Monday, July 30, 2018

Amanuensis Monday - Post #439: 1687 Will of Daniel Morse (1611-1688) of Sherborn, Massachusetts

This week's document for Amanuensis Monday is the 1687 will of Daniel Morse of Sherborn in the Suffolk County, Massachusetts Probate Record volumes:

[pages 316-317]

[pages 318-319]

[pages 320-321]

The transcription of the will is:

[page 316]

                          The Will of Daniel Morse Sen^r
                           In the name of God amen
                          The Will of Daniel Morse Sen^r

In the year of Lord One thousand Six hundred Eighty
Seaven the Ninth day of March I Dan^l
Morse Sen^r of Shearborn in the County of Middlesex in his Maj^ies
Territoryes in New England being put in mind of my Mortality
by Age and the Infirmities thereof daily increasing upon
me do therefore in the time of my Life and enjoym^t of my
memory and Understanding make Ordain and declare
this to be my last Will and Testam^t for the disposing of
those outward good things of this life with which the Lord
hath entrusted and wherein first I comit my Soul into the
hands of Almighty God in and through the Lord Jesus knowing
thou hast Redeemed it O Lord God of truth. And further I
hereby disannul and make void all other Wills by or any
for me formerly made. My Mind and Will is that after my

[page 317]

decease all Debts being taken in and all debts funeral
charges and publique Charges defrayed I do give and bequeath
unto my dear and welbeloved Wife Lidiah Morse the whole
and full use and produce of my Estate that I shall dye possessed
off that I do now improve as my own by and from my
Son Samuel Morse according to the agreem^t betwixt my
Self and said son Samuel Morse under hand and
Seal to be by my said Wife or her order by the advice
of my Execut^rs improved to his use and maintainance
of my said Wife during the whole terme of her natural
life. Item I do hereby Confirm unto my oldest Sonn,
Obadiah Morse and to his heirs and Assignes forever
all that his house Lot and other Lands that I formerly gave
him exprest particularly in two Deeds of gift under my
hand and seale. Item I do hereby Confirm unto my
loving Son Daniel Morse and to his heirs and
Assigns for ever all that his house lot he live upon and
other Lands that I have formerly given him Exprest
particularly in Two Deeds of gift under my hand and
Seal. Item I do hereby confirm unto my Loving Son
Jonathan Morse and to his heirs and Assignes forever
all that his house Lot he live upon with all those lands I
formerly gave him particularly Exprest in three Deeds of
gift under my hand and Seal also I do hereby Confirm a
Deed of Sale of Four acres of Land exprest particularly in
the said Deed of Sale to the said Jonathan. Item I do hereby
Confirm unto my Loving Son Nathaniel Morse and to his
heirs and Assignes for ever All those Lands that I formerly
gave him particularly Exprest in Deeds of gift under my
hand and Seal. Item I do herby Confirm unto my Loving

[page 318]

Daughter Lidia the Wife of Ephraim Wight and their
heirs and Assignes forever the Moiety halfe part
of the North end of my Lot that I purchased of my
Brother Daniel Fisher in Dedham as is Exprest
in a Deed of Conveyance and the said Lands and
movables received by them onwards their portion is
Thirlty pounds and Six Shillings. Item I do hereby Confirm
unto my Loving Daughter Bethiah the Wife of John
Perry and to their heirs and Assignes forever all that
their house lot and other Lands formerly given them
more particularly discribed in a Deed of Conveyance
under my hand and Seal which said Land with some
Movables amount to thirty Nine pounds onwards their
portion. Item I do hereby Confirm unto my loving
Daughter Mary the Wife of Edward West and to their
heirs and Assignes for ever the Moyety or halfe part of
the North end of my Lot of land I purchased of my Brother
Daniel Fisher in Dedham more particularly exprest
in a Deed of conveyance under my hand and Seal.
More I give my Daughter Mary One acre and three
quarters of Meadow bottom neer the Meeting house
adjoyning to the Land of my Son in Law Edward West
the aforesaid Lands with some Movables amount
to thirty four pounds and Ten Shillings onwards my
said Daughter Mary Wests portion. Item I have given
to my loving Daughter Bashua the wife of Benjamin
Fiske and to their heirs and Assigns forever in Lands
Movables and other paym^t the Sume of Nineteen pounds

