This week's document for Amanuensis Monday is the 1756 will of Susannah (West) Barber of Charlestown, Rhode Island in the Charlestown Town Records:
[Volume 2, pages 292]
[Volume 2, page 293]
[Volume 2, page 292]
"In the Name of God Amen This 21th Day of September in
the 29th year of his Majesties reigne Georg the Second King over Great
Briton AD 1755 - I Susannah Barber of Charlestown in Kings County
and Coloney of Rhodeisland widow Beeing in Helth of body and
of Perfect mind & memory Thanks bee Given to almighty God.
Therefore Calling to mind the mortality of my body & Knowing that
it is appointed for men Once to Die do make and ordain this my
Last will and Testament That is to Say Principally and
first of all I Give & Recommend my Soul into the Hands of Allmighty God
that gave it and my body I Recommend to the Earth to bee buried
in Christian Decent Buriel at the Descrestion of my Executor
Nothing Doubting but at the General Resurection I Shall Receive
the Same again by the Mighty Powr of God and as Touching
Such Worldly Estate Wherewith it Hath Pleased God to to Bless
me with in this Life I Give Demise and Dispose of the Same in
the Following manner and forme.
"Imprimus My will is and Hereby Order my Executors to pay all my
"Imprimus My will is and Hereby Order my Executors to pay all my
Just Debts and Funeral Charges out of my Estate
"Item I Give and Bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Anne
"Item I Give and Bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Anne
Kinyon My Great Bible Whose name is written in Said Bible
and to be Delliverd to her by my Executor Before my Other
Estate to my Children hereafter Named.
"Item I Give and bequeath to my beloved Daughters (viz.) Dinah Wilcocks
"Item I Give and bequeath to my beloved Daughters (viz.) Dinah Wilcocks
& the heirs of Lyda Mory and to Susannah Perry widow to Martha
Parker to Ruth Bently Marey Teft and Ann Kinyon all the
Remainder of my Estate to bee Equally Devided between them
them to them and theire Heirs for Ever.
"Lastly I Constitute make and ordain my beloved Son
"Lastly I Constitute make and ordain my beloved Son
Benja Barber to be my whole and Soul Executor to this my
my Last Will and Testament (and the Reason I Know
make this will is because I Ca???? ?? Have my former Will
when Requested hereby Revoking Disallowing and
Diaannulling all other former Wills Legacies and Bequeaths
by me before maid Rattifying & Confirming this and no other
to bee my Last Will and Testament Wishes Where of I Have
Herewith Set my hand & Seal the Day and year first before
Written Signed Sealed Published Pronounced and Declared
by the said Susannah Barber as her Last Will and Testament
the presence of we the Subscribers
......................................................................................... her
.......................................................................... Susannah S Barber {seal}
Timo Perce ...................................................................... mark
Jos Park
Benja Park
Jos Willcock
Joseph Crandal"
[Volume 2, page 293]
......................................................................................... her
.......................................................................... Susannah S Barber {seal}
Timo Perce ...................................................................... mark
Jos Park
Benja Park
Jos Willcock
Joseph Crandal"
[Volume 2, page 293]
"Personally appeard in Councill Benja Park Jos Crandal J
os Willcocks and Declard on oath that they Saw Susannah
Barber Deceasd Seign Seal Publish pronounce and Declare
the Will as they Seignd as witnesses to bee her Last Will and T
estament and She was in her perfect mind and memory at
the Same time according to the Best of theire Judgment.
The above Evidances (viz.) Benja Park Joseph Crandall
Jos Wilcocks further Declard oath that they Saw Timothy
Perce Josep Park Jnr Seign as Witnesses at the same time
with them. Before Benja Hoxie President of the Councill
The above ???? ???? ????
Kings County and Coloney of Rhodeisland. {seal}
"By Vertue of the Power Granted to the Town Councill of Charlestown
"By Vertue of the Power Granted to the Town Councill of Charlestown
in the County of Kings County and Coloney of Rhodeisland
for the Probate of Wills and of Granting of Letters of
Administration within sd Town ????
"To all people to whome these presence Shall Come Greeting
"To all people to whome these presence Shall Come Greeting
wee the Town Councill of the Town of Charlestown aforesaid
according to the Power by Law Invested in us Do hereby Give Grant
and fully Impower Mr. Benja Barber of Hopkinton in the County
& Coloney abovesaid Executor to the Last Will and Testament
of his mother Susannah Barber Late of Charlestown
Deceased to administer on all and Singular the Estate
Goods Chattels and Credits of his mother & to act and Do
what Power is Needfull Nessary & propper to bee done
Recaling the promises agreeble with the Law of this
Coloney in Such Cases maid & provided &c.
"In testamoney of which and in Confirmation of the
"In testamoney of which and in Confirmation of the
Promises & by order and in behalf of the Towne
Councill I Have Given forth the Powr of Administr-
ation under my hand and seal in said Charlestown
Apr the 4th AD 1756 B Hoxsie C Clerk."
Charlestown [RI] Probate and Town Council Records, 1738-1916. Family History Library (on FHL US/CAN Microfilm 2,319,104, Items 1-5), Volume 2, pages 292-295, Susannah Barber estate papers, 1756.
Susannah (West) Barber (1666-1756) was the widow of Moses Barber (1652-1733), and she died in Charlestown, Rhode Island. Moses and Susannah (West) Barber had 14 children.
The beauty of this will is that it names all of the living daughters in September 1755 - Ann Kinyon (my ancestor, wife of Sylvester Kenyon), Dinah Wilcocks, heirs of Lyda Mora [Mowry], Susannah Perry, Martha Parker, Ruth Bentley, and Mary [Mercy?] Tefft. She also appoints her son Benjamin Barber as executor.
The inventory of her personal property is included in the probate papers (but not transcribed above). The inventory listed had a significant value - over 1,351 pounds. The daughters likely received quite a nice inheritance, although it may have been in possessions and not in money.
Moses and Susannah (West) Barber are my 7th great-grandparents, and I am descended through their daughter Anna (Barber) Kenyon (1717-after 1800) who married Sylvester Kenyon (1710-1800) in 1740.
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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."
Copyright (c) 2018, Randall J. Seaver
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