John Houston

SxW-C:091
JOHN HOUSTON, planter of New County on Delaware 06/29/1775 04/25/1777 "being of sound mind and disposing Memory . . ." Bequeaths to:
1. Mary Houston -wife, to have one third of the balance of the personal estate after debts, etc. and also to have a dowry in the testator's real estate
2. Robert Houston -brother, John Collins and John Mitchell, named joint executors of the will, to have the use and for the purpose mentioned hereafter to have the testator's part of a saw mill on Askutson (?) Branch, the testator's part of land bought by the testator and his brother Robert from William Benson, 50 acres of land purchased from Lank, all of the testator's teams, 2 of the saw mill belonging to the testator and Joseph Johnson, the stock of all kinds and the testator's 2 of the schooner, and also the testator's saw mills on Broad Creek with all the utensils with free liberty to pass through all the testator's lands as the same roads now lead and all the testator's carts and carriages for the term of 5 years for the purpose of paying the testator's debts without "breaking on Negro flesh" or household goods , testator appoints Robert as guardian to all of his children until they come of age
3. John Houston -son, to have the 200 acres of land being 314 acres that the testator purchased from Joseph Marshall and John Mitchell, to have 150 acres of land left to the testator by his father lying on the south side of Broad Creek, 36 acres of land which the testator purchased from John Collings with the saw mills on the creek--to have after the term of 5 years expires, to have with all the testator's carts and carriages
4. Leonard Houston -son, to have 250 acres of land being part of a tract of land called "Cox's Performance" which was bequeathed to the testator by his father with his now dwelling house and to have 3 acres of land called "Midle Ground"
5. Littleton Houston -son, to have 150 pounds to be laid out in completing his education and study, the remainder of the estate and Negroes to be divided among the testator's children not already mentioned (unnamed) to be divided among them
Witnesses: John Collins, James Edger, John Holt (mark)
Codicil to the will:
1. James Houston, John Houston -sons, James to be a joint legatee and heir to the one moiety of all the lands that are bequeathed to John
2. Mary Houston -wife, named as a joint executrix of the will with Robert Houston and John Mitchell
-testator's daughters to have an equal share of the estate
Witnesses: Peter Dolbee, Jared Hitchins
Then came: Robert Houston and John Collins
Note: the testator signed the will and codicil in his own hand

John married Mary (?).