The biography and family information for Ichabod Kirby was summarized in the book "The Kirbys of New England" by Melatiah Everett Dwight, published in 1898[1].
According to Kirby family papers, Ichabod Kirby was born on 31 December 1705 to Robert and Rebecca (Potter) Kirby of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, the second child of seven born to Robert and Rebecca[2].
Ichabod "Cerby" married Rachel Allen on 1 March 1732/3. Rachel was the daughter of Joseph and Rachel (--?--) Allen of Dartmouth[6]. They had two sons (John and David) and two daughters (Ruhammah and Rachel) between 1734 and 1747. The births were recorded in the Dartmouth, Massachusetts town records, and also in the Kirby family records.
The transcription of the 1733 marriage contract of Ichabod "Curby" and Rachel Allen in the Kirby family papers is[7]:
Whearas Ichabod Curby the Son of Robert Curby of Dartmouth in the County of Bristol in the Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England and Rachel Allen the Daughter of Joseph Allen of the Town and County aforesaid, Having Declared their Intentions of taking each other in Marriage before Seaverall Publick meetings of the People Called Quakers in Dartmouth aforesd according to the good order used among them (whose proceedings therein after a deliberate consideration thereof with regard to the Rights our Lord of God and Example of his people Recorded in the Scriptures of with in that care) were allowed by the sd meetings they appearing Clear of all others and in the year according to the English account one thousand Seaven hundred and thirty two or three they the Sd Ichabod Curby and Rachel Allen appeared in a publick assembly of the abovesd people and others met together for that purpose in their publick meeting place in Dartmouth aforesd and in a Sollemn manner he the sd Ichabod Curby taking the sd Rachel Allen by the hand did openly Declare as followeth: Friends, I Desire you to be my witnesses that I take this my friend Rachel Allen to be my wife promiseing with the Lords assistance to be to her a Loving Husband until Death Seperate us. And then and there in the sd Assembly the Said Rachel Allen did in the like manner Declare as followeth Friends I Desire you to be my Witnesses that I take this my friend Ichabod Curby to be my Husband promiseing with the Lords assistance to be to him a Dutiful Wife until Death Seperates us.
And the sd Ichabod Curby and Rachel Allen as a further Confirmation thereof did then and thereto these presents Set their hands the young woman according to the Custom of Marriage Assuming her Husband's Name. Ichabod Cerby Rachel Cerby
And we whose names are hereunto Subscribed being present among others at the Solemnising of their sd Marriage and Subscribtion in manner aforesd as Witnesses have also to these presents subscribe our names the day and place above written.
John Tucker Susanna Gifford Increas Allen
John Howland Joanna Crane Joseph Allen
Jedidiah Allen Bathsheba Cerby
John Russell Nathaniel Kerby
George Soule
Abraham Tucker
Joseph Tucker
Holder Slocum
Stephen Willcock
Isaac Smith
Richard Crane
Daniel Howland
David Akin
In 1737 he was surveyor of highways, and in 1744 was chosen constable, but declined to serve[1].
Ichabod's father, Robert Kirby died in 1757, and left parcels of land to Ichabod, including[4]:
* all the land laid out in the fork of the river above Nacachuck Bridge (with brother Recompence Kirby and nephew Weston Kirby)
* all his rights in the salt meadow or sedge flatsl ying in the river not adjoining the upland (with nephew Weston Kirby)
* all rights in the Cedar Swamp (with brothers Recompance, Silas and Robert Kirby and nephew Weston Kirby)
Ichabod Kirby lived in that part of Dartmouth which afterward became the town of Westport. What is believed to have been Ichabod Kirby's house in Westport is still standing [in 1888], although somewhat altered. "The stone fire-place formerly occupied the whole of the north end of the house. There was a door on either side near the fire-place so that they could take a horse and draw a log into the house and put one end in the fire-place, and then, when it was burned off, move the log in again until it was consumed."[1]
Ichabod Kirby died 11 February 1793 in Westport, according to the Kirby family papers[3]. There is no burial record available for Ichabod Kirby.
Ichabod Kirby wrote his will on 9 March 1788, and it is six pages long[6]. The transcription of the will is:
"The twenty-Ninnth Day of March A D one thousand Seven hundred and Eighty Eight I Iachebod Keirby of Westport in the County of Bristol and in the Common-Welte of the Massachussetts Being advanced in years But of a Sound Disposing Mind and memory and Calling to mind the mortallity of my Body and Knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Dye Do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament that is to Say Princably and first of all I Commit my Body to the Earth to be Desently Buryed at the Descretion of my Executor hereinafter Named and as touching my worldly Estate with which it has Pleased God to Bless me with I give Demise and Dispose of in the following manner and form Viz.
