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WILL OF JOST HENRY SASSEMANSHOUSE of Maxatawny Township in the County of Berks and in the province of Pennsylvania, blacksmith, being aged and infirm in body but yet thro the mercy and goodness of our Blessed Saviour and Redeemer of sound and disposing mind and memory and calling to mind the uncertainty of the time of the dissolution of this mortal labors have and thought fit to make and declare this my Last Will and Testament.
Concerning my worldly estate in manner following and that is to say first, it is my mind and desire that all my just debts and funeral expenses be duly paid and I do give and bequeath unto by beloved wife, Petronella Sassemanshouse, the sum of Twenty Pounds current and lawful money of Pennsylvania for her portion according to law and my best bed and bedstead with the certains likewise the following household goods viz three chavis(?), three pewter plates, a pewter dish, six pewter spoons, a small iron pot and one small and one large iron melting pan on the kettle and ones the pot with the cups and the Little(?). Table and one red cow and all the linen cloth which are in the Lists (?) which Legacies with a certain annuity of ten pound and ten shillings secured to be paid unto her and said Wife upon my decease by my son Henry Sassemanshouse or by his heirs and assigns I do will shall be in full of her dowren (but so long she carry my name Sassemanshouse or others expectancy out of my estate and not otherwise and I do give unto my son Georg Sassemanshouse the sum of fifteen pounds lawful money to pay after my decease and I give unto my son Henry Sassemanshouse the sum of fifteen pounds lawful money after my decease and all the interest which are due of the said two hundred pound bond which I got from my son Henry and I give unto my son Jacob Sassemanshouse the sum of ten pounds lawful money and give to him my son Jacob Sassemanshouse one hundred acres of land allowance granted to me by patent from the honble the proprietor on line or bearing of this province dated the fifth day of March last past together with the appurtenances to hold to my my said son Jacob his heirs and assigns forever; and it is further my will and devise that my son Andres Sassemanshouse and his sisters namely Elizabeth, Juliana, Catharine, Dorothea, Saffia, Gertraut, shall divide equally my moveables amongst them as share and part alike (Except what is given to my wife and my three sons as George, Henry and Jacob) and all this shall be done after my decease and I do nominate and appoint my beloved wife and my son Andrew Sassemanshouse to be my Executors of this my Last Will and Testament and I do declare this only to be my Last Will and Testament and hereby revoking all others by me heretofore made in witness whereof I the said Jost Henry Sassemanshouse the Testator have herunto set my hand and seal this fifth day of September and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty seven. Sealed Signed Published and Declared by the above Jost Henry Sassemanshouse the Testator as and for his Last Will and Testament whom his presence and request have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses to the same Joseph Sigfridt, Nicholas Germany at Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania. On the eleventh day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty seven Personally appeared Nicholas Germany Esquire and Joseph Sigfridt the witnesses to the aforewritten will and declaring themselves conscientiously scrupulous of taking an oath upon their solemn affirmation according to law did respectively declare and say that they were present together and saw and heard Jost Henry Sassemanshouse the Testator of the said Will named sign seal publish pronounce and delcare the same will to be his Last Will and Testament and that at the time of the doing thereof the said Testator was of sound mind memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge and as they verily believe and for them the names Nicholas Germany and Joseph Sigfridt thereunto subscribed are of their own proper hands writing by them respectively subscribed as witnesses in the presence of each other and in the presence and at the request of the said Testator.
Letters Testamentory in common form under the seal of said office on the will afore written of the said Testator Jost Henry Sassemanshouse deceased were granted to Andrew Sassemanshouse one of the sons of the Testator Executor therein named and the Executric therein named renouncing and refusing the burden of the execution of the said testament her being first solemnly sworn according to law. Inventory to be exhibityed on or before the eleventh day of December next and an account of his administration when therunto required. Registered and examined by James M. Dickey. He had an estate probated on 11 Nov 1767 in Berks Co, PA. His wife, Petronella, and oldest son, Andrew, were the Executors. Petronella subsequently renounced her right to serve. He died Sept-Nov 1767 in Maxatawny Twp, Berks Co, PA. He was a Blacksmith in Maxatawny Twp, Berks Co, PA. Public records show Jost buying several tracts of land in 1734 and thereafter in Philadelpia, Berks and Bucks Counties. Due to the changing boundaries of county lines, it is believed that his land all lay within the boundaries of present day Berks Co. He was married to Anna Katharina STRACK on 17 Sep 1717 in Feudingen, Germany.