[page 319]

and Ten shillings onwards their Portion further my Mind
and Will is that each One of my Daughters abovesaid shall
have paid into them their heirs or Assignes so much in
movables and Currant Country paym^t (by my Exec^rs
hereafter named) as shall make up what each one have
received (as aforesaid) the full sume of Forty pounds
to each Daughter aforesaid to be paid within two years
after my and my Wives decease this is to be minded
and attended (vizt:) that if one acre and three quarters
of Meadow bottom lying in Twelve acre Meadow
abutting upon Obadiah and Samuels Meadow be not
included in John Perryes Deed My mind and Will is
he shall have it in the sume aforesaid. Item I do
hereby Confirm unto my son Samuel Morse and to
his heirs and Assignes for ever all my house Lott buildings
and other Lands that I have given him particularly exprest
in a Deed of gift to him under my hand and Seal and
for my wives Supply and maintenance after my decease
over and above what shee is to receive of Samuel as is
above expressed. My Sons Obadiah Daniel Jonathan
and Samuel are to pay or Cause to be paid unto my
dear Wife each year shee live after my decease the full
Sume of Six pounds pr year in money or such other paym^t
at money price in such things as from time to time Shee
shall need each of the four sons to pay their equal
Share each year as long as shee live. I do hereby nominate
impower and Ordain my welbeloved Sons Obadiah Morse
and Daniel Morse to be the Execut^rs of this my last Will and
Testam^t to whom I give all such power required for the
true and full performance of this my last Will and Testam^t.

[page 320]

In witness to and full Confirmation of this my last
Will and Testam^t I the said Daniel Morse Sen^r have
hereunto set to my hand & affixed my seal the day and
year aforesaid. Signed Daniel Morse Sen^r and seald.
Signed Sealed and delivered in the prsence of William
Rider Joseph Morse.
Examined Ss John West Dscry

By his Ex^lcy

William Rider one of the Witnesses to the within written
Will and also Mary Mackeeny who was present at
the Signing thereof appeared before me and made Oath
that they saw the within named Daniel Morse Sen^r
sign seal and declare the within writing to be his last Will
and Testam^t and that at the doing thereof he was of
soundm ind and memory to the best of their knowldge

John West Dscry Swor the 13^th June 1688
                                        Before me Andros

The source citation for the probate records of Daniel Morse is:

Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Probate Court, "Suffolk County (Massachusetts) Probate Records, 1636-1899," on 439 FHL US/CAN microfilm reels, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org: accessed 4 July 2016), "Probate records v. 10-12 1687-1697," Volume 10, pages 315-324, Daniel Morse probate records, Sherborn, 1688, accessed on FHL US/CAN microfilm 584,130;  original records at Suffolk County Probate Court, Boston, Mass.

Daniel Morse (1611-1688) of Sherborn, Massachusetts wrote his will on 9 March 1687, and died on 3 June 1688 in Sherborn, and his will was proved on 13 June 1688 in Suffolk County, Massachusetts Probate Court.  although Sherborn is presently in Middlesex County, apparently Sherborn was then in Suffolk County.


In his will, Daniel Morse provides for his wife, Lidiah (Fisher) Morse, and names his five sons - Obadiah, Daniel, Jonathan, Nathaniel and Joseph, and his four living daughters, Lidia (Morse) Wight, Bethiah (Morse) Perry, Mary (Morse) West, and Bashua (Morse) Fiske.  He also names his "brother" Daniel Fisher (who is his wife's brother).  By the time of this will, all of his surviving children were married, except for the youngest, Samuel Morse.  His wife, Lydia (Fisher) Morse, died on 29 January 1690.  

The probate records also include the Letter Testamentary and the inventory of the estate of Daniel Morse, which totaled £103.  It appears that Daniel Morse gave or sold most of his holdings outside of his home lot to his children.  Son Joseph Morse was to receive the home lot after his mother died.

While Daniel Morse and his wife had all of their children in Dedham and Medfield, it appears that they bought land in Sherborn after 1661.


Daniel Morse (1611-1688) and Lydia (Fisher) Morse (1620-1690) are my 9th great-grandparents.  I am descended through their daughter, Lydia Morse (1645-1722) who married Ephraim Wight (1646-1723).  

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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:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2018/07/amanuensis-monday-post-439-1687-will-of.html

Copyright (c) 2018, Randall J. Seaver


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