Bill Family - Reuben Bill will - page 7

616   At the Same Court, Rhoda Bill of Dalton in the County of Berkshire, is assigned and appointed, by the said Judge, to be Guardian, both of the Persons and Estates of Aaron Bill, Amy Bill, Lydia Bill and Lucinda Bill, Minors under the age of fourteen years, Children of Reuben Bill late of Dalton aforesaid deceased and a bond is taken of the said Rhoda for the faithful performance of her said Trust as on file.

I found this during the summer in Ancestry.com

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Bill Family - Reuben Bill Will - page 6

615 of and as a compensation for, so far as it may go, her friendly & tender care of me and my Children and what of her own property she has disbursed and exported for their and my Comfort, doubting at the same time, wthether the whole will sufficiently reward her ___
   And I do hereby constitute and appoint my said Wife sole Executor of this my last Will _____ In testimony whereof I have [?] [?] set my hand and Seal the day and year above written
Signed Sealed published pronounced and [?]
as and for the last will of the said Reuben in
presence of us Witnesses who [?]our names
in his [?] other presence}Reuben Bill & Seal
George Babcock
Elisha Bill
Eben Warner
Berkshire Ss: ___ At a Court of Probate, holden at Lenox within and forsaid County, on the third day of May Anno Domini One thousand seven hundred and ninety six, bring more than fourteen days after the death of the Testator hereafter named, Before the Hon. William Walker Esq. Judge of said Count ___ The Testiment hereunto annexed, is presented as the last Will and Testament of Reuben Bill late of Dalton in the County aforesaid, deceased, by Rhoda Bill the Executrix therein named, for probate: And George Babcock Elisha Bill and Ebenezer Warren the subscribing Witnesses to the same, appearing, made Oath that they saw Reuben Bill the Testator, Sign and Seal, and heard him publish and declare the same to be [continued on page 7]

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Bill Family - Reuben Bill Will - page 5

   On 6 June 2020, a hint came up on Ancestry.com. It turned out that it was the 1796 probate record for Reuben Bill, from Berkshire, Massachusetts. From what I can tell he is my 4th great grandfather. This document states that one of his children was Aaron Bill, who was Ann Eliza Bill's father.
   The first page of of this document reads:
     In the Name of GOD, Amen!
   I Reuben Bill of Dalton in the County of Berkshire, and [?]being in a very low and languishing state of body, but of sound mind blessed, be God have thought fit to make and publish my last Will and Testament, and do [?] this tenth day of January in the year of our Lord 1796 make and publish this as and [for] my last will and Testament, in manner following. That is to say - 1. in the first place, commit my Soul into the hands of God from whom I received it, humbly asking Mercy for it through the Merits of the Saviour and the grace of the holy Spirit to sanctify and to cleanse it; and my Body to the earth from whence it was taken, asking therefor a decent burial in convenient time after my decease ____ As [?] the worldly Substance it hath pleased God to give me, I order and direct that my Executor hereafter named first pay my just debts and funeral charges out of the same ____ I Give to each of my Children one of Doctor Wath's Versions of David's Psalms.
   The rest and residue of my Estate, after the foregoing directions respecting my Debts and funeral Charges shall have been observed [?]

[?] [?] [?]I give to my affectionate and faithful Wife Rhoda in Consideration [see page 6]

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