Anthony McCracken
York County, PA
Will of Anthony McCracken:
In the Name of God Amen.
I Anthony McCracken of Hamilton Bann Township County of York & Province of Pennsylvania yeoman being weak in body but of sound & disparaging mind & memory do this twenty sixth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy four make this my last will & testament
(that is to say) first and principally I recommend my soul unto God who give it & my body to the earth to be buried in a decent and Christian manner and my worldly estate I dispose of as follows.
To wit. I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Mary McCracken all that remains of the goods and furniture which she brought to my house after our marriage also her saddle my bay mare and a red cow and the sum of twenty pounds to be paid to her by my executors at any time not exceeding two years after my decease.
Next I order that all of my just debts and funeral charges be paid. I also order my Executors to sell my real estate and to convey the same by lawful conveyance to the purchaser.
I also order that the remainder of my personal estate be sold and the money arising from the said sale after the payments are made as aforesaid , I order to be disposed of as followeth that is to be among my four children.
I give & bequeath to my son James McCracken two shares though that is twice as much as one of my daughters including the sum of two hundred pounds for which the said James lately obtained my bond but if he will not deliver up the said bond to my Executors when demanded then I order that the said sum of two hundred pounds be deducted from the said two shares to him above bequeathed and that he receive the remainder of the same only and further it is my will & I do order that if he the said James does intermarry with Sarah Smith that he receive the sum of five shillings sterling money of Great Britain. & no more.
I give and bequeath to Alexander Adams & Mary his wife the said Mary being one of my daughters. One third part or share of this remainder of the money arising from the sale of my estate as aforesaid.
I give and bequeath Archibald Fletcher & Rebecca his wife the said Rebecca being another of my daughters. One third part or share of the remainder of said money arising from the sale of my said estate.
I give and bequeath to William McElwain and Elizabeth his wife the said Elizabeth being another of my daughters one third part or share of the remainder of the money arising from the sale of my said estate
and lastly I do constitute and appoint the aforesaid Alexander Adams & William McElwain sole Executors of this my last will and Testament and do utterly revoke disanul and disallow of and every former and other will or Testament by me heretofore in any ways made and do publish announce Testify and declare this and none other to be my last will and Testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my sealed signed published commanded testified and ordained by Anthony McCracken to be his last will and Testament in presence of us.
Anthony McCracken (seal)
Robert McPherson
_____ McGaughy
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From Sue Maxwell
From the will of Anthony McCracken we know his dau. Mary McCracken (Patton?) was the wife of Alexander Adams and from the settlement of the estate of Alexander Adams we know she married again Joseph Hamilton.
The estate settlement papers include orphans court document dated 24 Feb 1779 which lists Alexander Adams wife as Mary who has since married Joseph Hamilton. It lists 6 minor children; Rebekah, Ann, John, Mary, Alexander, & Martha. It lists the guardians of minor children as being James Steveson Moses McLean and Wm. Finley and Samuel Adams. These guardians later went to court against Joseph Hamilton (Mary's new husband) because he would not allow them on the property to check on minor children who now lives with him. There is another document dated 3 Dec 1794 in which John Adams, oldest son of Alexander Adams petitions the orphan court to partition the plantation of his father since Mary (mother of John) and the children cannot agree
This petition now states the children are:
John Adams
Alexander (a minor in guardianship of John McCracken)
Martha Adams now married to Andrew McFarrin
Rebecca Adams now married to George McCartney
Ann Adams now married to Alexander Dean
Mary Adams now married to William Chester
The property is later appraised and sold to Alexander Dean and the proceeds divided between the wife and childen of Alexander Adams.
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From Bonnye Leary
We know this John McCracken was in Frederick County Maryland in 1792
was "late of York Co. Pa 7 Jan 1794" in York County in 27 Aug 1794
See deed records below
Book 2-1-343
John Adams of Washington County, Western Terr. So. of the Ohio
oldest son of Alexander Adams, my father, who left a widow and 6 children:
John, the oldest
Martha.
Rebecca,
Ann
Mary
Alexander, the younger
appoint John McCracken of Frederick County State of Maryland, my attorney to sell
wit: James McLean
20 Oct 1792
Book 2K No.506 York County, PA 27 Aug 1794
John McCracken
Hamilton Bann Township, yeoman
to Alexander Dean
For 1119 pounds and 15 shillings bearing the date of 17 Jan 1794,
property of Alexander Adams, deceased 250 acres.
John McCracken, power of attorney from John Adams, of Washington County, Western Territory South of Ohio, oldest son and heir of Alexander Adams, who died intestate the 20th of October, 1792.
Witnesses William P. Chester and William McLean
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York Co. Book 2 - 0- page 369
John Adams et al
to John McCracken
John Adams and Alexander Adams, both of Washington Co. State of Tennessee, 7 Jan 1794,
to John McCracken Sr. late of York Co PA
appoint him our lawful attorney to get from Alexander Dean of Huntington Co PA
sgn John Adams
Alexander Adams
Washington County TN
21 Oct 1799
Question? Is there any way to connect this John McCracken to the John in Washington Co. TN