Monday, May 2, 2011

Amanuensis Monday -Will of James Stone (1702-1783) of Groton, Massachusetts

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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 James Stone (1702-1783) of Groton, Massachusetts.  He was married to Mary Farwell (1709-????) in 1726 and they had ten children:  James Stone (1727-1788); Mary Stone (1729-????); Jonathan Stone (1731-????); William Stone (1734-1757); Abigail Stone (1736-????); Sarah Stone (1739-????); Joel Stone (1742-1806); Salmon Stone (1744-1831); Hannah Stone (1747-????); Levi Stone (1750-1830).

James Stone of Groton died testate, and his will was proved 15 April 1783 [Middlesex County [Massachusetts] Probate Records, Probate Packet 21,617, accessed on FHL Microfilm 0,421,530].  The transcription is:

"The will of James Stone of Groton, yeoman, dated 21 December 1778. To my wife Mary the use of my personal estate and all of my real estate for life.  To my sons, James 3 pounds, Jonathan 3 pounds, 6 shillings, 8 pence,  Joel 3 pounds, 6 shillings, 8 pence, and Salmon 6 pounds, 13 shillings, 4 pence; to my daughters, Abigail Sawtell 6 pounds, Sarah Carleton 13 pounds, 6 shillings, 8 pence, and Hannah Page 7 pounds, 6 shillings, 8 pence.  At the death of my wife, the residue of the personal estate and all of the real estate to remain to my son Levi Stone, he to be sole executor.

"Witnesses Joshua Fletcher, Jonathan Keep, and Oliver Prescott.
....................................................................................... [signed] James Stone"

He names five sons and three married daughters in this will, plus his wife, so we know that they are living as of December 1778 when he wrote the will.

The above looks more like a will abstract to me - I'll have to search my probate record files to see if there is more to it!  Also to see if there was an inventory and an account.

My ancestry is through the daughter Abigail (Stone) Sawtell, who married Ephraim Sawtell in 1757 and resided in or near Brookline, New Hampshire.

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