"Of Primmis my will is and do hereby order that all my just Debts funeral Charges and Just Expenses of all sorts together with the Settleing of my Estate be Paid and Discharged out of my money by my Executor herein after Named.
"Item I give and bequeath unto my well-beloved wife Rachel Keirby all my houshold goods of every Sorte and kind whatsoever Excepting Such as I Shall hereafter otherwise Dispose of moreover I give unto her my Said wife my Loom and all my Loom tackling of Every Sort whatsoever. I also give unto my Said wife my gold necklace as Long as She Remains my widdow and after that to Return where I Shall give it. I also give her my Said wife Sidesadle and Pillion and my worsted Combs together with all my Spining wheals and my Real.I also give unto my Said wife the use and Improvement of the one half of my now Dwelling house She my Said wife to have her Choise and to take which half of She Pleases with a Priviledge in my Seller sufficient for her owne use for and During the term she Remains my widow and I also give unto her my said wife twelve Bushels of Indian Corne one hundred weight of good Pork that is so much of each Sort yearly and Every year During the time She Shall Remain my widow to be Provided and Delivered unto her yearly and every year as aforesaid by my Son John Keirby which I whereby him to Do. I also give unto my Said wife ten Pounds of good Sheeps wool ten Pounds of good flex from the Swingle two Bushels of good Rye five good gees fore gallons of good Mollasses one hundredweight of good Beef and fore Spanish milled Silver Dollars the Keeping one Cow well and Milking Said cow and the milk Brought into the hous to her and two hens all to Be Kept well the hens about the Door and the Cow on Some Part of my homested farm Both winter and Summer all to be Kept and Performed at and by the Cost of my Son David Keirby which I so hereby order him my said Son to Do yearly and Every year until my wife his mother Shall Cease to be my widow. I also give unto my Said wife So much fire wood Cut a Sutable Length for the fier Brought and laid handy to her Door as she Shall or may have occation to maintain one fier for her owne use and the grate wood Laid on the fier to Be Provided and Delivered as aforesaid by and at the Cost of my Son David Keirby yearly and Every year During the time She Shall Remain my widow. I also give unto my said wife Eight Pounds of good Butter thirty weight of good Chease one Barrel of good Cyder ten Bushels of good winter appels & it is to Be understood the Sheeps Wool the flax the yet he gees the molasses the Beef the Dollars the Butter and Chees the Cyder and apples, that is to much of Each to be Provided Paid and Delivered unto her my Said wife by my Son David Keirby yearly and Every year During the term She Shall Remain my widow which I order my Son to do for his mother. I also give unto my Said wife one of my Cows and She to take her Choise thereof. Furthermore it is to be under-stood that all the giftes herein given to my wife are given to her in Lew of her Right of Dower or Power of thirds in my Estate and Not otherwise. Further my mind and will is that if the Cow given to my wife Should fail then for my Son David to take her to himself and Retain another good Cow in her Room.
"Item I give and Bequeath unto my Son John Keirby all my Right or tract of wood Land Lying and Being in the Township of Dartmouth and in the forke of the River So Called together with all my Salt meadow and Sedge flats which I Now improve in Partnership with my Cousin Weston Keirby which is Situate in the Township of Westport in the Esterly Branch of the River, the said right of wood Land and Salt medow I give unto him my Said Son John and to his heirs and assigns for Ever in fee Simple. I also give unto my Said son John one tramel two ferther beds Bedsteds and Cords with all the Bedding ????gging unto Said ???ds one Cheese tule one milking Pale one meet tub one meet Barrel one grindston two Pichforks one large iron Ber all which he hath Now in his Possion. I also give him one Ring and Stapl for an ox yoke moreover I give unto him my Said son John the one half my wearing appariel that I Shall have Left at my Deceas, also I give to him my Said son half my Notes of hand that I have for money, he paying and Performing asI herein have and Shall order him to Do.
"I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Ruhammer Wilbor one hundred Silver Dollars in gold be the vallue in one year after my Decease to be Paid By my Son John Keirby.
