Monday, March 18, 2013

Amanuensis Monday - Probate Records of Abraham Tucker (1653-1725) of Dartmouth, Mass.

Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started his own Monday blog theme several years 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 records for Abraham Tucker (1653-1725) of Dartmouth, Bristol County, Massachusetts.  Abraham married (1) Mary Slocum (1660-1689), and they had six children:  Henry Tucker (1680-1722); Abraham Tucker (1682-????); Mary Tucker (1684-1769); Martha Tucker (1686-????) Patience Tucker (1686-????); Abigail Tucker (1688-1730).  After Mary died, Abraham married (2) Hannah Mott
(1663-1730), and they had seven children:  Elizabeth Tucker (1691-1768); Sarah Tucker (1693-1727); Content Tucker (1695-1738); Abraham Tucker (1697-1776); Joanna Tucker (1699-1772); Ruth Tucker (1701-????); Hannah Tucker (1704-????).

Abraham Tucker of Dartmouth died testate, having written a will dated 20 November 1724.  It reads (transcribed by Randy Seaver from the probate court clerk's record copy in Bristol County (Massachusetts) Probate Records, Volume 5, Pages 79-81, on FHC Microfilm 0,461,883):


"The Last Will & Testament of Abraham Tucker of Dartmouth in the County of Bristoll in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Yeoman is as followeth:  To all People whome these Presents May Concern.  Know ye that I the said Abraham Tucker through the mercy of God:  being Perfect in mind & of a Sound memory: for the Preventing future Trouble Do make this my Last Will and Testament as followeth.

"First I will that all those Debts & Duties as I Do owe in Right To any manner of Person or Persons whatsoever shall be well & truly Contented & Paid in Convenient Time after my decease by my Executor hereafter Named.

"Item I give & bequeath to Hannah my well beloved Wife my Two Best feather beds with all the furniture thereto belonging with all my plate & Silver money also one third Part of all my within dore househould goodsfor house keeping (Except onely the Remaining Part of my beds and beding, to be disposed of as she Shall See Cause forever. I also give to my wife Dureing the Time that she shall Remain my widdow the whole of my now Dwelling house where I now dwell or live in: & also the Two Best Cows in my stock of Cattel: & also the fruit of five Apple Trees shuch as she shall make Choice of Yearly in my orchard: also do dive and bequeath unto her my sd. wife Sixteen Pounds money or bills of Credit yearly to be Paid unto her by my Executor hereafter Named so long as she shall Remain my widdow as aforsaid and no Longer: And also my said Executor shall Provide her with fire wood Cut fit for the fire always Ready at the Dore: and shall Keep her Two Cows & one horse hind(?)  Winter Summer fit for use & Service; and to let her my said wife have one Barrill of Syder Every Year all which I give unto said wife Dureing her widdowhood as aforsaid and no Longer: I also Give & Bequeath unto said wife Hannah one horse Hind(?) such as she shall make Choice of out of my stock of horse hind(?): & be disposed of as she shall see Cause with Saddle & Bridle therewith: all which I give unto my said Wife Hannah In Luo of her Thirds or Dower and my will is that when my Wife shall marry or Decease & then what is herein given to her dureing her widdowhood Shall belong to my Executor hereafter Named and to his heires & assignes forever.

"Item  I give and bequeath unto my Eldest son Henery Tucker all my Land lying on the Island called Elsabeth alias Pashechanaset & the Island Called Painochiset to be by him his heires & assignes possesed & Injoyed forever: I also Give & bequeath unto my Said son Henery Tucker all my lands whether in meaddow or uplands lying within the township of Dartmouth aforsdaid: Excepting what I have hereafter in these Presents give to my son Abraham Tucker, to Him my said son Henery his heires & assignes forever:  I also give & Bequeath unto my said son Henery all my Stock of Cattel Sheep & horse Hind(?) of what Kind soever that shall be on said Island called Pashecheneset  & Peanochicset att my Decease Together with my Part of the Roat yt we use to Transport to and from said Island for and in the Consideration of the above bequests to my said Son Henery Tucker he shall pay out such Legacies as I Make hereafter in these Presents order him to Pay.

