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 John Warren (1585-1667) of Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. John Warren married Margaret --?-- (1587-1662) before 1615 in England, and they had seven children (all born in Nayland, Suffolk, England): Mary Warren (1615-1622); Elizabeth Warren (1618-1622); Sarah Warren (1620-1621); John Warren (1622-1703); Mary Warren (1624-1691); Daniel Warren (1627-1707); Elizabeth Warren (1629-1691).
The will and inventory of John Warren are in the Middlesex County [Mass.] Probate Records, Probate Packet 23,862 (on FHL Microfilm 0,432,072). They are also transcribed in the book Middlesex County Records of Probate and Administration, March 1660/61 - December 1670, edited by Richard H. Rodgers, published by The New England Historic Genealogical Register, Boston, 2001. The will, written 30 November 1667 and proved on 17 December 1667, reads:
"The last will and testament of John Warren Senr. In the name of god Amen. I John Warren of Watertowne in the county of Midlesex within the jurisdiction of the Massachusets in New England, being aged & weake in body but of good memory blessed & praised be god doe make & ordaine this my last will and Testament in maner & forme following vizt. first I commend my soule & spirit into the hands of god that gave it hoping throu the merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour to have eternall life and my body to the ground whereof itt was made and to be dccently buried at the discretion of my executor hearafter mentioned.
"Impr I give & bequeath to my son Daniell Warren the pcell of land that he now lives on being about the quantity of 16 acers with all the apurtenances of itt: nextly I give & bequeath to my son John Warren & my son Daniell Warren my devident and all my remote meadow with another pcell of remote land cald by the name of farme land lying & being in Watertowne unto these my two sons equally betweene them.
"Further I give & bequeath to my son Daniell Warren my best flocke bed with my greene ruge that lyeth upon my bed and two of my 4 pewter platters that are of a sise and to my daughter in law Mary Warren wife to my son Daniel one pewter porenger. Further I give & bequeath to my daughter Mary Begalow a pcell of remote land being the quantity of 16 acers & known by the name of the leiw of towneship land lying in Watertowne & is already in her possession further I give to my daughter Mary Begalow 1 smale pewter dish wch is marked in the bottome.
"Further I give & bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Knape 13 acers plow land lying on the further plaine in Watertown which her husband James Knape hath formerly been posesst of; and further I give to my aforesaid daughter Elizabeth Knape one iron pott wch she hath already in her posession & further I give to my aforesaid daughter Elizabeth A booke cald 'the plaine mans pathway to heaven'. Further I give & bequeath to my grand child Daniell Warren son to my son Daniell Warren one of my Cowes. Further I bequeath to my grandchild Mary Begulow a lined box that was my wifes.
"Further I give & bequeath to Michall Bloyse daughter to Richard Bloyse deceased one pewter plate. Further I give & bequeath to all and every of my grandchildren to each of them the sume of 2 shillings six pence. and all the rest of my estate houses lands goods catle chattels debts or whatsoever is mine not hearin before bequeathed I doe wholly fully and freely give and bequeath to my beloved son John Warren making and ordaining him my whole and sole executor of this my last will and testament willing & requiring him to pforme all and every the aforesaid pmises respectively attending to the true intent & meaning hearof for confirmation whereof I have hereunto anexed my hand & seale, this 30th day of November in the yeare 1667.
my [mark] mark
John Warren
"Wittnes Joseph Tayntor
and John Randall
"The inventory of the goodes and cattells of John Warren Senior late decessed of Watertown the 13 day of December 1667" was taken by John Coollidge, Henrie Bright and Henry Freeman. The inventory was untotalled, but included 123 pounds in real estate, including:
* one tenement of housing and ten acres of upland and three acres of meadow (60 pounds)
* sixteen acres of waste land (8 pounds)
* sixty acres of divident land (15 pounds)
* thirteen acres of meadow (10 pounds)
* farm land one hundred and fifty acres (30 pounds)"
John Warren bequeaths land to all four of his living children, plus personal estate to Daniel, Mary (Warren) Bigelow and Elizabeth (Warren) Knapp.
I was curious about the mention of Michall Bloyse, daughter of Richard Bloyse. Why did she receive a bequest? It turns out that Michall Bloyse was the daughter of Richard and Micael (Jennison) Bloyse of Watertown. Her mother, Micael (Jennison) Bloyse, married (2) John Warren (1622-1703) on 11 July 1667 in Watertown; therefore, the daughter Michall Bloyse was the step-granddaughter of John Warren (1585-1667).
NOTE: I found, copied and transcribed this will from the Middlesex County Probate Records prior to the transcription published in the Rodgers book.
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Copyright (c) 2012, Randall J. Seaver
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