Monday, May 9, 2011

Amanuensis Monday - Will of Ephraim Buck (1646-1721) of Woburn, Mass.

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Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started a Monday blog theme many months ago called Amanuensis Monday. What does "amanuensis" mean? John offers this definition:

"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

The subject today is the will of Ephraim Buck (1646-1721) of Woburn, Massachusetts.  He married Sarah Brooks (1652-????) in 1671 in Woburn, and they had eight children:  Sarah Buck (1674-1734); Ephraim Buck (1676-1721); John Buck (1678-1678); Samuel Buck (1682-????); Eunice Buck (1685-????); Ebenezer Buck (1689-1752) and Mary Buck (1689-????).

Ephraim Buck of Woburn died testate, and his probate records are in Middlesex County [Massachusetts] Probate Court Records, Probate Packet #3,341 (accessed on FHL Microfilm 0,386,342).  The will reads:

"In the Name of God Amen this twenty third day of November one thousand seven hundred and seventeen, I Ephraim Buck of Wooburn in ye county of Middlesex in this province of ye Massachusetts Bay in New England yeoman Being sick and weak of body, but of prfect mind & memory, Thanks be given unto god therefore Calling unto minde the mortality of my Body and knowing yt it is apointed to all men once to Dye, Do make and ordaine this my Last Will & Testament that is to say Principaly and first of all I Give and Recomen my soule into ye Hands of God yt gave it and my Body I Recomend to the Earth to be buried in Decent and Christian maner by my son Ebenezer Buck, He being obliged yr to bt a certain Bond or Oblegation under Hand and Seal, Nothing Doubting but that at ye Generall Resurection I shall Recive the same again by the Almighty power of God.  And as touching such worldly estate where with It hath pleased God to bless me with in this life besids what I have allredy desposed of to my wife and Children by Deed of Gift under my hand and seal, I give, demise and dispose of the same in ye folowing maner and forme.

"Imp.  I Give and bequeath to Sarah Buck my Dearly beloved Wife all my movable Estat within doors with my Cattels, Hogs and Sheep and ye Hay and Corn to be at her own despose for ever.

"Item.  I Give to my two sons namly Ephraim Buck and Samuell Buck all my land and medow lying on the Northerly side of Andover Row that is otherwise Desposed of, Provided that they pay out unto the several person hereafter Named the ... sums assignd to tham in this my last will and testament.  Itim I Give to my son John Buck thirty shillings to be payd to him by my two sons Ephraim and Samuell in Equiall proportion Emediatly after my decease.  Itim I Give unto my son Ebenezer Buck thirty shillings to be paid to him by my two sons aforsd Emeditly after my Decease.

" Itim.  I Give to my Daughter Sarah Grover five Pounds to be payd unto her by my two sons Ephraim and Samuell before named Emediatly after my Decease.  Itim.  I Give to my Daughter Mary Spike five pounds to be paid unto her by my two sons Ephraim and Samuell afore named Emediatly after my Decease.  Itim.  I Give to my Daughter Eunis Buck Twent pounds to be payd unto her by my two sons Ephraim Buck and Samll Buck afornamed.  Itim.  I further give to Eunice Richardson yt I Brought up five pounds to be payd unto her by my two sons aforsd, in Equall proportion when she shall arrive at ye age of Eighteen years or at Her Marage if it be before that time.

"Itim.  I Give to my loving Wife Sarah Buck seven pounds besids what I have alredy given Her to be payd to her by my two sons before named Emediatly after my Decease and Lastly I Give to my well beloved and trusty friends John Richardson Senr and Eleazer Flagg Twenty shillings apeece to be payd to them by my two sons Ephraim and Samuell in Equall proportion, and I do by thes presence Constatute make and ordain them my said Trusty and well beloved friends, John Richardson and Eleazer Flagg my sole Exec-rs of this my Last Will and Testament and I Do by these presents Impower them to Make sale of that tract of land and meadow that I have given to my two sons namly Ephraim Buck and Samuell Buck, In Case they Refuse to tak up wuith what I have ordered and assigned them to pay in this my last Will and Testament, and they With the money to pay the several legacies afornamed as sone (?) and I Desire them to take care of my wife and daughter Eunis & as Conveniantly may be, and I Do hereby uterly Disallow Revoke and disannull all and Every other former Testament Wills Legacies and Bequests and ??? by me in any Way before Named Willed and bequeathed Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament.  In Wittnes Whereof I have Hereunto set my Hand and seal the day and year first above written.
.............................................................................. Ephraim Buck    (seal)"Signed seald published pronounced and declared ........ his mark
by the sd Ephraim Buck as his Last Will and testament
In ye presence of us ye subscrobers
Benjamin Richardson
his mark
Saml Richardson


The will was proved by the executors at the Probate Court in Cambridge on 20 March 1720.  A bond of one hundred pounds was posted by Ephraim Buck, Samuel Buck and John Richardson on 20 March 1720.  On that date, John Richardson and Eleazer Flagg refused to be executors of the estate, and Ephraim Buck and Samuel Buck were appointed administrators of the estate.
The will names seven of his children - sons Ephraim, John, Samuel and Ebenezer, and three daughters, Sarah Grover, Mary Spike and Eunice Buck.  My ancestry is through the son, Ephraim Buck who married Esther Waget in 1696 in Woburn.

1 comment:

Heather Wilkinson Rojo said...

I ran to open up my genealogy database when I read this post. I don't have Ephraim Buck in there, but I did find several other Bucks from Woburn who married relatives (Winn, Thompson, Wyman). Also, Samuel and Benjamin Richardson are descendants of Samuel Richardson (1602 - 1658) of Woburn, my 9x Great grandfather. I always enjoy your posts that show close encounters with my own family tree.