Monday, March 25, 2013

Amanuensis Monday - Probate Records of John Pray (1653-1733) of Smithfield, R.I.

Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started a 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 Pray (1653-1733) of Smithfield, Rhode Island
.  John Pray married Sarah Brown (1662-after 1734) and they had eight children: John Pray (1679-1751); Sarah Pray (1681-1728); Richard Pray (1693-1755); Mary Pray (1685-1765); Hugh Pray (1687-1761); Penelope Pray (1688-1752); Katherine Pray (1689-1728); Martha Pray (1693-1784).

John Pray, husbandman of Providence, being aged, died testate, wrote his will dated 29 April 1726, which was proved 5 February 1733/4.  The will reads (probate court clerk's record copy transcribed by Randy Seaver from Smithfield (RI) Probate Records, 1733-1917, Volume 1 (1733-1754), pages 1-5, on FHL Microfilm 0.959,528):

"In the name of God amen, the twenty ninth day of aprilil annoque Domini one thousand Seven Hundred and twenty six I John Pray husbandman of the town of providence in the Colony of Rhod Island and providence platation In New England being an aged man and Growing weakly, but of a perfect mind and Memory thanks be Given unto God, therfore Calling unto mind the Mo.... of my Body and Knowing it is appointed for all men once to Dye do make and ordain this my Last will and Testament, that is to say principally, and first of all I Recommand my soul unto the hands of god, that it and my Body I Recommand to the Earth to be ???? In Decent Christian Buriel att the Decreshion of my Executors and as touching such worldly Estate where it Hath pleased God to Bless me with in this Life I give Demise and Dispose of the same in the following Mannar and form.

"Imprimus - I give and bequeath to sarah My Dearly beloved Beloved wife the one half of my home stad Farm all my Cattle Dwelling house and House hold goods During her Lifetime to be ???? and Clearly Enjoynedly her During the term of her ???? provided she Remain my widow but In Case she marries again than my son Richard his heirs or assigns shall ??? furtherworth Enter unto the possession of said half of my home sted all my Cattle household Goods and ???

"Item  I give and Bequeath to my beloved son John his heirs Executors admrs or assigns the sum of five Shillings Currant Money, of New England to be Raised and Reived of my Estate.

"Item  I give and Bequeath to my Beloved son Hugh his heirs Executors adms assigns the sum of five shillings Currant Money of New England to be Raised and Reived out of my Estate.

"Item I give I give and bequeath to my beloved son Richard his heirs Execrs and assigns for Ever In the following Mannar, viz. all my homested farm with  with all the Lands any ways belonging to me Joyning to said home stead and all my Cattle Dwelling house, and orchards that is to say the half of my home stead farm att my Descease whereon I now Live situate Lying and being In the Town of providence aforsd In the Notherin part of said township and the other half of homstead with all my Cattle Dwelling house and orchards att the Desease of my wife and In Case she Marries then he is to Enter In Possesion of the said home stead and particulars above bequeathed to my sd wife as his and their proper Estate of Inheritance In fee simple.

"Item to my well belovd Daughter Mary Brown I gave and bequeath the sum of five shillings Curant Money of New England to be Raised and Reired out of My Estate.

"Item I give and bequeath to my belovd Daugr Cathrin Comstock the sum of five shilling Currant Money of New England to be Raised and Raired out of my Estate

"Item I give and bequeath to my belovd Daughter Sarah Brown five shillings Currant Money New England to be Raised and Raired out of my Estate.

"Item I give and bequeath to my belovd Daught Penalopy Alderich the sum of five shilling Currant Money of New England to be Raised and Raired out of my Estate.

"Item I give and bequeath to my belovd Daughter Martha Willkinson the sum of five shillings Currant Money New England to be Rased and Leved out of my Estate.

"Item I Constitue appoint and ordain my sd son Richd sole Executor of this my Last will and Testament and I do, utterly Dissalow Revoke and Disannul all and Every other formar testaments wills Legaces and bequeaths and Executors by me in any wise before named wills ???? bequeathed Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my Last will and Testament In wittness and Confirmation whereof I the sd John pray have hereunto sett my hand and seal the day and Year above written.

"Signed Sealed published                                the mark of John X Pray
Pronounced and Declared by
the said John Pray as his Last
will and Testament In the prsnce
of the subscribers
William Hopkins Carpr
Jeremiah Hopkins
Robert Douglass"

"At a town Council in Smithfield febaruary the 1 1733/4 John Prays will being laid before the Council and this Council having advised with Sarah Pray widow and Relick to John Pray and she desiring to have said will proved. Wherefore it is voted that the said John Prays will be accepted to be a perfect will and Testament and ordered to be Received.

