| Researchers: | David Gustner | dgustner@gmail.com |
| Lynne Greening | lyngre@voyager.net | |
| Ken Wright | kdw@i2k.net |
Benoni Learned's Will, Sherborn.
In the Name of God Amen--the twelfeth Day of January Anno Domini One thousand seven Hundred thirty six seven, I Benoni Learned of Sherbourn in the County of Middsx within His Majestys Province of the massachusetts Bay in New England (yeoman) Calling to mind ye mortality of my body knowing that it is appointed by an unchangeable Decree for all men once to die, and the many Instances of my own frailty doth put me in mind to prepare for my Great & last Change Do therefore Now while I am in the Enjoyment of my memory & understanding (that peace & justice may be to those that succeed me) make & Ordain this my last Will & testament. Wherein principally & first of all I Give and & recommend my precious Immortal Soul into the hands of God who Gave it, in & through Jesus Christ my Ever Blessed Saviour & Redeemer, And my body I Recommend to the Earth to be buried in Decent Christian burial at the Discretion of my Executor hereafter named, Nothing Doubting but at the Generall Resurrection I shall Receive the same again by the mighty power of God. And as touching such worly goods & Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me in this life I Give Demise & Dispose of the same in the following manner and form. That is to say, after my Just debts & funeral Charges are defreyed.
Imps. I Give & bequeath to Sarah my Well beloved Wife a full Comfortable & Sufficient maintenance & support dureing her natural life, and a Decent burial after her Decease, out of my Estate.
Item. I Give and bequeath to Edward Learned my only surviveing son all my Tools and, utingcels belonging to husbandry, and my armour. I having heretofore Considerably advanced him.
Item. I Give & bequeath to the heirs of my son Thomas Learned the sum of fifteen pounds to be paid to them after my Wives Decease I having heretofore Considerably advanced their father out of my Estate.
Itm--I Give & bequeath to my Grandson Benjamin Bond the son of Daughter Mary Bond, the sum of Twenty pounds, to be paid to him after my Wives Decease I having heretofore considerably advanced my Daughter Mary Bond out of my Estate.
Itm--I Give and bequeath to my Daughter Hannah Lealand the Wife of James Lealand, the sum of Twenty pounds & Eight shillings Which with the sum of Nineteen pounds Twelve shillings which she has been advanced makes the sum of Forty pounds to be paid after my Wives Decease.
Itm--I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Sarah Kindall the Wife of Isaac Kindall Thirteen pounds ten shillings to be paid after my Wives Decease which with the sum of Twenty-six pounds ten shillings which she has been advanced makes the sum of Forty pounds to her.
Itm--I Give and bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth Lealand the Wife of Timothy Lealand the sum of Twenty pounds Eight shillings to be paid to her after my Wives Decease, which with the sum of Nineteen pounds twelve shillings, which she hath been advanced makes the sum of forty pounds to her.
Item--I Give & bequeath to the Heirs of my Daughter Tabitha Dewin the sum of fourteen pounds fourteen shillings to be paid to them after my Wives Decease (if they are of age to Receive it) if not to be paid to them as they Come of age which with the sum of Twenty five pounds and six shillings which she hath been advanced makes the sum of forty pounds to her.
It.--I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Abigail Learned the sum of Twenty pounds to be paid to her after my Wives Decease, which with the sum oftwenty pounds which she hath been advanced makes the sum of forty pounds to her.
It.--I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Thankfull Learned the sum of Twenty pounds to be paid to her after my Wives Decease which with the sum of twenty pounds which she hath been advanced makes the sum of forty pounds to her.
It.--I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Bathsheba Hendee the Wife of Josiah Hendee the sum of ten pounds to be paid to her after my Wives Decease which with the sum of thirty pounds which she hath been advanced makes the sum of forty pounds to her.
And my mind & Will is that the afore mentioned Legacies shall be paid out of my Estate at a reasonable price or in money or that which is Equivalent in Common Dealing as a Medium of Trade at the time of payment so as best to suit my Children on both sides.
And after my Just Debts & the Legacies above mentioned are paid, what of my Estate shall be then Remaining to be Divided, I Do Give and bequeath as followeth viz:--
To the heirs of my son Thomas Learned one Ninth part thereof.
And to my Grandson Benjamin Bond One Ninth part thereof.
And to my Daughter Hannah Lealand aforesaid one ninth part thereof.
And To my Daughter Sarah Kindall aforesaid One Ninth part thereof.
And to my Daughter Elizabeth Lealand afore said one Ninth part thereof.
And To the Heirs of my Daughter Tabitha Dewin aforesaid one ninth part thereof to paid to them as they come of age to receive it.
And. To my Daughter Abigail Learned one ninth part thereof.
And. To my Daughter Thankfull Learned one ninth part thereof.
And To my Daughter Bathsheba Hendee aforesaid one ninth part thereof.
And Finally I Do Name and appoint my son Edward Learned aforesaid to be my sole Executor of this my last Will & Testament punctually to Observe Every of the Articles of the same hereby revoking nullifying and making void any other Will or Testament at any time heretofore made by me, allowing this & no other to be my Last Will & Testament. In Witness Whereof I Have hereunto set my hand Seal and the day & year before mentioned.
Signed sealed Published & Declared by ye said Benoni Learned as his Last Will & Testament In the Presence of us ye Subscribers.
JAMES WHITNEY
NATHLL PERRY
WM GREENWOOD
his
BENONI B LEARNED
mark SealMemorandm the word (my) in ye twenty second line & the word (Bond) in ye thirty fifth line were Enter lined before signing & Sealing.
To all People to whom these Presents shall come Jonathan Remington Esq. Judge of the Probate of Wills &c in the County of Middlesex within the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England sendeth Greeting.
