MSA No. CM512
Frederick County, Maryland, Register of Wills
Book A # 1, pp. 397-398, Item # 42
"In the name of God, Amen. The twenty-second day of January One
Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-one. Whereas, I Jacob Doub, of
Frederick County, and in the Province of Maryland, forever (?) being
under great indisposition of body but of sound and perfect mind and
memory, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner
and form following making all former wills void and of none effect. And
do commit my soul to the Lord and my body to the earth and to be
decently buried and all my just debts to be paid.
"Imprimis, First I give and bequeath unto my well beloved wife all my
real and personal estate, _____(?) the children George, John and
Frederick. ______(?) to the Children of mine, the eldest to have one
shilling sterling more than the rest. Then my wife after the
appraisement is to have one third of the appraisement for her own
property part and after the remaining part is to be equally divided
between my three sons, only George the eldest as before mentioned one
shilling more. And I do leave Henry Toub whole and sole executor of
this my last will and testament. Given under my hand and seal the day
and year first above written.
Jacob _________(?)"
{Not legible}
"William Halsey, George Toup, George Zimmerman"
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = =
"On the 2nd day of April 1771 came George Zimmerman and George Toup,
two of the subscribing witnesses to the aforegoing Will and made oath
on the holy Evangelists of Almighty God that they did see the Testator
Jacob Doub sign and seal the said will and heard him publicly pronounce
and declare the same to be his last Will and Testament and that at the
time of him as ______(?) to the best of their apprehension, of
______(?) sound mind and memory and that also one William Halsey is the
third subscribing witnesses." [The last three lines are not legible on
the copy provided by the Maryland Archives.]
The search for the first John Tope goes on. Researchers know from
statements made at the time of the movement of his three male children
into Ohio that John was born in one of the German states (the country
of Germany was not formed until 1876), immigrated to Maryland, and as
some surmise thence to Pennsylvania where he may have died. A will,
however, in Frederick County, Maryland, by a Jacob Doub lists three
sons, George, John and Frederick. This leads to the assumption that he
died in Maryland. With these being the names of John Tope's sons, this
Will most likely is that of John Tope.
How do we account for the
difference in names? The English pronunciation of the letters "D" and
"B" is "T" and "P," respectively.
One researcher believes she has found
his coming to America on the Ship
"Peggy."
References to property for two men by
the name of Jacob Doub are found
in Frederick County, Maryland. One rents property at Montmoracy owned
by John Carroll. With this property being near Harpers Ferry which the
1896 History of the Tope Family gives as the birth place of the three
Tope sons, this may be the Jacob Doub for whom we are searching.
If anyone can prove any of these circumstances, all Tope researchers
will be grateful.
Note: The Daub crest in the upper left corner is not intended to apply
to any Tope individual.
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Updated Saturday, 16-Feb-08 12:19:03 PST
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