1686 Will of William Ward

Will of William Ward, Senior

Probate Records of Suffolk County, Massachusetts

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Sir Edmund Andros, Knt: Captaine Generall and Governour in Chief of his magesty’s Territory and Dominion of New England. To all to whome this shall come or may come: Greeting Know ye: That on the nyne and twentyeth Day of September In the yeare of our Lord One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty and Seven. Before me att Boston in the County of Suffolk in the Dominion aforesaid the will of William Ward Senr of Marlborough in the County of Middx within this Dominion aforesaid to this presents Amicus was proved and allowed who having while he lived and att the time of his Death goods rights and Creditts in diverse parts of the said Dominion, the Administration of all and Singular the goods, Rights and Creditts the said Deceased and his will in any manner concerning was committed unto Elizabeth Ward wife of the said Deceased Executrix in the same will named will and truly to Administer, ye same And to make a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the goods rights and credits of the said deceased and the same to (____). Into the secretary's office of the said Dominion by the sixth? Day of April next insueing which will be in the year of our Lord One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty and Eight and also to render a playne and true account thereof upon Oath. In Testimony whereof I have received? unto sitt the seal of the Office for Probate Wills and Granting Administrations. Dated the first day of October Anno... 1687.

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The Will of William Ward Jun’r [sic]

I, William Ward Senr of Marlborough in the county of Middlesex in New England, through God’s mercy and enjoying the interments? of my understanding but by reason of my great age and the Infirmities thereof, being sensible of my Approaching Death Doe make and Ordaine my Last will and Testament in manner and forme following (vizt) After the surrender of my self into the hands of God, my maker and Gracious Redeemer; and the Descent ... all of my body I will that all my Debts be well and truly paid by my Executrix. And I give unto Elizabeth my Loveing wife all my moveable goods of every sort both within Doors and without-- to be unto her use and Improvement for her Comfortable maintenance during her naturall life and what shall remaine of my said moveables over and above what she shall need to spend, this shall distribute equally unto all my owne children, vizt those which I have by her and those which I have by my former wife. And if any of my said children now surviving shall dye before the said distribution be made, my will is that the child or children of the said deceased shall have all their father or mother was to have.

Item to my sonne John Ward I give forty acres land, one hundred rods of upland for ever to be his use and att his disposall as any other goods or lands he hath which said forty acres and an hundred rods so much of my third division of upland granted unto me by the Inhabitants of said Marlborough Lyeing about half a mile southeasterly from Belchers Pond and are next adjoyning unto the Fourty acres of Land which I have given to my sonne William Ward and I also give unto my said sonne John Ward four acres of Meadow be the same more or less lyeing in great Cedar Meadow in said Marlborough. Alsoe all my part? of Meadow Lyeing by Stonye Brooke in the said Towne which is commonly called the Gulfe

Item to my sonne Increase Ward I give and confirme for ever to be his use and att his disposall as any goods he hath all this four and twenty acres of Home Lott now in the possession of the said Increase which I purchased of my sonn in law Abraham Williams. Together with all

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Rights privileges and Appurtenances of the same in the said Marlborough according to the full tenor of a Deed of sale given me by the said Abraham depicting? the same. And I alike give and confirme unto my said sonne Increase all my addition or second division of upland containing Twelve acres and half an acre more or less: as it now lyeth joyning to the four and Twenty acres above said.

Item to William Ward sonne of my sonne Obediah Ward, I give and confirme for ever to be his and at his disposal as any goods he shall have, when he shall be one and Twenty years of age, nyneteen acres and sixty Rods of upland which are so much of my third division of upland before mentioned. Lyeing next adjoyning unto the said six acres and halfe and Twenty Seaven Rods Together with all the low-boggy swampy land there granted unto me by the inhabitants of said Marlborough as by their book of Records Doth more fully approve.

