IN THE NAME OF GOD, Amen I William Mengel of Warwick Township in the County
of Lancaster and Province of Pennsylvania yeoman being old and weak of Body
but of sound & disposing Mind Memory and Understanding calling to Mind the
uncertainty of Human Life and that it is ordered for all Men once to die I
therefore make this as my last Will and Testament, recommending my Immortal
Spirit in the Hands of my great Creator who gave it and my Body to the
Earth in the hopes of a glorius resurrection through the Merits of Jesus
Christ my Redeemer and as to my Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased
God to bless me I bequeath the same in Manner following.
  First I order that all my Just Debts and Funeral Expences be paid and
discharged by my Executors as soon as conveniently may be after my decease.
  Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved Wife Catharine all my
Tract of Land whereon I now Live Together with my Houses and Buildings
thereon errected and being Together also with all my Beds, Money, Debts,
Horses, Cows, Kitchen furniture of all other my Household Goods and
Furniture of what Name so ever To hold my sd Real and Personal Estate unto
my said Wife Catharine for and during her natural Life and to have use and
enjoy the same to her use and Support without any Molestation or inerrrruption
of my Children or without being answerable for the same to them or any of
them. But after the decease of my said Wife then it is my Will and I do
hereby give and bequeath unto my Step son John Stamm out of the Estate
so left by my said Wife the sum of Four pounds Lawfull Money of Pennsylvania
which shall be his whole Share out of my said real and Personal Estate
which shall be left by my said Wife after her decease I order that it then
shall be divided amongst my Three Sons Viz: John, John George, and
Frederick share alike, so that the meaning of this my Will is that my said
wife shall have and enjoy all my Real and Personal Estate during her
Natural life and that my said Three Sons shall be equal Shares in the
residue and remainder of the Estate so left by my said Wife after her
decease, and that my said sons shall have no manner of Claim to my Estate
either Real or Personal untill the decease of my said Wife.
  And lastly I nominate make over and appoint my said beloved Wife Catharina
whole and sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament making hereby
null and void all former and other Will or Wills by me heretofore made
declaring this and no other to be my last Will and Testament In Witness
whereof I have hereto set my Handand Seal this fourteenth Day of June in
the year our our Lord one Thousand seven hundred and seventy three.
Signed Sealed published pronounced
and declared by the Testator as his
last Will and Testament in the			Wilhelm Mengel
presence of us  		     [clerk's rendition of German script]
Hans Erb
Johannes Erb Jun.  Joseph Gingrich
The will was proved on 27 April 1780 by John Erb Junr. and Joseph Gingrick,
and letters testamentary were granted to Catharine Mengel the named
executrix.