Monday, August 12, 2013

Amanuensis Monday - Probate Records of John Mousall (1595-1665) of Woburn, Mass.

Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent  TransylvanianDutch blog) started a Monday blog theme 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 probate records of John Mousall (1595-1665) of  Woburn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.  He married Joanna --?-- (~1600 to ~1665) before 1625 in England and they had two children:


*  John Mousall (1626-1698), married 1650 Sarah Brooks (1630-1705)
*  Eunice Mousall (1628-1684), married 1649 John Brooks (1623-1691)

John Mousall of Woburn died testate.  His will was dated 19 June 1660, and was proved on 4 April 1665.  The original will is in Middlesex County (Mass.) Probate Records, in Probate Packet #15,617 (accessed on FHL Microfilm 0,421,473).  The probate packet includes a will and an inventory.  The will reads (transcribed from the microfilm by Randy Seaver; also transcribed and printed in the book Middlesex County Records of Probate and Administration, March 1660/61 - December 1670, compiled by Robert H. Rodgers, published Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001).  The will reads:

"The 19th of the 4th month 1660,

"That I John Mousall Senr of Woborn in the county of Middesex in new England husbandman being in p-fect memory altho weake in body: do make this my last will and testament to dispose of that goods and lands that God hath given mee:  and my two Sons John Mousall and John Brookes I make joynt executors of this my last Will and testament: and I give to my beloved wife Joanna Mousall all my moveables only (two) three Iron potts I give to my Son Brookes three children after her decease and to my grand child Sara Brookes I give my booke of mr Hildersam upon the 51 psalme:  and I give to my grand child unis Brookes my booke titled, mr Nortons authordox evangelest: and I give to my son John Mousall my best sute of apparrell: and to my beloved wife Joanna Mousall I give two of my best cowes and two ewe sheep: and my executors are to keep these cowes and sheep for her winter and summer so long as she liveth:  and all her fire wood: and foure pounds a yeare to be payd by my executors either in money or in marchatable corne of equall sorts if shee require it: and I give to my son John Brookes one cow and one sheep toward the finishing of the new roome Joyning to his house: and my wife is to have a peaceable living in it provided shee stay in it:  and I give to Epraim Bucke and Hannah Lepenwell either of them an ewe lamb att or before the end of ther time: provided they carry it respectfully to my wife: att the Judgment of the overseers of my will: and I give to my reverend pastor Mr Thomas Carter one ewe sheep: and I give my great meddow to my two sons equally but in case my son Mousall dy without children he is at liberty to give it to his wife so long as shee livith:  and after my son Mousall's decease and decease of his wife, haveing no heir it shall returne to my son Brookes children.  And I give to my beloved wife Joanna Mousall, the 3d part of the fruit of the orchard for her life and the little hemp yard and garden the backside of the old house, and all the corne that is now growing upon the land I now posses: and I give to my grandchild Joanna Brookes my little bible: and I give to my beloved wife Joanna Mousall 3 swine: and the rest of my lands I give to my two sons equally as they have agreed and have in possession: and the rest of my goods leave to my two sons my legacyes and funerall being discharged:  and I also make my Brother James Thomson and Allen Convers the overseers of this my Will: and I give unto them Twenty shillings a peece to be payd to them by my executors within six months after my decease: witness whereof I have interchangably set to my hand the day and yeare above written:

James [mark] Thompson                                                  John Mousall Senr.
Allen Converse"

The inventory of the estate of John Mousall Senior, Deacon of the Church of Christ at Wobourn deceased, was apprised by William Johnson and James Convars.  All of the housing and lands were valued at 200 pounds.  The personal estate included livestock, kitchen pots and utensils, furniture, bedding, tools, supplies, cloth, clothing, books, and debts, and totaled 68 pounds and 11 shillings.  The debts total 23 pounds, 4 shillings and seven pence.  The inventory was sworn in Court by the executors, John Brooks and John Mousall, on 4 April 1665.

John and Joanna (--?--) Mousall are my tenth great-grandparents, through their daughter Eunice Mousall who married John Brooks.  Their daughter, Sarah Brooks (1652-1720) married 1671 Ephraim Buck (1646-1721).

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/08/amanuensis-monday-probate-records-of_12.html

Copyright (c) 2103, Randall J. Seaver

1 comment:

T said...

Randy, did you have to visit all those places where you got wills and deeds or did you find some on line? I need to find something interesting about my really old ancestors but have had no luck finding anything at all about them. Checking all the family trees at ancestry.com there isn't any document on any tree that wasn't from me in the first place. At least I helped a few people with documentation and I did get the credit for it. Double win!