Transcript of the Last Will and Testament of Nehemiah Dickinson (1726-1779). Paragraphs and emphasis added to aid legibility. Original spelling, capitalization and punctuation preserved. Some abbreviations were spelled out for easier reading.

In the Name of God. Amen.

I Nehemiah Dickinson of Hadley in the county of Hampshire and state of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Husbandman being weak in Body but of sound Mind and Memory do make and publish this my Last Will and Testament in Manner and Form following (that is to say)

First, I give and devise to my Dear Wife Naomi Dickinson all my Houshold Furniture during the Term of her Natural Life also the use of two cows and an Horse for the Term aforesaid, cows & Horse to be provided and constantly kept for the use afores_d by my Executors hereafter named also an annual Rent of Three pounds to be paid annually in Silver & Gold or the Value thereof by my Executors.

Also I give & devise to my said Wife Naomi Dickinsonall my Land & House lying & being in Hadley aforesaid & West of the county Road leading from Amherst to Sunderland ___aupting Seventeen acres and an half to be set off from the North Side of said Land with all & singular the ______________ ____ & _________________ thereunto belonging: To have and to hold the same to the said Naomi Dickinson during the Term of her Natural Life and immediately from and after her decease I give & devise the said House & Lands with the appoint___________ unto my two sons Nehemiah Dickinson and John Dickinson their Heirs and assigns forever to be equally divided between them Share &Share alike-

Also I give & bequeath unto my sons Nehemiah John & Simeon the whole of my Houshold Furniture immediately after the Decease of my said Wife to be equally divided between them Share & Share alike-

Also I give to my son Simeon Dickinson one cow heretofore given to my wife during her life / to be given him immediately after her Decease-

Also I give to my two sons Nehemiah & John one cow & one horse heretofore given to my wife during her Life to be Heirs after her Decease to equally divided between them /

I also give and devise unto my son John Dickinson all my Land lying and being in Hadley aforesaid & West of the county Road leading from Amherst to Sunderland not heretofore devised away by this will. To have and to hold the same to him the sd John his Heirs & assigns forever.

Also I give and devise all my Land not abovementioned to my two Sons Nehemiah & John To have and to hold the same to them & their Heirs forever to be equally divided between them Share and Share alike.

Also I will and order that my son John shall procure at his own Expence a good belt of Blacksmith tools sufficient for the Buisness of making _________ tools and deliver the same to my son Simeon when He shall attain the age of Twenty one years otherwise the seventeen acres & half of Land heretofore devised to the said John is hereby given to the said Simeon and his Heirs forever.

Also I will & devise that my Wearing Apparell be equally divided between my three Sons Nehemiah John & Simeon and all the residue of my Estate not already disposed of I will & devise to my two Sons Nehemiah & John to be equally divided between them Share & Share alike, & I make and appoint my two sons Nehemiah & John Executors of this my last Will and Testament & desire them to see the same performed according to my true Intent & Meaning and lastly I do hereby Revoke all former & other Will or Wills by me made and declare this only to this only to be my last Will & testament.

In witness whereof I the said Nehemiah Dickinson have hereunto set my Hand & Seal this fourth Day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & Seventy Eight

Signed sealed published & declared by the said Nehemiah Dickinson the testator as & for his Last Will & Testament in __Presence of us who have submitted our Names as Witnesses thereunto in the Presence and at the request of the _ Testator Nehemiah Dickinson (Seal)

Hampshire __ at a Court for Probate of Wills & holden at Northampton within & for the county of Hampshire on the first Tuesday of March being the second Day of the Month Anno Dom 1779 per Samuel Mather Esq. Judge of sd Court ~ The foregoing was presented as the last Will & Testament of Nehemiah Dickinson, Decd. by John Dickinson one of the Executors therein named for Probate who accepted his said Trust and Gave Bond for his faithful Performance of sd Trust and Oliver Dickinson & Nathaniel Dickinson Junr. two of the subscribing Witnesses to the same appearing made oath that they saw Nehemiah Dickinson the Testator sign & seal & heard him publish & declare the same to be his last Will & Testament. That he was of sound Mind& Memory when He did it. that they together with Azh Dickinson all signed as Witnesses to the same Time in Presence of the Testator & Such others. Whereupon the same is Proved approved ratified & confirmed at this Last Will & Testament of the deceased. Saml. Mathers Judge Prob

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Transcribed by J. Taylor from a picture of the will in Probate Records, 1660-1916; Index, 1660-1971; Author: Massachusetts. Probate Court (Hampshire County); Probate Place: Hampshire, Massachusetts. Published by Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. in 2015. (http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=9069&h=628406&indiv=try)