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Johann Balthasar(Balthazer, Balthazar) Lesh(Lesch)'s tombstone gives his birth as 1730, however, records at Reed's church gives his birth as 1734. He was a revolutionary soldier
The will of Balthazer Lesh,Sr. In the name of God, Amen, this twelfth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and two. I, Balthazer Lesh of Bethel Township, Berks County and State of Pennsylvania, Yeoman being present of bodily health and sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, thanks be to God. Nevertheless, calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, to make and ordain this my last Will and Testament, that is to say, Principally and first of all, I recommend My soul in the hand of God who gave it me. And my body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give, devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form. Imprimis. It is my will and I do hereby order in the first place that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid of and satisfied as soon as conveniently may be after my decease. Item; I give bequeath unto my wife Christina. my bed and bedstead, spinning wheel, chest, two chairs and small walnut table, two iron pots, two buckets, kettle and two tubs, and as much of all my kitchen furniture as she shall think proper to take and all my tea kettles, tea cups and saucers and whatsoever to the same belonging and also my stove and pipe, shovel and tongs and pan. One mare, the choice in my stable. Two cows, the choice of my stable. Item. It is my will and I do hereby order that my son John Lesh shall make my back room in my house larger for my said wife and put same in good repair as my said wife shall order and direct. It is my will and I do hereby order that my said wife shall have full right and privilege to my said back room in my house and as much of the fireplace and bake oven as she stands in need of and cellar and springhouse on my said land, and my said wife shall have the one-half of my large garden and my said son, John Lesh, shall dung the same and keep it in good order and my said son John Lesh shall deliver to my said wife yearly during her life ten pounds of good hackled flax, ten pounds toe (?) and shall also find good firewood and cut the same fine for her as she shall order and direct at all times and bring it to her stove and fire. It is my will that my son John Lesh shall deliver unto my said yearly two barrels of good cider and my said wife have full right and privilege to as much apples and all kinds of fruit as she thinks proper to make use of and my said son John Lesh shall keep my said wife one mare and colt if she has any, also two cows and calves, winters and summers and one sheep and feed them sufficiently at all times when my said wife shall order and direct my son John Lesh shall deliver unto my said wife one hundred and fifty pounds of hog meat and the feet therewith and if he should happen to kill a beef he shall deliver my said wife fifty pounds of beef yearly as aforesaid and my said wife shall have as much right to as many hens and eggs as she stands in need of and give her ten bushels of potatoes and fifteen bushels of oates and five gallons of rye liquor and said John Lesh shall deliver unto my said wife five bushels of wheat, five bushels of rye flour, five bushels of indian corn and one bushel of salt. I give unto my wife her sidesaddle and her bridle. It is my will that my said son John Lesh shall deliver said grain to the Mill and the meal and bran to her again. It is my further will that my house and clothespress shall remain in my house for the use of my said wife during her life. I give unto my said wife my dresser with the glass doors to the same as many books as she thinks proper and two barrels. It is my will that the above articles and privileges shall be for the sole use of my said wifeyearly during her life and to be delivered by my son John Lesh over and above what he shall par for the land which I have and hereafter given unto him. I give and devisr unto my son John Lesh his heirs and assigns all that all that certain plantation and tract of land whereon I now live with the buildings and improvements thereon situated in Bethel Township, Berks County aftresaid and is bounded and sescribed by the lines as follows, to wit, (location of land here described in full:
Will of Balthazer Lesh Sr. Names of adjoining land owners were Christopher Kneabley, Jacob Bucher, Balthazer Lesh Jr. Valentine Soiter, Benjamin Lesh. Nicholas Derk, Peter Zimmerman. Containing 131 acres more or less, to have and to hold all of the above described tract of 131 more or less with appurtenances onto my said son John Lesh, his heirs and assigns forever. It is my further will and I do hereby order that my said son John Lesh shall pay for the aforesaid Plantation and tract of land the sum of eleven hundred and eighty two pounds, Gold or Silver and lawful money of Pennsylvania, that is to say, two years after my decease the sum of two hundred pounds and one hundred pounds he shall have in part of his portion to my estate at the same time, and then he shall pay yearly the sum of forty pounds until the said sum is fully paid. I give unto my said son John Lesh my coal black mare for twenty four pounds. It is my will that my son John Lesh shall pay and perform all the above articles and privileges unto my said wife over and above what he has to pay for the lands aforesaid during her life. Item: I give and devise unto my son Benjamin Lesh, his heirs and assigns all that certain piece or tract of land together with the --- and the saw mill and whatsoever to the same belonging, situated in Bethel Township, Berks County aforesaid and as bounded and described by the lines as follows Township Berks County aforesaid and as bounded and described by lines as follows, to wit, (Land mentioned belonging to John Lesh, Nicholas Derk, Philip Myer, Jacob Reher, Balthazer Lesh Jr. and Valentine Seiler.) Containing one hundred and thirteen acres more or less-- (Benjamin Lesh to pay 847 pounds one hundred pounds to be paid two years after my death. One hundred pounds