In the name of God. Amen. I Benjamin Prather of Montgomery County and State of Maryland being weak in body, but of sound mind do make and constitute this my last will and testament, to wit:
After the payment of my funeral charges and just debts, I give and bequeath to my mother, Lucy Beckwith, all my estate, real, personal and mixed, for and during her natural life, and after her death it is my will and desire that my executor hereinafter named sell and dispose of the same either at public or private sale, in such manner and on such terms as he shall deem most beneficial to the parties interested, and the proceeds thereof hold in trust, the one half for the sole use and benefit of my sister Polly Sullivan for and during her natural life, and the other half for the sole use and benefit of my sister Nancy Waters for and during her natural life, (the interest to be paid to each annually) and after the death of my said sisters, the proceeds of said sale so as aforesaid made and held to be equally divided among their children, the one half to the children of Polly sullivan and the other helf to the children of Nancy Waters.
And I do hereby constitute and appoint W. A. Chappell Executor of this my last will and testament & authorise him to convey to the purchaser or purchasers by good and sufficient deed or deeds all my interest in and to any real estate of which I may die possessed in as full and perfect a manner as I myself could do were I living.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twentieth day of April 1838.
Benjamin (his mark) Prather (seal)
Signed, sealed, published & declared by the above named testator as & for his last will and testament in presence of
Julius West
Henry Busey
William W. Beckwith
Montgomery County to wit.
On the 15th day of May 1838 came Julius West and Henry Busey two of the subscribing witnesses to the within last Will and testament of Benjamin Prather late of said County deceased and made oath on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God that they did see the testator therein named sign and seal this Will and that they heard him publish pronounce and declare the same to be his last Will and testament, that at the time of his so doing he was to the best of their apprehensions of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding and that they subscribed their names to the Will as Witnesses in the presence and at the request of the testator and in the presence of each other, also in the presence of the other subscribing witness ???
Certified by Solomon Hollows Reg.