"Item I hereby give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Rachel Keirby one feather Bed and furnature thereunto Belonging of all Sorts ??? ????? for Said Bed together with a Sufficient maintainnance in Every Respect and of all Sorts of the Necesers of life Sutable for her Condition both in Sickness and in helthe During her Natural Life is She Remains Single to be Performed Provided and allowed unto my her my Said Daughter by my Son David Keirby by out of the Estate I Shall hereafter give him to Due for his Mother and wakly Sister But if it Should So happen that my Said Daughter Rachel Should or may See fit to alter her Condition By marrying then immediately upon that Sircomestance I hereby will and order my Son David Keirby to give unto her one hundred Spanish milled Silver Dolars and one good Cow and upon this Performence to be quit from any longer maintaining his Said sister. I also give unto my Said Daughter Rachel after her mothers Deceas my gold Necklace of Beads.
"Item I give and bequeath unto my three grand Sons Namly Humphrey Keirby Robert Keirby the Sons of John Keirby and Iackobard Wilbor the Son of my Daughter Ruhammer Willbor fore acers of Salt meddow Lying in Township of Westport and on the Esterly Side of the Este Branch of the River Called the hommuck or Peckcehasset Humpreys to Begin at Jonathan White's Bredge to Easter?? Southward til he takes one acer and half
and then Robert to take the Next acer and half South from Humphreys and then Said Iachabod to take one acer to the South of roberts. I also order Humphrey Keirby and Robert Keirby fodderr there ??? on the Said hammunck and for them two to keep the fence Betwen my Sons Johns Land and the Said hammucks and the above meddow to Be to Each of them and to Each of their heirs and assinges for ever and to Com into Posesion in one year after my Deceas.
"Item I give and Bequeath unto my five grand Daughters five Silver Dollars or gold to the vallue apeace which will be twenty five Dollars which I order my son David Keirby to Pay to them five one year after my Deceas.
"Item I hereby give and Bequeath unto my Eight Grand Sons and grand Daughters on Sheepe apeace out of my flock of Seepe to be Delivered them in one year after my Deceas By my Executor herein after Named. I give unto my grand Son Iachabod Keirby Son of my son David Keirby two of the Best Sheep in my flock and one Silver Spoon marked I K to be Deliver-ed to him in one year after my Deces By my Executor.
"Item. I give and Bequeath unto my son David Keirby one of my feather Beds with all the furnature Belonging to the Same and one of my trammels and one of my Powdering tubs and one Peas of my hand irons which I had of John Gifford. I allso give him one half of my weareing apperl together with one half of my Nots for money.
"Item and I also give unto my said Son David and to his heirs and assigns forever all my homsted farme with all the Buldings of what kind soever tyanding thereon and all the other Preveledges thereunto Belonging together with all of the Rest and Residue of my Estate both Real and Personall of what kind soever that is not otherwise Desposed of he Doing and Performing what I have already ordered him to Do.
"Item I Do hereby ordain Constitute and appoint my Son David Keirby Sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament Desiring him in Love to Se the Same Docely and truly Executed according to the true intent and maneing thereof and Do hereby make null and void all other wills or testaments by me Before this time made and Rattifying this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I the said Iachabod Keirby have hereunto set my hand and Seal the Day and year above Ritten. Signed Sealed Published Pronounced and Delivered by the Said Iachabod Keirby
his
in the Presents of us Ichabod + Kirby
the subscribers mark
Elijah Gifford
Richard Keirby
Richard Keirby Junr
May 7 1793 proved
Recorded N Bayliss Register"
This lengthy will of Ichabod Kirby (1705-1793) names his wife Rachel, and his four children living at the time he wrote the will in 1788 - namely, John Kirby, Ruhamah Wilbor, Rachel Kirby and David Kirby. It also names three of his grandsons, namely Humphrey Kirby and Robert Kirby, sons of his son John Kirby, and Ichabod Wilbor, son of his daughter Ruhamah Wilbor. It mentions five granddaughters but does not name them.
The will bequeaths foodstuffs, livestock and firewood to his wife Rachel Kirby, to be provided yearly by his two sons, John Kirby and David Kirby. She also received the improvement of one half of the dwelling house. Son John Kirby received woodland and salt meadow land in Dartmouth, while son David Kirby received the other half of the dwelling house and homestead lands.
The will was proved 7 May 1793 in Bristol County, Massachusetts probate court[5]. Son David Kirby was named the executor of the estate in the will of his father.
