"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."
The subject today is the 1686 will of George Martin (1618-1686) of Amesbury, Essex County, Massachusetts:
The transcription of this will is:
In the name of God Amen
I George Martin of the town of Amsbury in the County
of Essex being through Gods goodness of prfect memory
& understanding, doe make this my last will & testa-
ment in mannr as followeth
Imprimis I Commend my Spirit to God whoe gave it, & and my body
to the dust decently to be buried (at the chardges of my Exe-
cutr, whome I shall hereafter name and appoynt) in hopes
of a joyfull resurrection at the last day unto life eternall
2dly I give & bequeath unto my natural Children viz: my
Sonns Richrd Martin, & John Martin, & my Daugh-
ters, Hanna Wathen: Hester Gimson, Jane Hadley
& Abigail Hadlock unto each & every of them five
shillings apiece to be payd in good & merchantable
pay within one twelvemonth next aftr my decease
3dly I give & bequeath unto my Grandchild John Had-
lock five pounds in good & merchantable pay in case
that the sd John live wth me or my wife or my son Will:
untill thatt he come unto the full & compleat age of
twenty one years.
4thly I give & bequeath all the rest of my housing, lands
stock & estate both moveable & Immoveable unto
my wife Susanna during her Widowhood, & after
her marriage, or decease (in case she marry not
againe) unto my youngest son William.
Finally: I Doe appoint, Constitute & ordaine my
Wife Susanna, to be Executrix and my youngest
son Will: Martin to be executr in conjunction
wth her unto this my last Will & testament.
And in confirmation of the promisees I have hereun-
to subscribed my hand & seale Dated the nine-
teenth day of January An: Dom: one thousand Six
hundred eighty & three or foure.
Subscribed, Sealed & delivered his
to be his Last Will & testamt George X Martin
in the presence of us mark
Thomas Wells Mr. Thomas Wells and Mrs. Mary Wells
Mary Wells appeared before the Worshipfull Jno Woodbridge &
& Capt. Richard Dumer and upon oath did testifie
that they did see George Martin Signe & Seall and
declare this to be his last will & testament.
this 23rd Novr 1686 as attest D. Denison CC:
The source citation for this record is:
Essex County, Massachusetts, Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881, Estate Case 17890, image 4 of 5, will of George Martin, 1686; digital images, New England Historic Genealogical Society,American Ancestors (http://www.americanancestors.org: accessed 17 May 2015).
George Martin married twice, first to Hannah LNU (1624-1646), who bore one daughter, Hannah Martin (1643-1730), who married Ezekiel Worthen in 1661. After his first wife died, George Martin married Susanna North (1621-1692) in 1646, who bore him nine children, 6 of whom were living in 1686. Susanna (North) Martin was one of the convicted women named as a Salem witch and executed in nearby Salem.
The will names seven children - Richard, John, Hannah, Hester, Jane, Abigail, and William (the youngest son who was named executor.
I am descended from Hannah Martin (1643-1730) who married Ezekiel Worthen [Wathen]. This will provides direct evidence that Hannah (Martin) Worthen, the wife of Ezekiel Worthen, was the daughter of George Martin. However, it does not name mother. Because Hannah was born in 1643, and George Martin married Susanna North in 1646, the logical conclusion is that Hannah Martin was the daughter of George's first wife.
I have no explanation for the use of the term "my natural children" in this will. Were there other children sired by George Martin out of wedlock? I guess that's a loose end. I wonder if any are named in the Essex County Court records?
The URL for this post is: http://www.geneamusings.com/2015/05/amanuensis-monday-post-268-will-of.html
Copyright (c) 2015, Randall J. Seaver
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