Monday, May 25, 2020

Amanuensis Monday - 1783 Will of Nathan Brigham (1693-1784) of Southborough, Mass.

This week's document for transcription is the 1783 will of Nathan Brigham (1693-1784) of Southborough, Massachusetts, in Probate Packet 7,414 in the Worcester County, Massachusetts probate court records.  

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The transcription of this will is:

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In the Name of God amen, This first day of January Anno Domini

1783.  I, Nathan Brigham of Southborough in the County of Worcester
Gentleman, being far advanced in age but of sound and disposing
mind, and Calling to mind the mortality of my Body and the uncer-
tainty of Human life, do make and Ordain this my last will &
Testament.

First of all I humbly recommend my Soul to God who gave it,
hoping through the merits of Jesus Christ to obtain Eternal life
in a better world, my Body I Commit to the Earth to be Buried
in decent Christian Burial at the discretion of my Executor,
nothing doubting but at the general Resurrection I shall by the
mighty power of God received the Same again.

And as touching such worldly Goods and Estate as God has
been pleased to Bless me with in this life, I Will and dispose of in
manner following.

Imprimis.  My will is that all my just Debts and Funeral Charges
be paid by my Executor (hereafter Named out of my Personal Estate).

Item.  I Give and Bequeath to Martha my wife during her remaining
my Widow the use and Improvement of the Northerly end of my Dwelling
House from Top to Bottom with the Cellar under the South Room (and
a priviledge in the Well for water, and a priviledge at the Door for laying
of Wood, also the use of my Garden by the Cyder mill, and instead of her dower
in my Real Estate as Lands &c and at her special instance and Request
I will and Order that my son elijah Brigham bring and deliver to my
said wife at my dwelling House during her remaining my widow annually
each year in the proper Seasons thereof the following articles viz't. Seven
Bushels and an half of Indian Corn with the same Quantity of Rye, pro-
viding good dry Casks Sufficient to hold the same, one Bushel of Wheat
two Bushels and an half of malt, one Barrel of Sweet Cyder, and five
Barrel of common Cyder providing Casks for the same, Six Bushels of
apples, two Bushels of Turnips, two Bushels of Potatoes, one peck of Beans
one peck of Peas, two Hundred weight of Pork, one Hundred weight of Beef,
thirty weight of Butter, forty weight of Cheese, ten pounds of flax, and five
pounds of Wool, also a Sufficiency of fire Wood brought to the door & Cut
ready for the fire, also to find her a Horse to Ride to Meeting and other
necessary Occasions, also I give to my said wife to be at her own disposal
all that was her Sister De Luena's viz't. the ????? Irons, one Bible and
Trunk, two Chairs one Bed and Furniture thereto belonging, one Round
Table together with all her Tea utensels, also I give and Bequeath to my

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said wife one Iron pot, one Ieron Kettle, two small Brass Kettles, one
Iron Skillet, one Tramel, one pair of Handirons, one Meat Tub, two
Washing Tubs, two pails and one third part of my Pewter,  I also give
and Bequeath to my said wife one Bed and Beding, with all the Household
Furniture that my wife brought to me when I Married her that may be found
after my decease, one coverlet also one Cow to be at her disposal for ever, and
to be kept for her Summer and winter during her remaining my widow, also
one dutch Oven, one half dozen of Knives and forks, one flatt Bottomed Brass
Candlesticks, and Forty Shillings Lawful money to be paid to my said wife
by my Executor annually so long as she shall remain my widow.

Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Son Nathan Brigham about nine acres of
Land lying partly in Southborough & partly in Westborough being what I now
own which I purchased of Elisha Wood dec'd.  I also Give and Bequeath to my
three Sons, Nathan Brigham Edmund Brigham and Elijah Brigham
two pieces of Cerder Swamp scituate in Westborough one piece lying in
Chancey Swamp, and the other piece lying in Island Swamp so Called with all
the Land I have taken up adjoining thereto, to be equally divided between
them.  I also give and Bequeath to my Son Nathan Brigham one Bed and
Bedding also my Cane that was my Fathers, also a Case with one quarter
part of my wearing apparel, and also Six pounds thirteen shillings and four
pence lawful money to be paid him by my Executor in five years after my
decease, also Eight acres of my Town Right with out the Cow common
all which shall be his full share out of my Estate.

Item.  I give and Bequeath to my son Edmund Brigham one half of my Sixteen
Acres of town Right without the Cow Common with one quarter part of my
wearing apparel, which with what he has already had out of my Estate shall
be his part in full.

Item.  I give and Bequeath to my Son William Brigham one piece of land
I Bought of John Matthews dec'd lying on the Northerly side of the Road lead-
ing from my dwelling House to the old malt House containing about two acres
be the same more or less Bounded westerly by my own Land, Southerly
by said Road and every other way by his own Land, with one quarter part
of my wearing apparel which with what he has already rec'd shall be
his full share out of my Estate.