Know ye that on the twenty fourth Day of April A:D: 1738. The foregoing Instrument (purporting -- the last Will and Testament of Benoni Learned late of Sherbourn in the County aforesaid yeoman Dece'd) was presented for Probate by Edward Learned, the Executor therein named." &c. &c. Approved.
JONA. REMINGTON.
NOTE. On looking at this fac-simile upon page 21, we may infer that the testator attempted to write his name, but was too feeble. He lived however for three months afterwards.
An Inventory of the Estate of Deacon Benoni Learned, late of Sherbourn Deceased, as it was shewed by Edward Learned the Executor Taken the 17th day of may 1738 by us the Subscribers who were appointed and Sworn thereto, is as followeth viz: lb-s-d To the Books 2-19-6 To the wearing apparel one hat 1lb-one hat 3 shillings 1-3-0 One Duroy Coat 2lb 10-0 one Jacket 1lb-one pair of Britches 10s 4-0-0 One brown Coat 1lb one Jacket 1lb-5-0 one pair of leather Britches 1 lb 3-5-0 One gray Coat 15s one gray Coat 5s one Jacket 10s-one pair of red Britches 3s 1-13-0 One great Coat 1lb four pair of stockins 1lb shoes & buckels 5s 2-5-0 five pair of gloves-8s-one Belt 0-1-6 0-9-6 one fine shirt 1lb two Cotton Shirts 16s-two Linen Shirts 14s 2-10-0 one Muzlin neckin 5s 0-5-0 To money on bond 30lb 30-0-0 To the beding Viz: to one bed and bedstead with firnature belonging 9-15-0 pne bed under bed and beding belonging thereto 6lb-8s-0 6-8-0 one birds Eyes Coverled 3lb: 0: one diamond coverled 2lb 0-0 5-0-0 one black & white coverled 1lb 10-0, one coverled 1lb 0-0 2-10-0 one Old Coverled 8s one blanket 1lb old blanket 8s 1-16-0 one tickin for an under bed 8s 0-8-0 one pair of good Sheets 1lb 5-0 1-5-0 Sixteen pair of Sheets 9s per pair 7lb 4-0 7-4-0 Twelve pillow beers 1lb-1-0 1-1-0 To the Table linen-two table Cloths 8s twelve Napkins 1lb-10-0 1-18-1 Six towels 6 shillings--two Straining Cloths 2 shillings 0-8-0 To the Brass viz: one Brass kittle 6lb-one Skillet 14s one skillet 10s 7-4-0 one warming pan 15s 0-15-0 To the Iron viz: box Iron & heaters & Ironing cloth 6s-Chopping knife 2s 0-8-0 One Iron pot & hooks 8s-one Iron pot & hooks 5s-one Iron kittle 1lb 10s-0 2-3-0 One Iron kittle 10s 0-10-0 One frying pan 8s gridiron 5s-one Spit 6s-two iron Candlesticks 3s-6d 1-2-6 hand Irons 1lb two tramels 18s--tongs & peal 8s bellows 4s 2-10-0 Old Iron two shillings 0-2-0 To the peuter viz: one platter 1lb--two platters 12s a piece 1lb-4-0 2-4-0 One platter 5s five plates 12s-6d-one bason 4s 1-1-6 One tankard 10s-one quart pot 6s-one bason 1s-6d--seven spoons 8s 6 1-1-0 to old peuter 8s-piper box 6d-one Cup. 1 shilling 0-9-6 To the Earthern ware 13 s-6d-one Stone mugg 2 shillings 0-15-6 To the glasses viz: looking glass, 6s glass bottles & salt seller 17 shillings 1-3-0 To wooden dishes & Trenchers & morter 6s 0-6-0 To one Chest of drawers 1lb-0-One chest 10s-one Chest 8s 2-3-0 One Chest 5s-one meal Chest 1lb-0-0--three sives 9s 1-14-0 To the Chairs-one great Chair 5s-one black Chair 5s-thirteen white Chairs 2lb 2-10-0 One Tow comb 12s-one pair of Cards 4s-three linen wheles 18s 1-14-0 too great Spinning wheeles 1lb-0-0 1-0-0 To the dairy vessels -- one Churn 8s two Cider tubs 12s-two kellers 3s 1-3-0 five trays 7s-6d-two pails one pigin one Tunel 4s-four old tubs 3s 0-14-6 To lumber in the seller three meat tubs 12s-Six barrels 1lb-4-0 1-16-0 one beer vessel two old Barrels 4s 0-4-0 To three meal Sacks 8s two pair of scales & weights 5s 0-11-0 Sixteen pound of Combed Hemp at 3s per pound 2lb-8-0 2-8-0 Swingled Hemp thirty-six pounds at 10s per pound 1lb 10-0 1-10-0 Eighteen pounds of broke Hemp 8s twelve pound 1/2 of two yarn 6s 0-19-0 To the quick Stock viz: one Cow 8lb one Swine 3lb 11-0-0 Sum total of movable Estate 187-6-6 money which the Executor is obliged by bond to pay to the Estate berng the valuation of the lands & buildings in Sherbourn 450-0-0 To the Real Estate viz: the Cedar Swamp lying in Holliston 5-0-0 To land lying in a place called New Sherbourn viz: to a lot in the four Thousand acres granted to Sherbourn by the Generall Court being the 81s lot 56-0-0 To another lot in New Sherbourne aforesaid being the 77th lot 68-0-0 Sum total of Real Estate 124-0-0 Sum total of all both Real & moveable Estate 711-6-6 JAMES WHITNEY WM. LEALAND WM GREENWOOD Apprisers
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