Monday, September 20, 2010

Amanuensis Monday - Will of Samuel Hubbard (1687-1753) of Concord MA

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."

The subject today is the probate file of Samuel Hubbard (1687-1753) of Concord, Massachusetts, one of my 7th great-great-grandfathers.

Samuel Hubbard died testate, and his probate papers are in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Probate Records, in Probate Packet #12,200 (accessed on FHL Microfilm 0,397,102). The will of Samuel Hubbard, late of Concord, taylor, deceased, was presented to the Court on 28 January 1754 by the executor, Isaac Hubbard, with witnesses Jonas Haywood and Ephraim Wood, Junior. The will was accepted by the Court. Isaac Hubbard (husbandman) and Jonas Hubbard (cordwainer - probably Jonas Heywood, since his signature appears on the document), both of Concord, posted bond of 300 pounds with the Court. The will, written in a clear hand, reads:

"In the Name of God Amen. The Second Day of September in the Twenty first year of His Majesties Reign annogree Domini one Thousand and Seven Hundred and forty seven. I Samuel Hubbard of Concord in the County of Middlesex, within the province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Taylor, being in good bodyly health and of perfect mind and memory Thanks be to God therefor. But Calling to mind the mortality of my Body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Die, Do make & ordain this my Last Will and Testament.


"First and Principally I give & Recommend my soul to the Hands of God that gave it. And my Body I commend to the Earth to be buried, in a Christian and Decent manner, at the Discreation of my Executor (hereafter named) nothing Doubting but at the Resurection I Shall Receive the same by the mighty Power of God.

"Imprimus. I Will and Bequeath unto Prudence Hubbard my now dearly beloved Wife all my Houshold goods propper to be used within Doors, of every sort to her own Disposal forever. also my Will is that my sd Wife shall have the improvement of the whole of my now Dwelling house with Liberty to pass to and from the same for firewood and water &c. Further my Will is that my Executor or his Heirs Executors or administrators shall yearly and every year provide for and Deliver to my abovesd wife six bushel of marchantable Indian corn, four bushel of Rie and one bushel and an half of malt and one Hundred & forty pound of marchatable pork and two barrels of Cyder, and a sufficiency of firewood Cut fit for the fire, an one Cow kept for her use, summers & winters, also three pounds money old Tenor. And if my said Wife Die my Widow, my Will is that he my said Executor bestow upon her a Decant Christian Burial. The articles sbove shall duely & yearly be performed towards my sd wife by my Executor During her natural Life if she Die my Widow; but if she shall marry to another man in that case at her marriage my Executor shall be quit from any further payments as abovesaid (only she shall be the sole owner of my Household goods as abovesaid) also at her second marriage she shall quit the Improvement of sd Dwelling house.


"It. I give to my sons Ephraim Hubbard and Samuel Hubbard all my weaving apparrel to be equally Divided between them.


"It. I Give to Ephraim Hubbard my Eldest son the sum of fifty pounds money according to old Tenour.

"It. I Give to Samuel Hubbard my second son the sum of twenty pounds money according to old Tenour.

"It. I Give to my Daughter Mary Gates the sum of thirty pounds money according to old Tenour.


"It. I Give to my Daughter Sarah Jones the sum of thirty pounds money according to old Tenour.

"It. I Give to my Daughter Lydia Davis the sum of forty pounds money according to old Tenour.

"I Give to Silance Darby my youngest Daughter the sum of thirty pounds money according to old Tenour; further my will is that my Executor pay the Respective sums of money to the six children above named or their Leagal Representatives within one full year after my Decase.


"I Give to my Grandaughter Lois Hubbard Eldest Daughter of my son Ephraim Hubbard, if she arrive to the age of eighteen years, the sum of ten pounds according to old Tenour in Bills of publick Credit.


"I Give to my Grandaughter Sarah Hubbard Eldest Daughter of my son Samuel Hubbard, if she arrive to the age of eighteen years the sum of ten pounds according to old Tenour in Bills of Publick Credit. The Leagacies to sd grandchildren to be Payd to them by my Executor when they arrive to the age of eighteen years Respectively.

"The Remainder of my Estate both Real and Personal of what Name or nature soever (besides what is given as abovementioned) I Give and Bequeath to my youngest son Isaac Hubbard forever. Whom I also Constitute make and ordain the only and sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament and I do Hereby utterly Revoke make null and void all other Wills and Testaments by me made at any time. Confirming this as my Last Will and Testament IN Witness Whereof I have affixed my Hand and Seal the Day of the Date above written.

"Signed Sealed Pronounced
Published and Declared
In the Presents of us Witnesses ................................................... Samuel Hubbard
Jonas Heywood
Ephraim Wood Junr
Samuel Heywood"


No inventory, account or distribution was included in the probate packet.

Samuel Hubbard married (1) Sarah Clark (1681-1720) in 1709, who bore him five children - Ephraim, Mary, Samuel, Sarah and Lois Hubbard. He married (2) Prudence Temple (1692-????) in about 1721, who bore him three children, Lydia, Silence and Isaac Hubbard. He doesn't mention daughter Lois in his will, so she may have died young. The other seven children received legacies.

I don't know if Prudence (Temple) Hubbard married after Samuel's death, or if she continued to benefit from the legacies specified in his will until her death. Unfortunately, there was no account provided in the probate packet. Presumably, the legacies were paid and youngest son and executor Isaac Hubbard kept his mother in his home for the rest of her life.

My link to Samuel Hubbard is his daughter, Mary (Gates) Hubbard (1712-1754), who married Amos Gates (1706-1783).

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Novice's question, probably, but what did he mean by "according to old Tenour?"