Monday, January 15, 2018

Amanuensis Monday - 1764 Will of Thomas Boyden (1682-1770) of Wrentham, Mass.

This week's document for Amanuensis Monday is the 1764 Will in the probate court records for the estate of Thomas Boyden (1682-1770) (Image 3 in Case 14998) of Wrentham, Suffolk County, Massachusetts:



The transcription of this will is:

In the Name of God Amen the fifth       Day of      July   in the
year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Sixty four.  I Thomas
Boyden of Wrentham in the County of Suffolk in his Majesty's province
the Massachusetts bay in New England, husbandman now being come to a
Considerable old age and under bodily Infirmities (but of perfect mind and
memory, thanks be given to God. Therefore Calling to mind the mortality
of my body, and knowing that it is appointed to all men once to die, do
make and ordain this my last Will and testament. That is to say prin-
cipally and first of all I Give and Recomend my Soul into the hands of
God that gave it hoping for Salvation by Jesus Christ alone and my body
I recommend to the Earth to be buried in Decent manner at the Discretion
of my Executor.  And as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath
pleased God to bless me in this life: I give Demise and Dispose of the same
in the following manner and form.

Imprimis I Give and bequeathe to Susannah Boyden my beloved wife
the use benefit and Improvement of one third part of my Real Estate
for and during the whole term of her Natural life.  Also I Give and
bequeathe to her my said wife One third part of my personal Estate
to be to her use and dispose for ever; after my Debts, funeral Charges and
Just Expenses of all sorts are first paid out.

I give and bequeathe to my son James Boyden his heirs & assigns
for ever, two thirds parts of my Real Estate at my Decease, and the
other thirds part at my wifes Decease: provided he or his heirs Shall pay
out the Several Legacies herein mentioned to my two Daughters or
their heirs and to some of my Grandchildren.  That is to say to my
Daughter Mary Giles the Sum of thirteen pounds Six Shillings and
Eight pence.  To my Daughter Deborah fisher, the sum of five Shillings.
To my grandson Thomas fisher, the sum of three pounds. To
my Grandson James Boyden the Sum of forty Shillings.  To my Grand-
son Thomas Boyden the sum of forty Shillings.  To my Grand-daughter
Azuba farenton the Sum of forty shillings. To my Grandson Moses Boyden
the sum of forty Shillings.  All these Legacies which I Give to my two Daugh-
ters and five Grandchildren to be paid in Lawfull money within the
Space of one year after my decease.  I also Give and bequeathe to my
said Son James Boyden, the other two third parts of my personal Estate
after my Debts and Charges as abovementioned are first paid out.

I do also Constitute and ordain my son James Boyden abo-
venamed my Sole Executor of this my last will and testament.  And I
do hereby utterly Disalow Revoke and Disannul all and every other and
former wills testaments Legacies & bequests & Executors by me in any will
before named willed & bequeathed.  Ratifying and Confirming this and no
other to be my last will & testament In Witness Whereof I the said Thomas
Boyden have hereunto Set my hand & Seal the day & year above written.

Signed sealed pronounced & Declared by him y^e said Thomas Boyden as his last will &
testament in the presence of us the subscribers
Nathan Clark                                                            Thomas Boyden
David Clark Jun-r
Esther Clark


The will was proved in Suffolk County Probate Court on 18 October 1771.

The source citation for this probate file is:

Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Probate case files, Thomas Boyden Case File 14998, 1771, Wrentham, 4 images; "Suffolk County (Massachusetts) Probate Records, 1636-1899," digital images, American Ancestors (http://www.americanancestors.org: accessed 14 January 2018); original papers on file at Suffolk County Probate Court, Boston, Mass.

Thomas Boyden (1682-1770) married Deborah Wight (1685-1730) in 1707 in Medfield, Massachusetts.  They had four children, three of whom are named in the will, along with five specific grandchildren (note: not all of the grandchildren are named).  The wife mentioned is Susannah (Harris) Boyden, the second wife of Thomas Boyden who died in 1764.

The only son of Thomas and Deborah (Wight) Boyden, James Boyden, received all of the real and personal estate by the will, and was to pay his two sisters, Mary Giles and Deborah Fisher, money as their bequest, plus money to five specific grandchildren of Thomas Boyden.

Thomas and Deborah (Wight) Boyden are my 7th great-grandparents, through their daughter Mary (Boyden) Guild (1708-1776) who married Nathaniel Guild (1712-1796) of Walpole in 1733.

The image above is an image of the original will in the probate court case file 14,998 which is in the Suffolk County Probate Court in Boston.  NEHGS (AmericanAncestors.org) digitized these files and provided them online for subscribers.

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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."

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Copyright (c) 2018, Randall J. Seaver

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