William Rogers, Jr.

Biography

Will

"be it recorded that I, Wiiliam Rogers, senr. of New Hanover, in the county of Burlington and province of New Jersey, yeoman, this fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-one, being very sick and weak of body, but of perfect mind and memory, do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following; that is to say...

"My will is and I do hereby order in the first place that all my just debts and funeral charges be fully paid and satisfied by my Executors hereafter named. Item, I give and bequeath to my daughter, Abigail Jones, the wife of Samuel Jones, the sum of five shillings lawful money of the province aforesaid.

"Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Rhoda Rogers, my feather bed adn bedding that I now lie on, in my present lodging room, together with a set of curtains to be purchased for her out of my estate and delivered to her by my executors, together with the bed and bedding aforesaid when she shall attain the age of eighteen years. I like wise five and bequeath to my daugther Rhoda the sum of twenty-five pounds lawful money of the province aforesaid, to be paid her by my executors when she shall attain the age of eighteen years.

"Item, I give and bequesth unto Job Rogers, Shopkeeper at the New Mills [Named New Mills about 1760, since 1826 changed to Pemberton.] in New Hanover aforesaid, the sum of ten pounds lawful money of the province aforesaid, to be paid to him by my executors as soon as conveniently can be after my decease. I likewise give and bequeath unto the said Job Robers all the rents arising from the lands that I leased of Anna Briggs, which are now in the rent of Joseph Adams and John Thomas Morris.

"Item. I do hereby order and empower my executors hereafter to sell all my lands and cedar swamp whatever and wherever to be found, and the money arising from the sale therof and from my personal estate after my just debts adn funeral charges and the legacies hereinbefore given are fully paid and satisfied, I give and dispose of as follos, viz:

"My will is, and I do hereby order, that the said residue and remiander of my estate aforesaid be divided into eight equal parts, and the one equal eighth part thereof I give and bequeath unto my son, Abner Rogers, and the one equal eight part therof I give and bequeath to my son, William Rogers, and the one equal eight part I give and bequeath to my son Thomas Rogers; one equal eighth part I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Jones, the wife of Benjamin Jones; two equal eight parts thereof I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary McIntosh, the wife of Joseph McIntosh, two equal parts thereof, I give and bequeath to Job Rogers aforesaid one equal eighth part.

"I do hereb y constitue and appoint my two sons, Abner Rogers and William Rogers, to be executors of this my last will and testament, and I do hereby utterly revoke and annul all other and former wills and testaments, ratifying and confirming this, and no other, to be my last will and testament. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal teh day and year hereinbefore written, 1771.

Witnesses: Lott Ridgway, Restore Shinn, Joseph Goldy

The above will proved Dec. 14, 1771. Liber 15, folio 226.

A copy of the foregoing will was recently found in the possession of Edwin Rogers of Lumberton Township, Burlington county, son of Wm, son of Henry, the son of Wm. and Martha Rogers, it having been handed down from father to son from generation to generation. He also had the original unrecorded deed for a lot of ground in Burlington City made to William Rogers the first 1715 by Alexander Lockhart.

This lot is designated as No. 31--50 feet, 6 inches in length, 20 feet, 6 inches breadth, fronting on the lower street in Burlington--for the sum of eight shillings and four pence. This deed being found among a lot of old papers belonging to the father of Edwin Rogers after his death proves that this William was an ancestor, and was undoubtedly the father of William who made the above will in 1771. Edwin Rogers informs that he burned up (after his father's death) a large quantity of old papers belonging to our ancestors, which is to be regretted. Those of my generation are the seveth in line from William who died intestate in 1736. He was the grandfather of Thomas Rogers, who was born in 1740 and married 1765 Anna Rodman.

Sources

Ancestry Family Trees This citation provides evidence for William L Rogers II

Family Data Collection - Births 1 citation provides evidence for Name, Birth

Family Data Collection - Individual Records 1 citation provides evidence for Name, Death, Birth, Marriage

New Jersey, Deaths and Burials Index, 1798-1971 1 citation provides evidence for Name, Death, Birth

U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 2 citations provide evidence for Name, Birth, Marriage, Event

U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 1 citation provides evidence for Name, Death, Birth