"Item  I give unto my Daughter Mary Russell the Sum of Twenty Pounds in money or bills of Credit to be paid to her or her heires in case of her Decease before the Times of payment within one year after my decease by my said son Henery Tucker together with what or besides what I have already given her.

"Item  I give to my Daughter Patience Woolley the Sum of Twenty Pounds in money or bills of Credit to be paid to her or her heires aforsaid within one year after my decease by my said son Henery Tucker together with what or besides what I have already given her.

"Item  I give unto my Daughter Abigail Chase the Sum of Five Pounds in money or bills of Credit to be paid to her or her heires aforsaid within one year after my decease by my said son Henery Tucker together with what or besides what I have already given her: & I also give to my Daughter Abigail Chase the sum of forty Pounds in money which is due to me from her Husband, Joseph Chase by a bond abligatory Bareing Date ye thirteenth day of Janury 1712/13 and in the Twelfe year of the Reigne of Queen Ann with said bond & whatsoever may be due to me by virtue thereof or thereon.

"Item  I give to my Grandson Abraham Thomas son to my Daughter Martha Thomas deceased Late wife of George Thomas of Portmouth in the Colony of Rhode Island the sum of fourty Pounds of bills of Credit to be paid to him when he shall come to the age of Twenty one years or att his marrage day which shall happen first by my said son Henery Tucker.

"Item  I give to my Granddaughter Mary Thomas Daughter to my said Daughter Martha deceased: the sum of ten Pounds in money or bills of Credit to be paid her by my said son Henery Tucker when she shall come to the age of Eighteen years or either Marrage Day which shall first happen: And further my will yt if Either of my sd Grandchildren shall dye before the Legacies herein to him or her given is become due according to the severall days of payment that then the whole herein given both shall be paid to the survivor in manner as is herein to such as given all: Which I do order my said son Henery Tucker to pay ye abovesaid Legacies given to my Daughter & Grand Children mentioned to be paid by.

"Item  I give to my three daughters namely Joanah Tucker Ruth Tucker & Hannah Tucker Each of them the sum of Sixty Pounds in money or bills of Credit to be paid to Each of them Respectively as they come to the age of Eaighteen years or att theire & Each of them marrage Days: which shall first happen by my Executor hereafter Named: & it is my will that if any of Either of my three daughters Last mentioned shall dye before before she or they come to the age as aforsaid, that then her or their Legacee or Legacies shall be paid in Equall Proportion thereof to the survivors of my Seven Daughters namely Mary Russell, Elizabeth Barker, Sarah Wing, Content Wing Joanah Tucker Ruth Tucker and Hannah Tucker or Their Legal Representatives in case any of them be dead.

