Monday, January 22, 2018

Amanuensis Monday - 1722 Probate Papers of Stephen Atwood (1653-1722) of Eastham, Mass.

This week's document for Amanuensis Monday is the 1722 Probate Papers for the estate of Stephen Atwood (1653-1722) of Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts:

a)  Volume 4, pages 66-67:



b)  Volume 4, pages 68-69:

The will of Stephen Atwood starts on page 67, the middle of the page.

The transcription of these probate papers is:

[page 67, halfway down the page]

In the Name of God Amen.  The Twentyeth Day of May
In the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and fifteen
I Stephen Atwood of Eastham in the County of Barnstable In his
Maj^ties Province of the Massachusetts Bay In New England Husbandman
being weak In body, but of perfect Mind and Memory Thanks be given unto God
therefore, Calling unto mind the Mortality of my body and Knowing that it is
appointed for all men once to dye, Do make ordaine this my Last will & Testa-
ment, that is to say Principally and first of all I give and Recommend my
soul into the hands of God that gave it, And my body I recommend to the Earth
to be Buried In decent and Christian manner at the Discretion of my Executrix
nothing doubting but at the generall Resurrection I shall Recive the Same
again by the allmity power of God.  And as touching Such worley Estate where-
with it hath pleased God to bless me In this Life, I give devise & Dispose
of the same In the following manner and form.

Imp^s. I give and bequeath unto my Loveing wife Apphia Attwood the whole
Improvement of all my houseing Lands Marsh or meadow ground that I am
Possest of In the Town of Eastham Dureing her Naturall Life if she
Remain my widdow until her Death but if she see Cause to Marry a
again she shall have the bed whereon we now Lodge with therefore

[page 68]

Curtains and what Ever ^of^ Right belongeth to said bed; whence I Like wise
Constitute make & ordaine my soul Executrix of this my Last will & Testament.

Item. I Give unto my well beloved Son Stephen Atwood a duble portion of all
the Moveable Estate of mine that shall remain after my wifes death or
marriage and to the remaining part of said Moveables Estate to be Equally
Devided amongst my Sons and Daughters to say Mariel Atwood Joseph At-
wood ^&^ to my daughters Hannah Atwood and Apphia Atwood.

Item. to my well beloved Sons Eleazer Atwood and Joshua Atwood I have alredy
given unto them their parts of my Estate In the piece that I sett upon the
farm they bought of one said farm being at a place Commonly called bound brook.

Item.  I Give to my well beloved son Thomas Atwood all and singular my Lands
Messuage and Tenements with all the Rights Tittles profits thereunto belong-
ing or any wise of Right Appertaining by him and his heirs and Assignes
freely and peacably to be posesed and injoyed for Ever, after the death of my
Loveing wife as above said or if she see cause to Marry.

And I do hereby Utterly Disalow revoake and Disannull all & Every other former
Testaments wills legacies and bequests and Executrix In any way by me before
named willed and bequeathed, Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to
be my Last will and Testament.  In Witness whereof I have hereunto Sett my
hand and Seal the day and year above written.

Signed Sealed published pronounced and                            mark        
Declared by the said Stephen Atwood as his            Stephen A Attwood    {seal}
Last will and Testament In the presence of Us                       his
the Subscribers.
      Isaac Pepper
      Samuel Doane
      Martha Doane                          Then Isaac Pepper Samuel Doane and Martha Doane
made Oath that they saw Stephen Atwood Late of Eastham now Deceased
Sign Seal and heard him Declear the above written to be his Last will and
Testament and that he was of sound mind and Dispossing memory when
so did In their best apprehentions.
                                                                 Sworn before John Otis Judge of Probates

John Otis Esq^r Commissionated by the Govorneur & Council of the Province
of the Massachusetts Bay In New England to be Judge of the probates of wills
and for granting Letters of Administration on the Estates of p-sons Deceased, have-
ing goods, Chattels, rights or Credits In the County of Barnstable within the province
aforesaid.

To all to whome these presents Shall Come Greeting.

