Monday, August 16, 2010

Amanuensis Monday - the will of John Kenyon (1742-1831) of Sterling CT

Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started his own 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."

My subject today is the will of John Kenyon (1742-1831), the son of Sylvester and Anna (Barber) Kenyon, who married Anna --?-- in 1764. They had nine children.

John Kenyon died testate, having written a will on 6 May 1824, and proved on 8 August 1831 in Plainfield Connecticut. The will reads (transcribed from a clerk's copy in Connecticut Probate Records (Plainfield District), 1747-1918, Register of Probate Records, Volume 19 (1830-1835), Pages 206-209, provided in a photocopy by cousin Richard Kenyon, accessed on FHL Microfilm 0,005,449 by Richard Kenyon, separated into paragraphs for readability):

"Probate Office, Plainfield District, August 8th, 1831, Present Joseph Eaton, Esq. Judge


"In the name of God amen. I John Kenyon of Sterling in the County of Windham and State of Connecticut although labouring at present under some indisposition of body yet being of sound disposing mind memory & understanding through the Mercy of God do make and ordain this my last will & testament in manner and form following - First & principally I resign my soul with the utmost humility into the hands of Almighty God, my Creator humbly hoping for a blessed immortality through the merits and mediation of my blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, and also my body I desire may be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors herein after to be named and as for in [all?] temporal estate as the Lord in his great goodness and mercy hath entrusted me to be steward of I give devise & dispose of as follows --

"Imprimus I give & bequeath to my eldest & beloved son, Lewis Kenyon, my farm which I bought of Jeremiah Babcock to him & his heirs and assigns forever -


"Item I give & bequeath to my beloved son John Kenyon my right & interest in the house & lot where I now live which I bought of Preserved Fish also the lot of land I bought of Patrick Campbell & likewise the lot that I bought of Benajah Burgess & John Burgess & one pair of large Iron andirons which with what he has already received will be in full of his portion -

"Item I give & bequeath to my beloved son George Kenyon one half of the farm on which he now lives it being the Farm which I bought of Peleg Kenyon together with all the privileges & appurtenances thereunto belonging he paying therefor to my son Lewis Kenyon the sum of fifty dollars in two years after my decease which will be the full of his portion -

"Item I give & bequeath to my beloved son Sylvester Kenyon one half of the farm on which he now lives & being the farm which I bought of Peleg Kenyon together with the privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging to him & his male heirs forever he paying therefor to my son Lewis Kenyon fifty dollars in two years after my decease which will be in full of his portion -


"Item I give & bequeath to my beloved daughter Almey Perkins one dollar to be paid her by my Executor herein after named in one year after my decease which with what she hath already has & received [....] in full for her portion


"Item, I give & bequeath to my daughter Nancy Champlin one dollar to be paid two years after my decease in full of her portion -

"Item I give & bequeath to my grandson Samuel Champlin one dollar to be paid two years after my decease in full of his portion -

"Item I give & bequeath to my grandson Joseph Champlin one dollar to be paid two years after my decease in full of his portion -


"Item I give to my grandson John Champlin one dollar to be paid two years after my decease in full of his portion -


"Item I give to my grandson George Haszard Champlin one dollar to be paid in two years after my decease in full of his portion -

"Item I give to my grand daughter Phebe Kenyon one dollar to be paid in two years after my decease in full for her portion.

"Item I give to my grand daughter Polly Wilcox one dollar to be paid in two years after my decease in full for her portion


"Item I give to my grand daughter Almey Oatly one dollar to be paid in two years after my decease in full for her portion


"Item I give to my grand daughter Betsey Champlin one dollar to be paid in two years after my decease in full for her portion

"Item I give to my grand daughter Fanny Champlin one dollar to be paid in two years after my decease in full for her portion

"Item I give to my grand daughter Alsi Champlin one dollar to be paid in two years after my decease in full for her portion


"Item I give to my grandson James Dixon one dollar to be paid in two years after my decease in full for his portion


"Item I give to my grandson Varnum Dixon one dollar to be paid in two years after my decease in full for his portion

