Location: Eastham, Barnstable, Massachusetts Bay Colony
Surnames/tags: Mayo Wills
This is the will of Theophilus Mayo, a descendant of the Mayflower passenger William Brewster.
“In the name of God Amen this fifteenth day of January, Anno Domini 1758 I Theophilus Mayo of Eastham in the county of Barnstable in the province of the Massachusetts Bay in the New England yeoman being far advanced in years feel of disposing mind & memory calling to mind the Moriallily of the Body knowing it is appointed to all men once to die I do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament. Principally and first of all I recommend my soul into the hands of God that Gave it and my Body to the earth to be buried in decent Christian manner by my executor hereafter named. And as touching such worldly estate wherewith I hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give demise & dispose of the same in the following manner and form—
I give to my beloved son Asa Mayo my dwelling house barn and cornhouse together with all my lot of land whereon my buildings now stand lying being part of a neck of land being called Sampsons Neck in Eastham bounded as may appear by a deed of division bearing date February 14th 1746/7 together with my right to a lot of land in the Seventeen Shear Purchase also part of a cedar swamp all which I have given him a deed of bearing date the first day of February 1755 together with the thirteenth lot in a parcel of land called Smith’s Purchase which I purchase of Thomas Mayo by one deed, bearing date February 24th, 1731 also a parcel of land at Sampson’s Island near the north only end of said island containing about two acres & a half more or less which I hold partly from one deed from Elisha Hopkins bearing February the 5th, 1728, and partly from one deed from Judah Mayo bearing date January 6th 1723 also one half of a lot of land in Harwich at a place called the Cleft Ford beach also one half a lot of meadow in the third property called Hog Island call it being the twelfth lot in said property also one lot of meadow in the first shears property the second lot in said property southerly from Amos’s point as by record may appear also I give to my said son Asa Mayo my wearing apparel also all my husbandry tools & Tackling also my great Bible & my great sermon book of eighteen sermons all these above articles I give to my son Asa Mayo for his part and portion of my whole estate he be paying all my just debts and funeral charges out of his portion the rest to remain to him and his heirs and assigns forever.
I give to my two grandsons Joshua Mayo and Paul Mayo sons of my son Isaac Mayo deceased my tenement lot of land by the fresh pond also my lot of land at Samson’s Island which I hold by deed from James Higgins dated Jun 10th 1741 also one lot of meadow on Hog Island flatt which I hold by deed from Thomas Mayo dated December 19th 1753 also all my right in two lots we hold by deed from Joseph Doane, esq. and Mecajah Snow the above said lots I give to my said grandsons to them their heirs and their assigns forever they paying a Legacy of The sum of five shillings to my granddaughter Patience Mayo & and the sum of five shillings to my granddaughter Eunice Mayo and the sum of five shillings to my granddaughter Rebecca Mayo as their legacy of my estate the remainder of the above parcels of land and meadow to be equally divided between my grandsons Joshua Mayo and Paul Mayo.
I give to my beloved son Ebenezer Mayo one parcel of land on Samson’s Island beginning at a stone in the beach thence turning northerly by the upland 24 poles to a stone set in the ground thence easterly across the island about 44 poles to a stone set in the ground thence southerly 24 poles to a stone thence westerly about 42 poles to the first stone together with half a lot of meadow in the … property on Hog Island that being the twelfth lot in that division together with one half a lot of meadow in the third property on Hog Island that being the twelfth lot in that division together with one wood lot of land in Harwich that I hold by deed from John Freeman dated February 26th 1731/2 the beforementioned lots to remain to him, his heirs, and his assigns forever.
I give to my grandson Eliakim Mayo and to my granddaughters Thankful Mayo and Hannah Mayo children of my son Theophilus Mayo deceased all my land on Samson’s Island lying between the land I gave to my son Ebenezer Mayo and the land bought of James Higgins that I gave to my grandsons Joshua Mayo and Paul Mayo also one lot of land in the Eleven Shear Purchase the seventh lot in the purchase the one half of said land to Eliakim Mayo and the other half to the said Thankful Mayo and Hannah Mayo their heirs and their assigns forever.
I give to my granddaughter Rebecca Mayo daughter of my son Benjamin Mayo deceased a parcel of land & meadow on Samson’s Island founded beginning at a stone in the beach the southwesterly bound of the land given to my son Ebenezer Mayo thence easterly across the island to a stone set in the ground thence southerly to Deacon Higgins’s meadow so by Deacon Higgins’s meadow westerly and round by the water to the first bound also the twentieth lot in Smith’s purchase which I hold deed from Thomas Mayo lying on the southerly end of the lot given to Asa Mayo also a piece of land lying northerly of the way that leads to the long pond by the place that is called the White Rock which is my part of my father’s lot in the second division in the seventh shear purchase to her heirs and assigns forever.
I give to my grandson Asa Mayo my gun and gunning pouch.
I give to my granddaughter Hannah Mayo one chest of draws that was my daughter Experience Mayo’s.
I give to my two beloved daughters Hannah Sears and Ruth Knowles all my personal estate not before disposed off in this my last will and testament to be equally divided between them.
My will is that my son Asa Mayo, the heirs of my son Isaac Mayo, my son Ebenezer Mayo, the heirs of my son Theophilus Mayo & the heir of my son Benjamin Mayo & my daughter Rebecca Sears & my daughter Ruth Knowles bear the charge of settling my estate equally between them.
I ordain and appoint my son Asa Mayo to be my sole executor to this my last will and testament utterly disallowing and disannulling any former or other wills bequeaths and executors by me made or named ratifying this and no other to be my last will and testament in testimony whereof I do hereto set my land and seal the day & year above written signed sealed pronounced & declared by the said Theophilus Mayo to be his last will and testament in the presence of---
Joshua Higgins, Jr.
John Yates
Thomas Freeman"
Source: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YY-BR97?i=16&cat=43935
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