An American Family History

In the name of God, Amen, the 6 day of February in the year one thousand six hundred eighty-three, I, Nicholas Bonham of ye town of Picastaway in County of Middlesex in East New Jersey being sick in body but of good and perfect memory thanks be to ye all mighty God and calling to remembrance the uncertain estate of this transitory live that all flesh must yield unto  death whn it shall please God to call, do make, constitute, ordain, and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following, revoking and annulling by those present all and every Testament and Testaments Will and Wills heretofore by me made and declareed either by word or written and this to be taken only for mylast will and testament and none other.

And first being penitent and sorry from the bottom of my heart for my sins past most humbly desiring foregiveness for ye same I give and commit my soul unto Almighty God my Savior and Redeemer in Whom and by ye mercies of Jesus Christ I trust and believe assuredly to be saved and so have full remission and forgiveness of all my sins and that my soul with my body at the general day of resurrection shal rise again with joy and through ye merits of Christ's death and passion passes so inherit the Kingdom of heaven prepared for his elect and chosen and my body to be buried in such a place where it shall  please my executor hereafter named to appoint. And now for ye - - - of my temporal estate and such goods chattels and debts as it has pleased God far above my desires to bestow upon me I do order give and dispose ye same in manner and form following. That is to say - - -

First I will that all those debts and duties as I owe in right or conscience to any manner of person or persons whatsoever shall be well and truly contented and paid or ordained to be paid within convenient time afier my decease by my executors hereafter named.

Item, I give and bequeath unto my dearly beloved wife Hannah Bonham the house and lot that I now live on and ye bed that we now lie on during her natural life and after her decease, son Hezekiah Bonham.

Item, I give unto my said Hezekiah Bonham all ye rest of my land lying within ye township of Piscataway or a to him his heirs and assigns forever.

Item, I will order and appoint that all my cattell with my household goods shall remain in ye hands of my executors hereafter named for ye support of my family and ye bringing up of my children and as any of them marries such parts of ye cattell and goods to be given them as my executor shall think meet with and by ye advise and consent of my overseer hereafter named.

Item, I will and bequeath unto my grandchildren now living or shall be born within a year after ye date hereof, one bible to each of them to be bought and paid for out of my estate by my executors hereafter named.

Item, after ye decease of my said wife what chattels, goods, or lands that is then undisposed of I do will and bequeathunto my son Hezekiah Bonham, he being my sole heir excepting ye legacies before mentioned and ye other dispositions in ye articles above mentioned.

Item, I will constitute and appoint my wife Hannah Bonham and my son Hezekiah Bonham to be my whole and sole executors and dispose of my estate above mentioned accordingly as is above ordered and appointed with and by ye advise and consent of my overseer hereafter mentioned.

Item, I do request and desire my friends Isaac Smalley and Edward Slater to be my overseers to assist and advise my said executors about ye disposing of my estate and affairs as above said.

Given under my hand and seal the day and year above written. 

Signed and sealed in the presents of Edward Slater and Isaac Smalley.

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