Will of Stephen Ramsburg:

Will of Stephen RAMSBURGH (1789); Frederick County, MD

Contributed to the USGenWeb Archives by Sharon L. Casteel 


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Will of Stephen Ramsburg, 1789

In the name of God Amen. I Stephen Ramsburgh of Frederick County in the State of 
Maryland in perfect health of body and of sound and disposing mind memory and 
understanding being far advanced in years and desirous of settling my worldly 
affairs do considering the certainty of Death and uncertain period thereof, make 
and publish this my last will and Testament in manner and form following that is 
to say -- Imprimis I direct my body to be decently buried at the discretion of 
my Executor herein after named and after payment of my just debts and funeral 
Expences I devise and bequeath as follows.  I give devise and bequeath unto my 
son John Ramsburgh his heirs and assigns forever all that tract or parcell of 
land called Adventiere lying in Washington County containing twenty seven acres 
more or less -- I also give and bequeath to my said son John Ramsburgh the 
principal sum due on a bond from John Stoner to me for Forty three pounds three 
shillings and one penny with the interest that may due thereon at my decease.  
Item I give and bequeath to my son John Ramsburgh his Executors and 
administrators my two negroe boys named Jack and Bill untill they arrive at the 
age of twenty six years at which ages respectively I have by deed duly Executed 
acknowledged and to be recorded manumitted and set them free, the said devise 
and bequest of the negroes to John to be on this express condition that he his 
Executors or Administrators do and shal before their arrival to the ages at 
which they are manumitted by deed as aforesaid, instruct or cause the said 
negroe boys to be instructed and taught some good trade, whereby they may be at 
those ages the better enabled to support themselves -- I give devise and 
bequeath to my son Christian Ramsburgh his heirs and assigns forever, one Tract 
of Land lying in Frederick County called Chesnut Hill containing fifty acres 
more or less and all my remaining part of the Tract of land in same County 
called Taskers Chance which part is now called Mortality and contains two 
hundred of Land more or less, and I hereby charge the two peices of Land devised 
to my son Christian Ramsbergh with the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds 
current money payable to my Daughter Catharine Stoner wife of John Stoner, as 
hereafter limited and directed, I also give to my son Christian my large Bible, 
I give and bequeath to my Daughter Catherine Stoner the said one hundred and 
fifty pounds current money wherewith I have charged the Lands devised to 
Christian Ramsbergh to be paid o her by the said Christian Ramsbergh in three 
equal annual payments the first payment of fifty pounds to be made at the end of 
one year after my decease the second payment of fifty pounds to be made at the 
end of two years after my decease and the third payment of fifty pounds to be 
made at the end of three years after my decease -- I also give and bequeath to 
my said Daughter Catharine Stoner the use and labour of a negroe woman named 
Sarah now eighteen years old untill the said negro shall arrive at the age of 
twenty four years, at which period her manumission by Deed bearing equal date 
herewith is to take place -- Item I give and bequeath to my son Jacob Ramsbergh 
his Executors and adnimistrators a debt due to me from John Stoner on his Land 
to me for seventy seven pounds ten shillings and six pence -- I give and 
bequeath to a free negro woman named Nancy now living with me the bed and 
Bedding that she now uses at my house.  I also give and bequeath to the said 
negro woman named Nancy in consideration of her past services and attention to 
me the sum of six pounds current money to be paid her annually during her life 
by my Executor herein after named and to enable him to do that I do authorise 
and Direct my Executor to raise the sum of one hundred pounds current money from 
my personal Estate and either let the same pout on interest on good security or 
retain it in his own hands liable to the annual payment of six pounds to the 
said Nancy during her life and the said one hundred pounds after her death I 
direct to be subject to the same disposition as the residue of my personal 
Estate.  Item I hereby give and bequeath all the rest and residue of my personal 
Estate not herein before disposed of to be equally divided between my children 
John Ramsbergh, Catharine Stoner, Jacob Ramsburgh, Elias Rasmbergh, Margaret 
Myers, Henry Ramsbergh, and Christian Ramsbergh -- Lastly I do hereby constitute 
and appoint my son John Ramsbergh to be sole executor of this my last will and 
Testament hereby revoking and annulling all former wills by me heretofore made 
Witness my hand and seal this nineteenth day of April in the year of our Lord 
one thousand seven hundred and eighty eight.

Signed sealed published and Declared by the Testator as and for his last will 
and testament in the presence of us who at his request, in his prescence, and in 
the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto:  
Jacob Young, Nicholas Hauer, Christian Becker

[will probated 25 March 1789]

{Frederick Co. MD Wills Liber GM2 pp. 304-306}

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From: 
Subject: Re: Catherine SHAFFER, b,ca 1750 in MD ?
Date: Wed, 17 Nov 1999 00:38:39 EST

Hi List:
  Someone was asking about Catherine SHAFFER married to Elias Ramsberger 
recently. This is from Pioneers of Old Monocacy the Early Settlement of 
Frederick County, MD 1721-1743 by Grace L. Tracey and John P. Dern.
  This book has many of the original settlers in the Monacacy including a 
section on the Ramsbergs that is quite large. Also a smaller amount on the 
Schaffer's or Shavers. I don't know that they are the same family but I 
copied to paragraph in hopes it may be helpful.
  " The surname of Peter SHAVER or SCHAFFER is troublesome, and 
relationships, if any, to others with similar names have not been adequately 
resolved. The last land entry made in 1743 was prepared for Peter SHAVER. Yet 
as Peter SCHAFFER he was already present in "Manaquesen" on May 21, 1740 when 
Pastor Stover married him to Anna Schaubin, a daughter of Martin SCHAUB 
(SHOUP). SHOUP was an Anabaptist and it was not until her wedding day that 
Anna SCHAUB, born in 1724, was baptized in the Lutheran Church. She survived 
her husband and as Ann SHAVER served as executrix in 1762 for the estate of 
Peter SHAVER.
  Peter SHAVER's survey was called "Palentine". It was dated December 10, 
1743 and ......(goes on to list other land SHAVER owned)...He(SHAVER) died in 
1761 leaving a will which named his wife Ann and children Henry, Peter, 
Christian, Martin, Jacob, David, Moses and Catherine......"
  Noted in the section on Stephen RAMSBURG is the following excerpt: "Stephen 
RAMSBURG died on March 7, 1789. His will, signed in German, arranged for 
manumission of his slaves and provided for disposition of his home plantation 
"Mortality" as well as a few other miscellaneous parcels of land. His 
children were Catharina Elisabetha (wife of John Stoner), John (husband of 
Anna Maria Brunner), Jacob(husband of  Elisabeth Devilbiss), Margaret (wife 
of Henry Myer), Elias (husband of Catharina), Henry(husband of Susanna 
Devilbiss and later Catharina Stickley), and Christian (husband of Susanna.)"
  The Maryland German Church Records Vol. 5 Evangelical Reformed Church 
Frederick , Frederick County 1746-1789 also lists numerous Schaffer and 
Ramsburg(and variations).
  Hope this helps,
Jenni