"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."
The subject today is the 1713 will of Nathaniel Fitz Randolph (1642-1713), of Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey:
The transcription of this will is (transcribed line-by-line]:
Know all men by these presents that I
Nathaniell fitz Randolph of woodbridge in the County of midelsex at
the province of new jersey planter
am att the writing hearof of a sound
perfect disposing Minde and memory Blesed be the lord for the Same
and not Knowing
howl ong I may Continue so do think and
Conclude it Exspedient att this time to settel my outward Estate In
order
thereunto I make this my last will and
Testament in maner and form folowing. That is to say that First
^after^ My
Body be deprived of life it be buried
in a Christian decent maner with such Exspences as to my Executrix
and overseers
hearafter Named Shall see Meet and
Conveniant. And as Concerning my outward Estate as abovesaid my
minde Intent and will is That the Same
Shall be disposed and Imployed after my depts and buriall
Exspences be paid as hearin and
hearafter is Expresed And to avoid all occasions of
Contraversy that may happen to be about
anny former will or wills Made by me by words or
writing I do hearby revocke renounce
make them all null and void and as if they had never been and
do hereby ordaine appoint and ratify
this to be my last will and Testament By which I do give
to my Grandson Isaac fitz Randolph the
ten pounds that is in my son Samuell fitz Randolph
hands and the interest of the money
that was and is part of it due to me from my Sd Son and also the
Interest
of money that was due to me from Joseph
fitz Randolph my son.
Item I give and Bequeath to my
youngest son Benjamin fitz Randolph the
twenty two and one half accers and one half be it
more or less of land that I had for my
Share of the last division in Raway Neck and also my free
hold that Belongs to my land and me out
of the lands yett in Comon in woodbride To have
and to hold the said land and
with the appurtenances thereunto Belonging and the free
hold aforesaid To him the said Benjamin
fitz Randolph his heirs and assigns forever
alwayes provided and My will and Intent
is that in Case my said Son Benjamin should
die before he arives to the age of
twenty one years that then said land and freehold Shall be sold
and the price of it to be divided
Between the survivors of my sons and my Grandson the sd
Isaac fitz Randolph Share and Share
like Equaly also I give to my said son Benjamin
thirty pounds out of my moveable Estate
top be putt out to Interest within fourteen months after
my Decease by my Executrix and trustees
hearafter Named until my Son comes to twenty one
years of age provided alwayes and it is
my will that in case my Son Benjamin dies afore he comes
of the age of twenty one aforesaid that
then the sd thirty pounds with the Interest shall be Equaly divided
between the Survivors of my wife and
sons aforesaid and grandson Isaac fitz Randolph.
Item I give and Bequeth the Sheep that
is att John Pikes to Be Equaly divided between my said Son Benjamin
and my Son In law Joseph Hampton and
Thomas Nessmith Share and Share alike.
Item I give Bequeath and Devise ^to^ my
welbeloved wife all things of ro???? Kinde quauntity quality or
Value whatsoever which belongs or
appertaines to my personall or moveable Estate for her to have and
to hold to her and her heirs and
assigns forever for her owen Confortable maintainence and mai-
tenance and Scoolling washing &
Clothing of my Said son Benjamin fitz Randolph dureing his
minority.
Lastly I do ordaine apoint and
Constitute my said wife to be my whole and Sole Executrix
of this my last will and Testament and
to the End shee may fuly duly & justly perform the Same I do make
ordain & constitute my well
Esteemed friends John Laing and John Kinsey and my Son Samuel fitz
Randolph to be overseers of to see and
by Councell help Execute this my last will and Testament accord-
ing to the true Intent and meanin
hearof. In wittness whereof I have Signed Sealed published
and Declared this to be my last will
and Testament this fift Day of the third month Commonly
Called may Anno Domini 1713.
witness present
John Laing his
Wiliam Laing Nathaniell N fitz Randolph {seal}
Edward fitz Randolph mark
John Kinsey
The source citation for this document is:
New Jersey, Wills and Probate Records, 1656-1999, indexed database with digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com :, accessed 7 September 2015, no longer available), Middlesex County, page 28 (stamped) (image 253), Nathaniel Fitz Randolph will, 1713.
Nathaniel Fitz Randolph (1642-1713) and his first wife, Mary Holway (1641-1703) had seven children:
* John Fitz Randolph (1663-1727), married Martha Adams (1658-1702).
* Isaac Fitz Randolph (1664-1694), married (1) Martha Bingley (1664-1691) and (2) Ruth Higgins (1672-1709).
* Nathaniel Fitz Randolph (1666-1703), who married Grace Hull (1672-1752).
* Samuel Fitz Randolph (1668-1754), who married Mary Jones (1672-1760).
* Joseph Fitz Randolph (1672-1718), who married Isabel Laing (1675-1755).
* Edward Fitz Randolph (1674-1760), who married Katherine Hartshorne (1682-1759)
* Martha Fitz Randolph (1674-????).
Nathnaiel Fitz Randolph and his second wife, Jane (Curtis) (Ogborne) (Hampton) Fitz Randolph (1661-1731) had one son:
* Benjamin Fitz Randolph (1708-1731).
In his will, Nathaniel Fitz Randolph expressly names his sons Samuel, Joseph and Benjamin and no other child. He also names his grandson, Isaac Fitz Randolph, who is probably the son of Nathaniel's son, Isaac Fitz Randolph. He doesn't list his wife's name, but it is probably Jane, his second wife. Son Edward is one of the witnesses. What happened to the portions for his other sons, John, Nathaniel and Edward, or their heirs? Perhaps he provided for them, through land transfers, before his death. Usually, the heirs who do not inherit from a father are at least mentioned in the will with a nominal amount of money.
This was the only document for Nathaniel Fitz Randolph in this will book; there was no letter testamentary, inventory, account or distribution. Nathaniel died on 21 November 1713, about six months after writing the will.
Nathaniel and Mary (Holway) Fitz Randolph are my 8th great-grandparents. I descend through son Samuel Fitz Randolph (1668-1754) and his wife Mary Jones.
The URL for this post is: http://www.geneamusings.com/2016/01/amanuensis-monday-post-303-1713-will-of.html
Copyright (c) 2016, Randall J. Seaver
Copyright (c) 2016, Randall J. Seaver
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