READ FAMILY CONNECTIONS

The probate records of Samuel Read are housed in the office of the Surrogate Court of Warren County, New Jersey, which is located in the county court house in Belvidere New Jersey. These records consist of Samuel's inventory, bonds for administration of the estate, and orphan's court minutes detailing the settlement of the estate. I have included a transcript of his Will in this section. The probate records are indexed under R-E-A-D.

The records transcribed in this section, as well as those not included, are publically available. Copies of the documents may be ordered for a modest fee. For more information contact:

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Will of Samuel Read 8 January 1855
Proof to will 14 March 1855
Oath of executors 14 March 1855
Surrogate's order 14 March 1855
Return to Samuel Read

Warren County, New Jersey Surrogate Court Records, Orphans Court Minutes Liber 3, folio 126

I Samuel Read of Warren County being sick and weak in body but of sound mind meaning and understanding and considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof and to the end that that [sic] I may be better prepared to leave this world do make and declare this this [sic] my last will and testement in manner following that is to say I give all my property both real {illegible} and personalty except bonds notes leases and other papers to my wife. I say the house where I now live the house where George Hays now lives and all the household and Kitchen furnishs and all that is in my house which is mine the lot of land the outbuildings and everything that is thereon that is mine a wood lot that is near the Avey pond. And after my death my wife Maria to take take [sic] the said property into her posession to have and holded for her own use and herself only during her life and I do order my executors Whome I shall name to sell at public vendue all my property both real and personalty and collect the money and when collected to divide it into three equal shares and to pay it to my three daughters of if not living to their heirs first to my daughter Janes heirs second share to my daughter Ann third share to my daughter Sarah Maria and I do order my executors amediately after my death to collect all notes bonds rents book accounts and any other money coming to and money in hand to pay my funeral expenses and my debts {illegible} pay and the court charges and all lawful expenses to divide the remainder of this money on hand amediately amounts to my three heirs or their heirs as before directed. My other heirs has had there there [sic} full shares of my estate. Aaron has given me his full exit Martin F. has given me his full exit Samuel D. I have given him two thousand dollars and I do hereby appoint my two sons Martin F. Read and Samuel D. Read my executors of my last will and testement.

Samuel Read {Seal}

Signed sealed and declared
to be my last will and testement in
in the presents of us this eight day of January
1855
George Hayes
Wm Prall [or Ball]
G.L. Howell

Warren County, New Jersey Surrogate Court Records, Wills Liber 3, folio 126-127

Warren County
George Hayes and Gideon L. Howell witnefses to the within will being duly sworn did severaly say that they and each of them saw Samuel Read the testator therein named sign & seal the same and heard him publish pronounce and declare the within writing to be his last will and testment, and that at the doing thereof the said testator was of sound disposing mind & memory as far as their appraisal knows and as they verily believe and that William Prall [or Ball] the other subscribing witness was present at the same time and signed his name as witness to the said will together with these deponants in the presence of the testator

George Hayes
G.L. Howell

Sworn & subscribed before
me March 14, 1855
P.H. Hann Surrogate

Warren County, New Jersey Surrogate Court Records, Wills Liber 1, folio 127

Warren County
Martin F. Read and Samuel D. Read the executors in the within testement named being duly sworn did depose and say that the within instrument of writing contains the true last will and testement of Samuel Read the testaor therein named so far as they know and as they verily believe that they will well and truely perform the same by paying first the debts of the said deceased then the legacies in the said testement, {illegilbe} so far as the goods chattles and credits of the said deceased can there unto execute, and that they will nake and exhibit onto the Surrogate office at Belvidere a true and perfect inventory of all and singular goods chattles and credits of the said deceased that have or shall come to their knowledge or pofesfion or to the posession of any person or persons for their use and tender a List and true account when thereunto lawfully required

Martin F. Read
Samuel Read

Signed & subscribed before
me March 14, 1855
P.H. Hann Surrogate

Warren County, New Jersey Surrogate Court Records, Wills Liber 1, folio 127

Warren County
I Philip H. Hann Surrogate of the county of Warren do certify the within to be a true copy of the last will and testment of Samuel Read late of the county of Warren deceased and that Martin F. Read and Samuel D. Read the executors named proved the same before me and are duly authorized to take upon themselves the administration of the estate of the testator agreeably to the said will Witnefs my hand and seal of office the fourteenth day of March in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty five

P.H. Hann Surrogate