Item to Mary__ wife of Daniell Stone of Sudbury I Bequeath One shilling and unto Obediah and Lydia the children of said Mary... by my sonne Richard Ward Deceased I give five shillings a piece. To Hannah now wife of Richard Taylor of Sudbury I give One shilling, and unto Hannah Daughter of the said Hannah by my sonne Eleazer Ward Deceased I give five shillings to be paid in money within one yeare after my decease.

Item to my sonne, Samuell Ward, I Give and Confirm forever to be his use and att his Dispoall as any other Land R___ is Owner of five and Twenty acres of home lott both same more or less consisting partly of upland and partly of meadow lyeing and being in Marlborough aforesaid in One Intire piece, and are the moyety or halfe of the fifty acres, home lott granted unto me the said William Ward Senr by the Inhabitants of said Marlborough and are bounded Northward and East by Highway; Southward partly by the Meadow of W. Ward Junior and partly by Land in the possession of Mirr___ Hunt, Westward by the land of Wm Ward Junr and I give and confirm unto my said sonne Samuel the Dwelling House and Barn upon the said five and twenty

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Erected in which I now dwell and three acres of Meadow be the same more less wch I took up in lieu of some of my Second Division of meadow and are lyeing on both sides of Stony Brook in said Marlborough & adjoyning to an Hill Scituate on the north side of the said Brook bounded and every way surrounded by common upland. Also an other piece of Meadow Lyeing on both sides of said Stony Brooke; more upstream bounded by the Meadow of Thomas Beman and of John Bouker att the Northerly end thereof and by the Old Bridge or Cartway att the southerly end thereof and by town land yett undivided on both sides thereof. Also I like give unto my said Samuell halfe my right in Old Harbour Meadow and halfe my right in the Ceder Swamp of the said Marlborough. Together with a full proportion of Land according to five and twenty acres of home lott in every division of land which shall hereafter att any time be made by the Inhabitants of said Marlborough of their town lands as yett undivided. Also right of Cmmon age? with said Towne for feed? of Cattle; ;Timber and firewood proportionable unto an Home lott of five and twenty acres. Provided my said sonne Samuel Ward doe fullfill and affirme o____ well and truly to be fulfilled and affirmed all the ____ articles; which he is to perform to my self, the said William War Senr and to Elizabeth my wife During the naturall life of each of us as by an obligation under his hand and seal more fully appears bearing Date the Twenty Sixth Day of Aprill in the year One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty and Six.

Butt if my said Sonne Samuell shall fail to performe or cause to be performed all the said articles of Forme_____ unto my self and my said wife liberty and power to recantor upon and reassume all the house lands and rights above given unto him to be and abide unto my self or my said wife for the maintenance of my life and her; and to be att myne or her disposall as if I had never willed the same unto my said sonne samuell allowing and standing to all such provisions as are on my part or on the part of my said wife to be allowed and fullfilled according to the tenor of the said obligation or bond licensed and sealed by my aid sonn Samuell.

Item unto all myne own children (vizt) all my sonns and daughtesr which I have by y former wife and all

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That I have survive me by my present wife I give twenty shillings a piece to be paid them in money within eight months after my decease And I constitute and appoint Elizabeth my Loving wife sole Executrix of this my will and for Overseers of this my will I choose and desire my sons John Ward, Abraham Williams and my sonne Increase Ward to be helpful unto my wife as Occasion shall serve. And I make utterly null and void all former wills by me att any time made . This is my will Witnessed my hand and seal this Twenty Sixth Day of Aprill in the year of our Lord Christ One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty and Six Anno Regni .... Signed William Ward Senr, by his mark and Witnesses Abraham Williams, Joseph Rice, John Matthews

By His Excellency

The above written Abraham Williams, Joseph Rice and John Matthews appeared before me and made oath on the Holy Evangelist that they saw the above named William Ward sign seal and publish this writing as his last will and testament and that he was of sound mind and memory when he did the same.

