"Captain" John Rule
Born 9-27-1739 Died 5-26-1810
Married Sarah Thompson Born 1722 Died 8-27-1785
Children, Charles & John
Came to America from in Yorkshire, England

Last Will and Testament of John Rule

In the name of God, Amen, I John Rule, of the County of Somerset, and State of New Jersey, being weak in bodily health, but of sound and disposing mind and memory, do, on the eleventh day of December, in the year of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and nine, make, ordain and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say:

In the first place, I bequeath my soul into the hands of my Almighty Maker and my body to the Earth, to b e interred in a decent manner at the direction of my executors hereinafter named.

Item. I will and direct that all my just debts and funeral charges be paid by my executors out of my personal estate as soon after my decease as the same can conveniently be done,

Item. I give, devise and bequeath to my son Charles Rule, and to his heirs and assigns forever my homestead plantation whereon I now live# containing about one hundred and fifty five acres, be the same more or less, together with all and singular the improvements, hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging or appertaining.

I give, devise and bequeath to my worthy friend the Rev. David Comfort, and to my son Charles Rule, and the survivors of them, and to the heirs and assigns of such survivors forever, the messuage and plantation containing about sixty acres of land whereon my son Charles now lives, and which I purchased of Peter Johnson, together with all the buildings, improvements, hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging or appertaining, upon this special confidence and in trust; that they the said David Comfort and Charles Rule, and the survivors of them and the heirs and assigns of such survivors, shall and do at all times hereafter during the lifetime of my son John Rule, suffer and permit my said son John Rule to take and receive to his own proper use and behoof the rents, issues and profits thereof, and of every part thereof, so

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always that he commits no waste nor destruction thereon: and in the further trust and confidence, that at the decease of my son John Rule, they the said David Comfort and Charles Rule, or the survivors of them of the heirs and assigns of such survivors, shall and do sell and dispose of the said messuage and plantation last aforesaid to the best advantage, and the moneys arising from such sale to pay to and among such of the children of my said son John Rule as may then be living equally and share and share alike.

Item: I give and bequeath to the aforesaid David Comfort and Charles Rule, and to the survivors of them and to the heirs and assigns of such survivors, the sume of one thousand dollars out of my personal estate, upon this special confidence and in trust: that they the said David Comfort and Charles Rule, and the survivors of them and the heirs and assigns of such survivors, shall and do, as soon as may be convenient after my decease, collect the said sum of one thousand dollars out of the moneys arising from the sale of my goods and chattels, and deposit the same in some approved bank, or in the hands of some individual or individuals, in whose fidelity for the regular and punctual payments both of principal and interest they may have full confidence: that they the said David Comfort and Charles Rule, and the survivors of them and the heirs and assigns of such survivors pay yearly and every year to my son John Rule during his natural life all the interests and profits arising from such sum of one thousand dollars: and that after the decease of my son John Rule they the said David Comfort and Charles Rule, and the survivors of them and the heirs and assigns of such survivors, shall and do pay the said sum.of one thousand dollars to and among such of the children of my son John Rule as may then be living, equally and share and share alike. But, it is moreover my will, in case my son John Rule,