"Item I give to my grandson Searls Dixon one dollar to be paid in two years after my decease in full for his portion

"Item I give to my grandson George Dixon one dollar to be paid in two years after my decease in full for his portion


"Item I give to my grandson Palmer Dixon one dollar to be paid in two years after my decease in full for his portion


"Item I give to my grand daughter Hariet Card one dollar to be paid in two years after my decease in full for his portion

"Item I give to my grand daughter Nancy Dixon one dollar to be paid in two years after my decease in full for his portion

"Item I give to my grand daughter Abigail Champlin one dollar to be paid in two years after my decease in full for her portion


"Item I give to my beloved daughter Abigail Warren one certain tract of land which I purchased of Thomas Gordon which will be in full for her portion with which she has already has received -


"Item I give to my dearly beloved wife the use & improvement of one third part of all of all my Real estate during her natural life and one third part of all my moveable estate to be at her own disposal, my said wife to support my daughter Cynthia Kenyon during the life of my said wife, and after the decease of my said wife my will is that my two sons George Kenyon & Sylvester Kenyon to support & maintain my said daughter Cinthia Kenyon during the remainder of her natural life.

"Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Cynthia Kenyon one dollar to be paid her by my said Executor herein after named one year after my decease which will be in full of her portion -


"And I do hereby constitute and appoint George Kenyon and John Thurston my Joint Executors to this my last will & testament


"Item I will that all the rest & residue of my estate not heretofore disposed of be placed in the hands of my executors to pay my Lawful debts funeral charges and settlement of my said estate and after paying all the above said charges if any thing remain to be equally divided among my [...] four sons Lewis Kenyon John Kenyon George Kenyon and Sylvester Kenyon and I do hereby revoke all other wills by me formerly made and declare this only to be my Last Will and Testament in Witness whereof I the said John Kenyon have hereunto set my hand and seal this ?th day of May AD 1824.
................................................................. John Kenyon {L S}

"Signed sealed published and declared by the said Testator John Kenyon as and for his last will and Testament in the presence of of us who have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto in the presence of the said Testator and of each other
Archibald Douglas
Rebecca Douglas
Louisa Thurston"


"The above and foregoing is a true copy of the Last Will & Testament of John Kenyon which was by this .... [one word] duly Proven & appriv...[?] and is due to be recorded ... ..... [two words] in the files of this court.
attest Geo. H.Middleton clerk."


"At a Court of Probate holden at Plainfield within and for the District of Plainfield on the 8th day of August AD 1831"Present Joseph Eaton Esqr Judge on motion of George Kenyon and John Thurston Executors of the last will & Testament of John Kenyon late of Sterling within said district decd. This court doth declare that six months be allowed the auditors of said Executors after they shall have given public notice of this order by advertising the same in a newspaper published in Brooklyn and by putting the same on a public sign put in said Town of Sterling.
Joseph Eaton Judge of Probate
Per Order
attest Geo. H. Middleton clerk."


"Probate office ... Plainfield Aug 8th 1831


"Present Joseph Eaton Judge
This Court do appoint Calvin Hubbard and John I. Kenyon of Sterling in Windham County disinterested freeholders appraisers to appraise the Estate of John Kenyon late of Sterling decd as its true & just value in money and a true & perfect Inventory thereof make and present to the Registry of this Court on or before the 1st Tuesday of Sept next and to be under oath for the aforesaid purpose.
Joseph Eaton Judge of Probate
Per Order
Attest Geo. H. Middleton Clerk."

The will of John Kenyon names his four living sons (Lewis, John, George and Sylvester) and four living daughters (Almey Perkins, Nancy Champlin, Abigail Warren and Cynthia Kenyon), plus 18 grandchildren, including the Dixon children of his deceased daughter, Mary (Kenyon) Dixon, wife of William Dixon. Unfortunately, the will does not provide his wife's given name! She may have died after the will was written in 1824 and before the will was proved in 1831.

My line is through daughter Nancy Kenyon, who married Joseph Champlin, as shown in Surname Saturday - KENYON (England > RI).

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