March Seventeen Hundred Sixty One
Signed Sealed and Acknowledged in presense of us
John Shaw
Jonathan Cottingham
his mark

John Barnard
Southy Newton
June 4th 1762 Came Thomas Jones and Aug. 30th 1762 came Southy Newton two of the Subscribing witnesses to the foregoing Will and severally made oath on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God that they Saw Jonathan Cottingham the Testator Sign Seal and heard him publish pronounce and declare the same to be his last Will and Testament and that at the time of his so doing he was to the best of their apprehension of sound Disposing mind and memory and that they Subscribed their names as witnesses to the said will in the presence of the said Testator and at his request and also that they saw John (should be Barnard but says) Barnett the other Subscribing witness sign his name as a witness to the said will in the presence of the same
Sworn before Benton Harris Depty Comry of Worcester County

Inventory of Jonathan COTTINGHAM, Worcester County, MD, 1769 from Liber 98, Folio 342
(The items in parentheses are modern spellings or explanations)
5th Jan. 1769
1 Chist of Drawers
1 old Dusque (desk)
1 oval Table
1 pair of Stilliards (used for weighing things)
2 old Looking Glasses (mirrors)
1 feather Bed No. 1 wt 45 lbs (this is the weight of the mattress)
1 old Green Rug, sheet, and Blanket (a rug was a bed covering not floor covering)
1 old Bedstead and cord (bedstead had a rope bottom that the feather mattress lay on)
1 feather Bed Ditto No. 2 wt 43 lbs
1 old Blue Rug, 2 sheets, and 1 Blanket
1 Bedstead Matt and Cord (bedstead had a mat and rope bottom)
1 feather Bed Ditto No. 3 wt 43 lbs
2 old worsted rugs
2 old Blankets and 2 old sheets
1 old Bedstead mat and cord very old
1 very old Bedstead and old cord
5 old Harrow teeth (for harrowing the ground before planting)
1 very old sett of Iron Wedges Broken
1 old frow and Bricklars Trowel (froes were used for splitting shingles, barrel staves, anything that was made from split wood, Bricklars must be brick layers)
1 old Plow and cutter wt 12 lbs
1 old Nuzel for Plow (I have no idea)
9 1/2 lbs of old Ox Chain
2 old Books, 1 spice morter and pestle
1 pair of old Hand Bellos (bellows) and old slate (for writing on, few people had paper)
1 very old Handsaw, 1 old 3/4 augre (auger)
5 1/2 lb of old Iron
1 old broken saw
1 old Oyle Jugg, 1 pr of old fire Tongs
1 old Lathing Hammer and old Jointers Iron
1 old Hackle, 1 old Gimlet
2 old Earthen Potts
1 narrow chisel, 1 old raspe
1 Shoemakers Hammer, Pinchers and Pegging Aul (awl) very old (all tools for making your own shoes) a parcel of old auls and a pair of old nippers
2 candlesticks
some old knives and forks
1 very old Box Iron and heaters
11 lbs 3/4 of Pewter
15 lb of very old Ditto much broken
3 very old Slays (used for weaving)
1 young Heifer year and half old
1 old fashened (fashioned) Pine Table
1 very old Loom, 1 Linen wheel(for spinning linen fibers)
2 very old Ditto wheels
1 old Wooling wheel(for spinning wool fibers)
50 3/4 lbs of old Pott Iron (old iron pots)
1 pair pott hooks (for hanging pots over the fire)
1 very old Womans sadle much tore
2 old Towels, 1 old Table Cloth
1 case of 12 Bottles
1 old Couch
1 Hand Mill and 1 Grindstone
1 Chist (chest)
3 very old Chairs
1 foot Dram Glass
1 old frying pan broken

nearest of kin: Daniel Cottingham John Cottingham
greatest creditors: Rowd Beavans (Rowland) Samuel Hopkins
appraisers: Ja. B. Schoolfield Wm. B. Townsend
April 19th 1769 came William Cottingham, executor and made oath

Worcester County Accounts 1769 (Liber 61, Folio 204)
The final account of William Cottingham surviving executor of the last Will of Jonathan Cottingham late of Worcester County
Inventory 39.12.0 (39 pounds, 12 shillings, 0 pence)
(It goes on to list the payment to commissioners general, appraisers, etc.)
Final Distribution 1769 (Liber 5, Folio 349)
balance is thus to be distributed vizt:
To his son Jonathan what movables he had from his Father - also all the movables he is now confessed of in Kent on Delaware in full of his Share of the Estate
To his son William his case and Bottles, and the Couch with Leathern Bottom also a gunn now called his in full for his part
To his son Daniel the cow calf Heiffer with increase now in his Possession in full for his part
To his daughter Mary Nicholson one shilling sterling in full
All of the residue to his wife Margaret during her Life, and after her decease one sixth part to his Daughter Sarah Laws and the remaining part equally between his sons Elisha and Thomas Cottingham
In a codicil the stock of Hoggs is bequeathed To his son William, he allowing a sufficient quantity Thereof yearly to the widow of the deceased during the Term of her Life - also to his son William a hand mill, looking Glass, Chest, 2 Ewes and Lambs and a grindstone (I wonder where the sheep came from, they weren't on the inventory)

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