Benjamin Lesh shall keep as his share, The rest to be paid yearly-) I further give and bequeath unto my said son Benjamin Lesh the sum of eighty pounds of Gold and Silver money to be paid to him one year after my decease which I give to my said son over and above his equal share with one of the rest of my children by reason of him staying working with me above four years over his age. I give unto my son, Benjamin, my black mare about nine years old for eighteen pounds, Gold or Silver money. It is my will that my son Benjamin Lesh shall deliver unto my said wife during her life, yearly and every year five bushels of good wheat, five tons of hay, three bushels of Indian corn fifteen bushels of oats one bushel of salt delivered by him to my son John's barn and four months to keep my wife's two cows in his pasture and mare yearly in summer and deliver to her yearly as aforesaid three cords of good wood delivered unto my son John's house. And keep her one sheep summers and winters. It is my will that my son Benjamin Lesh shall perform and deliver all the above articles yearly unto my said wife during her natural life over and above what he shall pay for the land I have given unto him. I give and devise unto said -son Benjamin Lesh, his heirs and assigns all that certain water privilege, tail race or water race extending from my Saw Mill with old water so as to include the whole tail race from the saw mill. And the privilege to throw the dirt or clay on each side of said race, and it is my further will that my executors hereafter named shall include the same water privilege, race or ditch in said Benjamin Lesh deed and grant the same to him accordingly. And I do hereby except the same water privilege in my son John Lesh. I further give unto my son Benjamin Lesh the one-third part of all my Orchard on the lands whereon I have given unto my son John and all the apples grown on said third part for the full term of ten years after my decease. And my son Benjamin shall keep said third part of my said orchard in good repair. It is my will and I hereby order that my executors hereafter named shall take three hundred pounds Gold or Silver out of my estate and put the same to interest immediately after my decease and the interest of said money arising therefrom yearly shall be for the sole use of my said wife during her natural life, provided she remains my widow. It is my will that if my wife Christine should happen to marry and not remain my widow, then it is my will that my two sons John and Benjamin shall be free and clear of the delivery of all the above articles and privileges unto my wife during her life. Then after such marriage I give unto my said wife Christine the sum of fifty pounds Gold or Silver money to be paid unto her one year after such marriage which the same shall be in full satisfaction for her Dowery or third to all my estate, real and personal and she, my said wife shall be debarred and forever excluded therefrom.
WILL OF BALTHEZAR LESH,Sr.
It is my will that provided either of my children have received in money or goods more than the other, such child or children shall not recieve any more of my estate until they have each as much as the other. Item: I give and bequeath unto all of my children, that is to say, Jacob Lesh, Anna Marie Shuey, now the wife of Ludwig Shuey, Peter Lesh, Baltzer Lesh Jr.Salome, now the wife of John Halderman, George Lesh, Barbara, now the wife of John Etter, Catherine, now the wife of Mathias Zimmerman, Benjamin Lesh, Elizabeth, now the wife of George Koble and John Lesh, and my two grand children, that is to say Ann Myer and Christine Myer, they being they being two of the children of my daughter Christine, deceased.
All the money rising out of my lands and personal estate to be equally divided between said children, share and share alike except what I have hereunto given unto my wife and my son Benjamin. It is my will that my said two grand children, Ann Meyer and Christine Meyer shall only have together one share with one of the rest of my children out of my estate and no otherwise. It is my further will and I do hereby order that the yearly payments arising out of all my lands and personal estate shall be paid to my said children as they succeed each other in age. Item. I do hereby give full power and authority unto my executors hereafter named to sign seal and execute good and sufficient deed or deeds unto my said two sons Benjamin Lesh and John Lesh their heirs and assigns forever for all the lands and water privileges which I have heretofore given unto them. And lastly I do hereby nominate, constitute, and appoint my three sons George Lesh, Baltzer Lesh, Jr., and Peter Lesh executors of this my last will and testament. (He then revokes other wills.)
Witnesses: Valentine Seiller, Thomas Clark. Will registered October 19, 1802
The following other articles were listed in the inventory: Woowheel, two spinning wheels, eight yards of woolen cloth, wool, an old gun, sheepshears, weaverloom, pewter, furniture, meal chest, fishing net, nine beehives, two double barrels, and old casks, fox trap, tubs, five books, book debts from Baltzer Lesh Jr., George Lesh, Jacob Tiffebach, George Koble, Matthias Zimmerman, Jacob Bidksler, Henry Wolf. Also other debts due from John and Benjamin Lesh. Appraisers were Jacob Decker and Valentine Seiller. Among other things she took two barrels, wash tub and four books.
Balthazer's military record is found in the 5th series Pennsylvania Archives Volume V, page 185 and 245, he being in Michael Wolf's Company in the Revolutionary War He is listed as Balser Lesh in Berks County Militia.
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*In the Klopps Church Cemetery the following soldiers of
the American Revolution are buried:
VALENTINE SEILER- 1759-1834
PHILIP MEYER -1757-1819
MARTIN MEYER -1760-1785
HEINBACH HAUS -1745-1796
MICHAEL HOEEMAN -1752-1817
BALZER LESCH -1730-1802
PHILIP LORENS HOUTZ - 1712-1788
PETER SMITH -1748-1802
CHRISTIAN SHUEY -1760-1814
JACOB DIEFFENBACH - 1744-1803
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Begivenheder for nære slægtninge
33 Tulpehocken, Berks Co., Pa
