This week's document for transcription is the 1726 will of Edmund Rice (1663-1726) of Westborough, Massachusetts.
[Middlesex County, Mass. Probate Court Case File 18697, image 3 of 11]:
Since the above is difficult to read, I obtained the Middlesex County Probate Court transcript in Volume 18, page 18-19:
The transcription of this will from the Probate Court transcript (starting near the bottom of the left-hand page) is:
In the Name of God Amen the tenth Day of August Anno Domini
one thousand Seven hundred and Twenty Six. I Edmund Rice of Westborough in the
County of Middlesex and Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England
Yeoman being very Sick and weak in Body but in full strength of mind and Un-
derstanding, Thanks be given to God for it, knowing that it is appointed to all men
once to Dye and that it is Expedient in my own Preparation therefor to Set my
House in Order, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament that is to
say, Principally and furst 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 in Decent Christian manner
buried at the Discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but at the Generall Resurrection
I shall receive the same again by the mighty Power of God. And as touching such
worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me to this Life I give demise and Be-
queath and dispose in Form and manner following. Viz't:
Imprimis. I give and bequeath unto Hannah my Dear & well beloved Wife All and
every of those Goods, Utensills or whatsoever besides she brought with her to me Over and a-
bove which I give to her the Sum of Threescore pounds of currant money of this province to
be paid to her or her heirs within a Twelve Month after my decease, I likewise give to her one
Cow to be chosen out of my stock by my Executors hereafter to be named which Cow it is my
will shall be kept upon this Farm during her abode with this Family; And moreover
whilse she shall see meet to Continue here It is my Pleasure and I do hereby appoint
one Room in this house for her sole use and Benefit.
Item I give unto my beloved son Seth (the eldest of my sons with me) the Nor-
thern part of this Farm on which I live with the House, Barn, Fences and all the Improve-
ments on the Same to be a good and sure Inheritance forever to him and his heirs.
Item I give unto my son Eleazar the Southern part of this forementioned Farm my
Will concerning the line between these my ^two^ sons being this that it run from a Maple tree (in
the Corner between this land and that belonging to Joseph Rice) Easterly to a pine tree
and thence runing two Rods north of a red oak on the North side of the Brow of the Hill
down to the River. Moreover I give unto my son Eleazar eight acres of Land which is
yet to be laid out; All which Lands given to this my son I will to him and his heirs forever
as a sure and good Inheritance. And furthermore it is my Pleasure and I do hereby
appoint that fifty Pounds in good and lawful money of New England be paid by my
son Seth unto my son Eleazar when he shall come to be of age any thing to the con-
trary abovesaid notwithstanding.
Item I give unto my beloved daughter Dinah Brigham the sum of twenty pounds.
Item I give unto my beloved daughter Huldah Wheelock the sum of thirty and
four pounds quitting and discharging her of a Debt of six pounds which otherwise
She would be obliged to pay to me.
Item. I give to my beloved daughter Thankful Rice the sum of twenty pounds.
Item I give to my beloved daughters Ruth and Anna the sum of fifty pounds
each, all which Sums to be paid in good and lawful money of this province
within a twelve Month after my decease.
And it is my Will ^and I confirm^ that if almighty power Should work that Deliverance
for my two sons Silas and Timothy out of their Captivity which we indeed of our
selves can have little prospect of and bring them Home they shall receive five
Pounds each. These Legacies being paid If ought of money or moveables
remain I will put Residue of all unto my son Seth, But here it is to be understood
That all my lawful Debts and Funeral Charges be defrayed out of what has been ap-
portioned unto him my said Son Seth.
Last of all I appoint and Constitute my dear and beloved brother Joshua
Rice and my trusty and beloved friend Caleb Rice to be Executors of this my last
Will and Testament on whom I devolve all Power and Authority to receive sue for
and dispose of all and every of my Lands Buildings moneys moveables and whatever
I am lawfully possessed of So it be according to my true Intent and meaning as above
exhibited. And I do by these Presents disallow, revoke and disannul all and every
former Testaments Wills Legacies Bequests and Executors by me in any wise heretofore
named willed or bequeathed ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last
Will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day
and year abovewritten. Edmund Rice and a seal
Signed sealed published pronounced and declared by the said Edmund Rice to be his
last Will nd Testament in presence of Isaac Tomlin John Green Jedidiah How.
Entred & Examined by Fra: Foxcroft Jun'r Reg'r a Copy writt out for the Executors.
The source citations for this probate case file will is:
Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Probate case files, Volume: Middlesex Cases 16001-17999, Estate File #16897 (11 images), Edmund Rice of Westborough estate, 1726; "Middlesex County (Massachusetts) Probate File Papers, 1648-1871," digital images, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014, American Ancestors (https://www.americanancestors.org: accessed 2 January 2021); Digitized mages provided by FamilySearch.org from original records at Probate Registry, Cambridge, Mass.
"Massachusetts, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991," indexed database with digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 July 2021), Middlesex County, "Probate Records, V. 18-19, 1726-1732," Volume 18, pages 18-19 (image 22 of 667), Edmund Rice of Westborough will and probate records, proved 12 September 1726.
Edmund Rice (1663-1726) married, first, Ruth Parker (1672-before 1720) in 1692, and they had 12 children:
* Dinah Rice (1693-1725), married 1717 Nathan Brigham (1693-1784).
* Silas Rice (1695-1779), married 1715 Marie Tsionnakwannen Tsaikohawi (1699-1779).
* Timothy Rice (1697-1777), married Catherine Osennehawe (1701-1750).
* Nahor Rice (1699-1704).
* Huldah Rice (1701-1741), married 1720 Samuel Wheelock (1696-1756).
* Moses Rice (1703-1704).
* Seth Rice (1705-1796), married 1727 Dorothy Robinson (1709-1801).
* Thankful Rice (1707-1779), married 1726 Josiah Rice (1700-1792).
* Eleazer Rice (1709-1767), married (1) 1731 Persis Newton (1713-1746); (2) 1747 Mehitabel Stone (1719-1812).
* Ruth Rice (1712-1786), married 1738 Elisha Ward (1712-1756).
* Ebenezer Rice (1714-1714).
* Anna Rice (1715-1802), married 1741 Solomon Rice (1713-1802).
Edmund Rice married, second, to Hannah Brewer (1672-1766) in 1720 and they had no children.
In his will, Edmund Rice named his known living children, and his first two sons who were captured and taken to Canada in 1704. The probate packet also contains an inventory of his personal estate taken on 29 September 1726 totaling £395-17-0 (£192 of it in money and bonds owed to him) and an executor's account approved by the Court on 6 June 1729.
Edmund and Ruth (Parker) Rice are my 7th great-grandparents, through their daughter Dinah Rice who married Nathan Brigham in 1717.
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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."
Read other transcriptions for my ancestors in Amanuensis Monday Posts.
The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2021/07/amanuensis-monday-1726-will-of-edmund.html
Copyright (c) 2021, Randall J. Seaver
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