"Item  I give & Bequeath unto my youngest Son Abraham Tucker Whome I also Constitute make and ordaine my onely & sole Executor of this my Last Will & Testament, all my homestead farme or Lands with all trhe housing & buildings fences Apurtenances thereon or thereto Belonging to him my said son Abraham Tucker his heires & assignes forever always Excepting what is above Reserved to my wife dureing her widdowhood & no more or Longer.  The said homestead is Bouned as followeth: Northwardly by ye Land of my said Son Henery Tucker: Eastwardly by the Highway that goes from Poneganset harbour along by Josiah Sherman Lands or homestead & Now Deceased: & so along by John Howlands now dwelling house, & so up to the Cuntry Rhoad: Southerly by Lands belonging to John Russell & Partly by the Landss of James Barker, & Westwardly by the highway yt goes from John Tuckers to friends meeting house in Poneganset:  I also give & bequeath unto my said son Abraham Tucker & to his heires & assignes forever all that my Tract of upland & meadows lying on the Westerly side of Clarks Cove so called in Dartmouth aforesaid & is bouned NorWestwardly by the highway partly & partly by Undivided lands, Westwardly by the lands of John Russel Southerly by land of Peleg Slocum & Easterly by the Bay of Salheater: I also give to my said son Abraham Tucker and to his heires & assignes forever all my Right in Ceder Swamps within the township of Dartmouth aforsaid whether divided or undivided together with all my Rights in the undivided land in said Town: it is all my Right yt shall be Remaining after the Eaight hundred & four hundred ... division in said town compleated:  I also give unto my said Son Abraham Tucker & to his heires & assignes forever Two Oxen which he shall make Choice of four Cows such as he shall Chose after his Mother my said wife haith made her Choice as above Together with all my utensils for husbandlry without dores as Cartes Plows with Iron thereto Chaines Yokes & all other for husbandry: and also all my Carpenters Tools & also the Choice of two guns: & further my will is yt after all my Debts & above mentioned Legacies Paid & Satisfied then what shall shall be Remaining of my Personall Estate both Stock & household goods & Paper money of any theire may be at my decease not herein above disposed of shall be Equally divided amonst my Seven Daughters yt is Mary Russel Elezebeth Barker Sarah Wing Constant Wing Joannah Tucker Ruth Tucker & Hannah Tucker or theire Legall Representatives in case any of them be dead: I do Request Constitute & Appointe my Trusted & well beloved friends & Brethren John Tucker & Jacob Mott to be my overseers to Advice my Executor in the Execution of the Trust herein Reposed in him: and I do hereby make null & void all former wills & Ratifie this and no other to be my Last will & Testament in wittness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the Twentieth day of ye Ninth month Called November in ye year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred Twenty foure.

"Signed, Sealed pronounced & Declared by the said Abraham Tucker
Abraham Tucker to be his last will & testament
Richerd Bourden
John Tucker
John Howland
Elezebeth Smith

"Bristoll April ye 20th 1724: then before the Hon. Nath-ll Blaglove (?) Esq-r Judge of the Probaite of Wills within the County of Bristoll Came John Tucker & John Howland & Elezebeth Smith Wittnesses to the Last will & Testament of Abraham Tucker Late of Dartmouth decesed & made oath yt they were Present & did see & hear ye said deceased Signe seal Publish & Declare ye same to be his last will & testament & yt he was of a Disposing mind when he so did and yt at the same time they saw Richerd Bourden signe as a wittness with them & yt they all signed in the presence of the Testator.  Bristoll May ye 7th 1724 Burat Coram. Stephen Paine Register."

On 20 April 1725, Abraham Tucker of Dartmouth, sole Executor of the last will and testament of his Father, Abraham Tucker of Dartmouth, deceased, dated 20 November 1724, was ordered to execute the will, administer the estate, make a true and perfect inventory before 20 July 1725 and to render a plain and true account of his administration of the estate by 20 April 1726 by the Judge of Probate at Bristol (Bristol County (Massachusetts) Probate Records, Volume 5, Page 64, on FHL Microfilm 0,461,883).

No inventory or account is included in the Bristol County Probate records available on microfilm at the Family History Library.

In this will, Abraham names two sons (Henry and Abraham) and ten daughters (Mary, Patience, Abigail, Martha (deceased), Sarah, Content, Elizabeth, Joanah, Ruth and Hannah).  My ancestry is through daughter Content Tucker, who married Benjamin Wing in 1722.  The three daughters from the second marriage not bequeathed something substantial in the will may have received something when they married.

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/03/amanuensis-monday-probate-records-of.html

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

1 comment:

Mariann Regan said...

When I read a will, I look for glimpses into the lives of the family. Here I see "the fruit of five apple trees" and "my two best cows." And the feather beds and the silver.

One of my SC ancestors in the 1800s apportions his 50+ slaves among his 8 children. That sets the imagination going, too.