Sworn this 29th day of September 1687 before me, Andros.

[Followed by the inventory of the estate]

An Inventory of the Lands housing and Goods of William Ward, Senior of Marlborough [deceased?] as itt was taken by Edward Rice and John Woods Junr August Twinty Second 1687.

• Item The Homestall of Twenty five acres with the housing upon itt and the meadows and other lands adjoyning to it as itt is in this will given to Samuel Ward. 120 pounds
• Item the Land, now in possession of Increase Ward the whole of Lands and Meadows with all the Houri? Rights and privileges

thereto belonging as they are willed to him. (30 pounds)

• Item The Land and Meadow given to William Ward grandchild to the above said William testator the whole of them as they are willed to him. 13.10 pounds.
• Item The Land of the Third Division, with the Meadows given to John Ward as they ley and are willed to him. 7 pounds.
• Item in money 14 pounds More in moeny and by Bill [illegible amount; bottom of page]

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• Item: Five cows and one sucking calf Sum of them £10:=:=
• Item for swine valued at £1:5:=
• Item Five Bushells of Wheate £ =:15:=
• Item Foure Bushells of Rye £=:10:=
• Two Bushells of Indian Corn £=:4:=
• Three bushells of Mault £=:8:=
• Item for Sacks for Corne Sume of English made some? of Indian made all of them old and new valued at £1:10:=
• Item Arms Guns and Sword And Watch bill of ammunition £2:17:=
• Item Pewter of all sorts some greater others less valued att £2:15:=
• Item for Cart five [?] Hoops Boes? Chains Plough Irons Brown? Booth? Rings Widges Cops & Pinns belonging to Carts old siths and other old Iron altogether £5:=:=
• Item two spitts one paire of cob Irons One paire of Tongs firepan fender grid Iron Stover? Chafe? indish? Brass (bizt) two kittles three brush pans and other vessells of Brass: spin? moser? warming pan: l7:14:=
• Item One cooper much worne; l=:15:=
• Item Iron Potts and Kettles of Iron, Iron Skillitt all £1:5:=
• Item two feather bedds with boulsters pillows blanketts, Ruggs Curtains and vallens with straw beds to them. £15:=:=
• Item an other Feather Bed with boulsters, pillows, blanketts Rugge straw bed: £3:10:=
• Item one flock? bed with boulster, blanketts and cover lid to itt valued at £2:10:=
• Item One cover lid and two blanketts valued at £3:=:=
• Item Nyne paire of shirts valued at £7:8:=
• Item for eight paire of shirts more valued at £6:=:=
• Items pillow drawers valued at £1:1:=
• Item table Lynnen broad cloth napkins Cupboard Coats Towells and Boulster Cases: £3:3:=
• Item cloathing Woolen Lynnen Hatts Shoes etc. £14:=:=
• Item new home made coatt valued at £1:=:=
• Item carpetts for Tables valued at £=:18:=
• Item cushing and new cushing cloath £1:=:=
• Item One cupboard valued at £1:=:=
• Item chest and one trunck valued att £1:2:=
• Item five joynt stoles and five chairs valued at £=:10:=
• Item One Round Table valued at £=:6:=
• Item One Bridle and One Saddle valued at £:=:10:=
• Item wooden vessells for Diary [dairy?] Barr? all Tailors Powdering Tubs Washington vitalls cheese fatts and Cheese press valued att £1:14:=
• Item One Great Table valued at 5£. Pork, Beefe, Butter, Cheese at 1:16 one whip saw at 5£ .... £2:6:=
• Item Hay Cutting knife and two bill hooks £00:5:00

The Total sum: £290.13:=

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Elizabeth Ward the relict and executrix of William Ward Deceased Exhibited this inventory and made oath that she same is a true and perfect? Inventory of al the goods and chattells of the said deceased as she knows of or is Come to her hands.

Sworne this 29th September 1786 before me, E . Andros.