Item.  I give and Bequeath to my Daughter Eunice the wife of Hezekiah
Newton Ten Shillings lawful money to be paid by my Executor
which with what she has already rec'd shall be her part in full.

Item.  I give and Bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth Fay Twenty Shillings
lawful money to be paid by my Executor, which with what she has already
rec'd shall be her full share out of my Estate.

Item.  I give and Bequeath to my Daughter Hepzibah Taplin six pounds
lawful money to be paid by my Executor which with what she has already
rec'd shall be her full share out of my Estate.

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Item.  I give and Bequeath to my Grand Daughter Persis the wife of
Ithamar Biglow Six Shillings Lawful Money to be paid her by
my Executor which with what she has already had out of my
Estate shall be her part in full.

Item.  I give and Bequeath to my Grand Daughter Patty the wife
of Hezekiah Fay jun'r one Feather Bed and Beding, one Chest with
Drawers and Round Table Six Black Chairs with one third part
of my Pewter, one Iron pot, one Brass Kittle midde Size, one pair
of Hand Irons, one pair of Fire Tongs and Peal, one Tramel, one
Linnen Wheel, one Woollen Wheel, and one Small looking Glass all
which shall be her full share or portion out of my Estate.

Item.  I give and Bequeath to my Grandson Nathan Taplin one good Cow
to be delivered to him by my Executor which shall be his full share out
of my Estate.

Item.  I give and Bequeath to my Grand Son Elisha Taplin one pair of
yearling Steers which shall be his full part out of my Estate and to be 
delivered to him by my Executor.

Item.  I give and Bequeath to my Son Elijah Brigham all the residue of
my Lands and Buildings that I shall ^die^ Seized of lying in the Town of
Southborough ????? ???? ?????????? ???? ??? ????? Residue of my
Personal Estate of every Name or Denomination whatsoever also my
Pew in the Meeting House and one Quarter part of my wearing apparel
with my great Bible, and all other of my Estate that can or may be
found after my decease and not already disposed of by this Will,
to be to him and his Heirs and assigns forever, accept the rest of my
Books which are equally to be divided among my Children.

Lastly I do hereby Constitute make and Ordain my Son Elijah Brigham
the Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament Ratifying & Confirming
this and no other to be my last Will and Testament and I do hereby utterly
Disallow and Revoke all other Wills and Bequests by me made and
Executors by me appointed and in Confirmation of this and no other
I  have hereunto set my Hand and Seal the day and year first written.
                                                                        Nathan Brigham
Signed Sealed published & pronounced
and declared by the Testator to be his
last Will and Testament in presence
of us.
   Luther Newton
   Erasmus Ward   sworn   }     Bond
   Solomon Ward   sworn  }    Approved by the Hon'd Judge of Probate

The source citation for this probate case file is:

Worcester County, Massachusetts, Probate case files, Packet #7,414, Nathan Brigham of Southborough, 1784 (11 images); "Worcester County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1732-1881," indexed database and digital images, New England Historical and Genealogical Society, American Ancestors  (https://www.AmericanAncestors.org : accessed 3 May 2020); Original records in Worcester County, Massachusetts Probate Court Records, Worcester, Massachusetts.

There is a Bond document for 2000 pounds dated 2 November 1784, a statement of acceptance by the widow and approval by the judge on 2 November 1784 in the probate file.  There is no inventory or account in the probate file.

Nathan Brigham (1693-1784) married (1) Dinah Rice (1693-1725) in 1717 in Marlborough, Massachusetts.  They had five children:

*  Dinah Brigham (1719-1784), married 1743 Jonathan Witt (1718-????).
*  Eunice Brigham (1721-1792), married 1742 Hezekiah Newton (1719-1786).
*  Moses Brigham (1723-1769), married 1749 Mehitable Grout (1726-1795).
*  Perses Brigham (1724-1740).
*  Elizabeth Brigham (1725-????), married 1749 Jedidiah Fay (1726-1799).

Nathan Brigham married (2) 1729 Hepsibah Ward (1708-1748) and they had eight children:

*  Nathan Brigham (1730-1806), married 1769 Mary Hudson (1737-????).
*  Hepsibah Brigham (1732-1815), married 1748 John Taplin (1727-1803).
*  Edmund Brigham (1733-1806), married 1769 Elizabeth Bevel (1740-1825).
*  William Brigham (1735-1793), married 1759 Rebecca Ball (171739-1768).
*  Phenihas Brigham (1737-1740).
*  Tabitha Brigham (1738-1740).
*  Ebenezer Brigham (1741-1756).
*  Elijah Brigham (1742-1804), married 1768 Ruth Taylor (1747-1831)

Nathan Brigham married (3) 1751 Martha Gleason (1710-after 1784), no known children.

Nathan and Dinah (Rice) Brigham are my probable 6th great-grandparents.  I descend through their son, Moses Brigham (1723-1769), who married Mehitable Grout (1726-1795) in 1749 in Westborough, Massachusetts.

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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."

Copyright (c) 2020, Randall J. Seaver

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