Know ye that upon the day of the Date hereof before me at Barnstable In
the County aforesd The will of Stephen Atwood late of Eastham In y^e County of
Barnstable now deceased, to these presents annexed, was proved, approved, and allowed,
who having while he Lived and at the time of his Death goods Chattles Rights or
Credits in the County beforesd; and the probate of sd will, and power of Committing
administration of all and singular the goods Chattles Rights and Credits of the sd deceased
by vertue thereof Appertaining unto me.  The Administration of all and Singular therefore
goods Chattles Rights of the said Deceased and Executrix In the Same will named, well &
faithfully to Execute the sd will and to administer the Estate of the sd Deceased according
there unto.  And to make a True & perfect Inventory of all and Singular y^e goods
Chattles Rights & Credits of the sd Deceased and to Exhibit the Same Into the Registry of
the Court of Probate for the County aforesd at or before the Tenth day of August Next Ensuing
and also to render a plain & True Acct of y^e said Administration upon Oath when Called
thereto.  In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the Seal of y^e sd Court
of Probate Dated at Barnstable the 12th day of July
Annoque Domini 1722                                                                          John Otis

[page 69]

An Inventory of the Estate of the Late Deceased Stephen
Atwood of Eastham taken by us the Subscribers on the 12th Day
of July under Oath 1722.


To Lands and houseing £200 – 00 – 00
To one ox         05 – 00 – 00
To 2 Cowes and half     08 – 15 – 00
To a small Cattle     01 – 15 – 00
To Linnens     04 – 07 – 03
To one bed and bolster         05 – 00 – 00
To one more bed and bolster     03 – 10 - 00
To Curtains       01 – 08 – 00
To Coverleds     02 – 08 – 00
To 3 old coverleds     00 – 03 – 00
To Two woolen Blankets     01 – 05 – 00
To Two Old Coats     00 – 05 – 00
To Two Old Bedsteads      00 – 16 – 00
To Two Chists and One box     00 – 10 – 00
To one Caine     00 – 10 – 00
To potts Anirons and Other Iron ware     03 – 03 – 06
To Carts Chains and Other Irons        01 – 15 – 08
To wooden ware     00 – 15 – 00
To putter and Earthen     01 – 06 – 00
To Brass       00 – 15 – 00
To an Ironing box and Other Small things     00 – 06 – 00
To a weavers Loome     01 – 10 – 00
To Swine         00 – 12 – 06
To half a hay boat     00 – 17 – 06
To Two Iron weges     00 – 06 - 00

£246 – 18 – 11

July 12th 1722                                                                  Edward Knowles
Then Apphia Atwood Executrix to y^e                           Samuel Doane
Last Will & Testament of her Late husband                    David Donae
Stephen Atwood made Oath to the Truth of y^e above Written Inventory so far as
Shee know and that if any thing further of the Estate of the sd deceased shall
Come to her Knowledge that is Matteriall she will allso bring it to this In-
ventory.

                                                                 Sworn before Jno Otis Judge of Probate

The source citation for this record is:

Massachusetts, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991, indexed database with digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com), Barnstable County, "Probate Records, Vol 4-5, 1721-1741, Volume 4, pages 67-69 (images 39-40 of 660), Stephen Atwood, 1722, Will, Letters Testamentary and Inventory.

Stephen Atwood (1653-1722) married Apphia Bangs (1651-????) in 1677 in Eastham, Massachusetts, and they had eight children between 1678 and 1696.

The will of Stephen Atwood, written in 1715 and proved in 1722, names all eight of the children.  His widow was bequeathed all the improvement and use of the real estate and personal estate until her death, but if she married again she would receive only a bed and curtains and other bed things.  Apphia was also named executrix of the estate.  The personal estate was to be divided amongst all the children after his wife died or married, with eldest son Stephen Atwood receiving a double portion.  The youngest son, Thomas Atwood, was to receive the real estate. The estate Inventory totaled £247, with £200 of that the housing and real estate.

Stephen and Apphia (Bangs) Atwood are my 7th great-grandparents, through their daughter Hannah Atwood (1686-1771) who married Samuel Horton (1686-1778) in 1714.

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NOTE:  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 URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2018/01/amanuensis-monday-1722-probate-papers.html

Copyright (c) 2018, Randall J. Seaver

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