"Recorded March the 22 A.D. 1733/4 by me Daniel Jenkes Town Clerk."

"A true Inventory of all and Singular the Goods and Chattels & ???? of John Pray of Smithfield yeoman pres. att Smithfield the 29 Day of octo^r Anno Domini 1733 who Departed this Life octob^r the 9th Anno Domini 1733.

"Imprimus to wearing apparal ................  6  0  0
Item to Books ............................................ 0  6  0
Item to bills of credit ................................  0  6  6
Item to Coppar pennys ............................  0  0  8
Item to the first feather bed furniture
Coard and bed stead ............................... 12  0  0
Item to a wool bed and bed stead ...........  5  0  0
Item to a flock bed and Bed stead ..........  6  0  0
Item to one Iron pot and two Iron
Cattils and frying pan .............................  1 10  0
Item to one old Brass Cattel ..................  2 15  0
Item to puter and old Bell Mettle
skillits and spoons .................................. 1 15  0
Item to trays and knott Bolles .............. 1 15  0
Item to two Razars and one Knife ......... 0  6  0
Item to a warming pan ........................... 0 15  0
Item to Yearn .......................................... 0  8  0
Item to one Draught
(Chain and Claber and pin .......,.,............ 1  0  0
Item to two cows and a Calf ...................11  0  0
Item to fifteen Sheep .............................  7 10  0
Item to Carpentars adges and two old ...  0 10  0
Item to Cart Boxes and whopes ............. 1  0  0
Item two old Tramels ............................ 0 10  0
Item to two small swine .......................... 1  0  0
Item to two old Chisel and gouge ........... 0  3  0
Item to a Drawing Knife and fire tongs ... 0  9  0
Item to a press pine ................................. 0  2  0
...............................................................--------- ---
................................................................... 61  4  0

"Edward Smith
Job Whipple
Daniel Jenkes

"The within Inventory was Laid upon Smithfield Town Council Boid February the 1st 1733/4.  Voted that the said Inventory be and it is here by excepted and alowed to be a perfect Inventory and ordered to be Recorded per order, Daniel Jenkes Council Clerk."

"Recorded march 22 A.D. 1733/4
by me Daniel Jenkes clerk."

"Where as John Pray of Smithfield in the County of Providence and Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England yeoman who departed this Life October the 9th A.D. 1733 who did in and by his last will and Testament Constitute and appoint his son Richard Pray his sole Executor to his said will and also ordered his said son Richard Pray to pay Sundrey Legacies and the said will being Laid before the Town Council of Smithfield which will was by said Town Council approved to be a perfect will and the said Richard Pray was by said council ordered Executor to said will according to the Contents thereof.

"These are therefore to order and full Impower you the said Richard Pray to take into your possession Care and Custody all and Singular the movable Estate Goods and Chattel that belonged to your father the as named John Pray at the time of his death and the debts due to said Estate and on the same full to administer in order to discharge his debts and for the maintenance of your mother and paying Legacies an to ??? and Doe all things Relating the Demises as the Law Impowereth an Executor to doe and Render an account of your Proceedings herein unto the said Town Council or to their Sucessors in said office when Legally Called thereunto.  Given att a Town Council held at Smithfield above said the first day of february A.D. 1733/4 and in the seventh year of his majesties Reign George the Second by the Grace of God King of Grate Brittain.

"(seal)  Signed and sealed by order of the Council and on their behalf per me Danl Jenkes Clerk of the Council.
Recorded per me Daniel Jenkes Clerk of the Council."

The probate record provides the death date of John Pray as 9 October 1733 and the widow, Sarah, is still living as of 1 February 1733/4.  All eight known children of John and Sarah (Brown) Pray are listed in the will - sons John, Hugh and Richard, and daughters Mary Brown, Cathrin Comstock, Sarah Brown, Penelopey Alderich, and Martha Wilkinson.  

Note that the will is dated in 1726 and he calls himself John Pray of Providence.  After the will was written, but before it was proved, the town of Smithfield was formed from Providence, and the will was proved in Smithfield, and was the first will in the first volume of the Smithfield records.  

My ancestry is through the son Richard Pray (1683-1755) who married Rachel --?--.  I transcribed his probate records in Amanuensis Monday - Probate Records of Richard Pray (1683-1755) of Scituate RI (21 February 2011).

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/03/amanuensis-monday-probate-records-of_25.html

Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I knew if I read your blog long enough, I'd find a common ancestor somewhere. Thanks for publishing this will, "cousin"!

Janice in Indiana