Monday, April 17, 2017

Amanuensis Monday - 1694 Probate Records of John Cooke (1607-1695) of Dartmouth, Mass.

This week's document for Amanuensis Monday is from the Bristol County, Massachusetts probate documents for John Cooke (1607-1695) of Dartmouth, Massachusetts.  

Bristol County [Mass.] Probate Records, Volume 1, pages 139-140:




The transcription of these records is:

[page 139, will]

The Last will and Testament of John Cook of the town of Dartmouth 
in the County of Bristoll:  I being weake of Body but of sound and 
Perfect memory, have Disposed of my Estate which God hath been pleased 
to bestow upon me in manner following. that is to say In the first place 
I give to my Son in law Arthur Hathaway & his wife Sarah my 
Daughter all my land in the point at or Near the Burying place in 
Dartmouth the which I bought of John Russell to them their heires 
and Assignes for Ever:  And also I give unto my Son in-law Stephen 
west and his wife Mercey my Daughter one full Third part of a whole 
Share of lands in the Township of Dartmouth with all my houseing 
and Orchards thereunto belonging: with all the priviledges & appur=ces 
belonging to the same to them their heires & Assignes for ever. 
They to possess the same after the Decease of my wife Sarah. 
Allso I give unto Jonathan Delano one Third part of a share of 
meadow Caled the Freemens Meadow Lyeing within the Township of 
Rochester to him his heires & assignes for Ever: Allso I give to my 
Grandson Thomas Taber my little Island Caled & Known by the 
Name of Ram Island Lying in Cushnat River in Dartmouth with one 
third part of my Share of Meadow Called the Freemens Meadow Lyeing 
in the Township of Rochester to him his heires & assignee for Ever. 
and I give to my said Grand son my Gun & sword. Allso I give to my 
Grand Daughter Hester Perry One feather Bed & Bolster, All the 
Rest & Residue of Estate Goods & Chattles of what Sort or Kind so ever 
I Give & bequeath to my Loveing wife Sarah to use & Dispose of the 
same as she shall see good. And I make my said wife Sole Executrix 
of this my Last will & Testament: In witness whereof I the said 
John Cooke have hereunto sett my hand & seale this Ninth Day of 
November 1694 in the presence of

Aaron Savory O his mark                                   John Cooke (seal)
Thomas Taber            "memorandum that on the 16th of Aprill 1696
                                     Then appeared Aaron Savory & Thomas Taber
                                     both of Dartmouth, Before John Saffin Esqr
                                     Judge of Probate of wills &ca and made Oath
                                     that they were present & did see John Cooke
                                     late of Dartmouth Decd Signe seale & publish
                                     this Instrument to be his last will & testiment
                                     and yt he was of a Disposeing mind when he so did
                                     to the best of their apprehensions

                              John Cary Registr                        Jno Saffin

Thus Entered & Engrosed may the: 8th 1696 By Jno Cary Registr


[page 140, inventory]

                                December the 7 th 1696

A true Inventory of the Estate Goods & Chattels of John Cooke late of Dartmouth 

Deceased: 

"Imp-s: all the houseing and land at .....................................................200-00-00
his Cattle of all sorts....................................................................... .......020-00-00
In Silver money....................................................................... ...............025-04-00
his wearing apparel at ........................................................................... 007-10-00
the Bed & Beding at ............................................................................. ..019-10-00
for severall Remnants of Now Cloath....................................................002-05-00
for Pueter & Tin Vessels..................................................................... ....001-05-00
one Warming Pann ............................................................................ ....000-12-00
two Bibles & Six other Books .................................................................002-00-00
two Iron pots one Iron Kettle & two old skillets....................................002-00-00
five Bushels of Corn ............................................................................ ...000-15-00
for linnen yarn & flax teere ....................................................................001-06 -00
half a dozen of Spoons ...........................................................................000-02-00
two Chains & Plow Irons with severall old Iron Tools at .......................001-10-00
Due in Debts ..........................................................................................008-00-00
one Gun a Sword & Powder & Bullets ...................................................001-10-00
one pare of Andirons two brammils ......................................................001-10-00
two Chests one Table & a Settle ...........................................................002-00-00
for lunber of all sorts at ........................................................................003-00-00
                                                                                                                            ---------------
Taken by us the Day & year first above written .................................. 299-19-00
Aurther Hathaway  }  Aprill 10th 1696 the widdow Sarah Cooke ^made oath^ to the

Thomas Tabar         }  above written Inventory Before me Seth Pope
                                                                                             Justice of peace

The above Named Sarah Cooke being a very Ancient woman and

Unable to travel far, it was Necessary that her Deposition should be
Taken as above said to the truth of this Inventory the which I do alow
this 16th Day of Aprill 1696.
Jno Cary  Regis^r                                                    Jno Saffin  Proba^e
Thus Entered the Engrossed May the 19th 1696   By Jno Cary  Regist^r

The source citation for this record is:

"Massachusetts, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991," indexed database with digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 April 2017), Bristol County, "Probate Records, Vol. 1-4, 1687-1723, Vol. 3, 1710-1716; Vol. 4, 1721," Volume 1, pages 139-140 (image 78 of 745), John Cooke probate papers.

The will mentions wife Sarah; son-in-law Arthur Hathaway and his wife Sarah his daughter; son-in-law Stephen West and his wife Mercy his daughter; Jonathan Delano; grandson Thomas Taber; and granddaughter Hester Perry.  There is no mention of daughters Elizabeth (Cooke) Wilcox, or Mary (Cooke) Taber, although the former apparently lived until after John Cooke's death.

John and Sarah Warren (1614-1696) Cooke are my 10th great-grandparents.  John Cooke was a Mayflower passenger with his father, Francis Cooke, in 1620.  My ancestry is through Sarah Cook
e (1635-1713) who married Arthur Hathaway (1630-1711) in 1652.


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NOTE:  Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent  TransylvanianDutch blog) started a Monday blog theme years ago called "Amanuensis Monday."  John offers this definition for "amanuensis:" 

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

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2017/04/amanuensis-monday-1694-probate-records.html

Copyright (c) 2017, Randall J. Seaver


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