Monday, August 31, 2015

Amanuensis Monday - Post #283: 1785 Will of John Underhill (1721-1793) of Chester, N.H.

Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent  TransylvanianDutch blog) started a Monday blog theme years ago called "Amanuensis Monday."  John offers this definition for "amanuensis:" 

"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

The subject today is the 1785 Will of John Underhill (1721-1793) of Chester, rockingham County, New Hampshire:



The transcription of the will document is:

[image 26 of 1041]

In the Name of God Amen ---

I John Underhill of Chester in the County
of Rockingham & State of N Hampshire Gent.
Being though not of sound Body yet of a Sound dis-
posing mind & memory Thanks be given to God
for the same; this fifteenth day of Sept'r 1785
calling to mind the frailty & mortality of my Body
and knowing that it is appointed for all Men once
to die Do make this my last Will & Testament.
And principly & first of all I recommend my Soul
into the hands of God who gave it, and my Body
to Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of
my Executors hereafter named, and as to that world-
ly Goods which God hath graciously given me I
give, demise & bequeath in the following manner ---

Imprimis – I give and bequeath to my Daughter
Betty Buswell Six pounds lawful money within
twelve months after my decease to be paid by
my Executors hereafter named; and this ^with^ what
I have before given her I account a Sufficient
portion out of my Estate –

Item – I give and bequeath to my Daughter Molly
Pearce three pounds lawful money within twelve
months after my decease to be paid by Executors
hereafter named and this with what I have before
given her I account Sufficient portion out of
my Estate –

Item – I give & bequeath to my Daughter Sarah Under-
hill Six pounds lawful money within twelve
months after my Decease to be also as much
houshold furniture as I have given to her Sister
to be paid by Executors hereafter named & this I
account a Sufficient portion out of my Estate.

Item – I give & bequeath to my Daughter Joanna Underhill
Presson Six pounds lawful money in twelve months
after my decease to be paid my my Executors
hereafter named and this with what I have given
her I account a Sufficient portion of my
Estate –

[image 27 of 1041, left hand page]

Item – I give & bequeath to my Son Moses Underhill
being part one Acre and an half of Land, being part
of that Land that I & my Son Samuel own together
adjoining David Richardson's Land; and this with
what I have given him I account a Sufficient
portion out of my Estate –

Item – I give and bequeath to my Sons John Underhill
& Jeremiah Underhill all my wearing Cloaths;
and this with what I have given them I account a
Sufficient portion out of my Estate –

Item – I give to my Grandson Stephen Underhill
one quarter part of a hundred Acre lot known by
the Name of the Wells Lot which I & my Son
John Underhill bought of Samuel Wells, also
all the out Land that I shall die possessed of
except what shall be herein disposed of to him
his Heirs & Assigns and this I account a Sufficient
portion out of my Estate –

Item – I give and bequeath to my Son David Underhill
his Heirs and Assigns part of my homestead lying
on the north side of the Concord road, beginning at
the Southeasterly Corner near my dwelling house
thence westerly on sd highway 36 Rods to a Stake
& Stones thence northerly 180 Rods to David rich-
ardson's Land to Candia Road twenty five
Rods, thence on sd Road to the first Bound including
what I have already given him a Deed of; also all
the Land I own on the Southerly Side of sd Concord
Road except what shall be herein disposed of to my
Son Samuel Underhill together with the Buildings
on the Same; he paying & performing as I shall
herein order ---

Item – I give and bequeath to my Son Samuel
Underhill his Heirs and Assigns part of my
homestead lying in the Southerly Side of concord
Road, beginning at the S.Westerly Corner a Stake
& Stones thence northerly on the widow Presson's

[image 27 of 1041, right hand page]

Lansd so called to sd Concord Road thence easterly on sd
Road 70 ^Rods^ to a Stake & Stones, thence Southerly to Land
of Isaac Blasdel about 160 Rods to a Stake & Stones
thence by sd Blasdels Land 50 Rods to the first Bound.
Also all the Land I own on the northerly Side of
sd Concord Road which I have not herein disposed of
to my Son David Underhill including what I have
already given him a Deed of, with all the Building
thereon, He paying and performing as I shall
herein Order –

And I do appoint my two Sons /Viz/ David
Underhill & Samuel Underhill to be my Executors
to this my last Will & Testament, they to receive
and pay all just Debts due to & from my Estate
& the Legacies which I have here given & ordered to
be paid, with funeral Charges. Renouncing all
other and former Wills Bequests & Executors by
me named whatsoever. In Witness to all above
written and herein contained I do hereto Set my
hand and affix my Seal this 15th day of Sept'r
1785 first above mentioned.

Signed Sealed published pronounced
& declared by the sd John Underhill
to be his last Will & Testament in
presence of us
Tho's Sargeant                                   John Underhill
John Manning
Josiah Flagg                                     Rockingham Ss Aug't 21'st 1793
                                                         This will was proved on Common
                                                         form by the oath of Tho's Sargent &
                                                        Josiah Flagg Esqr & Allowed by
                                                        Sam'l Tenney Ju. Prob.

The source citation for this document is:

"New Hampshire, County Probate Estate Files, 1769-1936," digital images, FamilySearch (https://FamilySearch.org : accessed 25 August 2015), Rockingham County > Case Files 5921-6015, 1793-1794 > Case File 5922, will of John Underhill of Chester, N.H., 1793 (images 26-27 of 1041); Original records in County courthouses, offices of register of probate, and historical societies, New Hampshire.

In this will, John Underhill does not name his spouse, Joanna (Healey) Underhill (1718-1809), but does name nine of his ten children and one grandchild.  Five daughters are listed by name - Betty Buswell (who married Samuel Buswell in 1764), Molly Pearce (who married James Pierce in 1765), Sarah Underhill (who married Moses Greenough in 1789), and Joanna Presson (who married Moses Preston in 1784).  He also named five sons - John, Moses, David, Samuel and Jeremiah Underhill.

I am descended from sixth great-grandparents John and Joanna (Healey) Underhill through their son John Underhill (1745-1816) and his wife, Hannah Colby.

The URL for this post is:   http://www.geneamusings.com/2015/08/amanuensis-monday-283-1785-will-of-john.html

Copyright (c) 2015, Randall J. Seaver


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