Last Will and Testament of Jeremiah Norcross of Watertown, Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1564, 1567

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Massachusetts Bay Colony
Surnames/tags: Norcross New England Wills and Estates

This was the first "Last Will & Testament" made by Jeremiah Norcross, dated 15 September 1654, "before going to sea" with the intention of returning to England. He made a second will in England before his death which complemented and did not invalidate this first one. This first will was proved on 6 October 1657.

Part of this transcription was available on Jeremiah's profile. That first version was apparently taken from an Ancestry "memory".^[1] It was missing whole sentences and a few words throughout the text without any indication of the missing parts. I've been working on it, comparing it to the original document.

The spelling, punctuation and general structure have been restored to that of the original document. It is still a work in progress. Any suggestions are welcome.

Jeremiah's Profile

Will of Jeremiah Norcross of Watertown, Massachusetts

In the name & by ye helpe of my Lord Jesus Christe I Jeremiah Norcrosse being well
in my body & mind (thanks be to God) but going to sea doe make my Last Will & Testament.
First, I give my Souell unto ye handes of ye father of Spirites who gave it to me & my body to the elementes
to be committed for a time out of which it was made in sure and certaine hope (upon ye word of Him that cannot lye)
of a resurrection of Both souell & body to gether unto everlasting life purchased(?) by ye merites of ye Lord Jesus
Christe, And for such worldly estat as ye Lord hath lent me & left me, my will is that they be aprised
when I am dead & divided in to three eqal partes, the first third I give unto my beloved wife Adrean
Norcrosse, & ye seconde third I give unto my childeren Nathanell Norcrosse Richard Norcrosse & Sara Masy,
ye wife of Francis Masy, assigning my eldest Sonn, Nathanell as his due a dubel portion, neveryeless
for as much as Sarah my Daughter had a full share & more as it now falleth out of my estate I will that
that shall be in full of her portion, & as for ye last third of my estat I give as followeth, I give
& bequeath unto my daughter Mary ye wife of my Sonne Richard, one yewe shepe, & for her daughter Mary,
my grande chill, a like yewe shepe, & to ye wife of my wife's Sonne John Smith on like yew shepe
To my brother's daughter Ane Daves, ye wife of Samwell Daves a like yewe (in ?) shepe and to her
Daughter Hahne her older chil ye like (...) unto the pore memberes of Jesus Christe in Watertown
I give two yewe shepe to be delivered (...) to ye pastores and deacon handes, to breed as a stoke for
that end willing that ye females be always preferred for a to do as (...) as ye ayo (yow?) will be six
& the young ewes be sufficient(?) for that end, & ye males to be sould at the fiteste seson to give to ye Lord
por as they ned: I tone (atone?) in testimony of my love to my Lord for all his love to me I give as
(a cup of could water wishing I had beter for them) unto his ministers Mr Sherman
Mr Simes Mr Norton Mr Wilson Mr. Eliot Mr Mader (Mather?) each of them twenty
shillings a pese And for my grandchilderen in ould Ingland If the Lord brings me
or that goods I have with me I shall distribut my Selfe or appointe And I will & ordaine my
Sonne Richard Norcrosse my soll exeqitor of this my Last Will & Testament.
& I intreat my Brother Charles ChadocK to be overseer & helpe onto him & I do give him
as a small Token of my Love, twenty shillinges & pronounce this to be my Laste Will
& Testament, revoking all other Willes herto for mad in withal untofore I set to my hand.

ye 15th day of September 1654.

Jeremiah Norcrosse^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ Ancestry link, unavailable to share as free image Jeremiah's Will
2. ↑ Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives. Digitized images provided by FamilySearch.org) NEHGS Free Access