Will of John Appleton of Ipswich, 1794

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

Will of John Appleton, 7 Jun 1793, Essex Co., Mass.^[1]

Persons Mentioned

• John Appleton, Testator
• Lucy How, Testator's daughter
• Margaret Thurston, Testator's daughter
• Mary Rogers, Testator's daughter
• Elisabeth Treadwell, Testator's daughter
• John Appleton, Testator's son
• Benjamin Appleton, Testator's son
• Ebenezer Fuller, sold land to Testator
• John Hodgkins, sold land to Testator
• William Appleton, Testator's son, Executor
• Doctor Calef, sold land to Testator
• William Dennis, Witness
• Daniel Noyes, Witness
• John O Noyes, Witness

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In the name of God Amen. I John Appleton of Ipswich in the County of Essex within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts yeoman, being at this time (thro the goodness of God) of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make and ordain this my last will and testament, and in the first place I recommend my soul unto the hands of God who gave it, and my body I commit to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executor hereafter named, in hopes of a glorious resurrection to eternal life through the merits of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. _And as to my worldly estate I give, demise & dispose of the same as follows, viz. Imprimis I will that all my just debts and funeral charges be paid as soon as conveniently may be after my decease by my executor herein after named. _Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Lucy How thirty nine pounds two shillings & two pence lawful money to be paid to her by my executor in one year after my decease, and also one quarter part of my household goods. _Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Margaret Thurston sixty one pounds seven shillings & six pence lawfull money to be paid to her by my said executor in one year after my decease, and also one quarter part of my household goods. _ Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Rogers twenty eight pounds sixteen shillings lawful money to be paid to her by my said executor in one year after my decease and also one quarter part of my household goods. _Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Elisabeth Treadwell sixteen pounds two shillings lawful money to be paid to her by my said executor in one year after my decease, and also one quarter part of my household goods._ Item I give and devise to my said two daughters Mary & Elisabeth my pew in the meeting house of the first parish in said Ipswich equally between them and to their heirs and assigns forever, reserving to my son John the priviledge of sitting in said pew himself, and also to my daughters Lucy & Margaret the like priviledge of setting in said pew themselves, provided they shall ever live near said meeting house and choose to attend publick worship there._ Item I give and devise to my son Benjamin Appleton the sum of one hundred pounds to be paid to him by my executor, the one half thereof in one year after my decease and the other half thereof in two years after my decease._Item I give and devise to my son John Appleton and to his heirs and assigns forever, that part of my land which I bought of Hunt, Boardman & Cogswell adjoining to Burnham's marsh & divided from the other part of said land by a line beginning at an apple tree standing by the road called the crabbe apple tree and from thence running on a straight line to the northwest end of my fence standing between my land & land of my son John, and that piece of land which I bought of Ebenezer Fuller and also all that piece of land which I bought of (Dearey?) Hodgkins & Stone and that piece of land which I bought of John Hodgkins, _ and I will that my said son John come into possession of the land above devised to him in one year after my decease; _ I also give my said son John my best desk and the priviledge of setting in my pew in the meeting house himself but not to let the same to another; I also give to my said son John the sum of thirty pounds lawful money to be paid to him by my executor within twelve months after my decease. _Item, I give and devise to my son William Appleton and to his heirs and assigns forever, my dwelling house with all the land under and adjoining & all other buildings standing thereon and also all that piece of land which I purchased of Doctr. Calef, and all the remainder of my land which I purchased of Hunt, Boardman & Cogswell; all my salt marsh at Plumb Island, and all my rights in common pasture called Jeffries Neck, I also give to my son William the sum of eighty pounds lawful money out of the monies due to me on bond and notes of hand; all my chest, saddle & bridle, all my stock of meat cattle, and all my husbandry tools, I also give to my said son William the use & improvement of all my estate both real and personal for one year after my decease, except my household furniture & wearing apparel. _ Item I give bequeath to my three sons Benjamin, William & John all my wearing apparel to be equally divided between them. _ Item, after all my debts, funeral charges, the legacies which I have given in this will and also the charges of settling my estate are paid, I will that the remainder of my monies on hand & what may be due to me on bonds & notes of hand be equally divided between my children Benjamin, William, John, Lucy, Margaret, Mary & Elizabeth. _ Item all the residue & remainder of my estate of what name, nature or kind soever, I give and devise to my said son William and to his heirs and assigns forever. Lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my said son William sole executor of this my last will and testament, and do hereby revoke & disannul all former wills by me made and do ratify and confirm this to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof, I do hereunto set my hand & seal this seventh day of June in the year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety three. _John Appleton signed, sealed & declared by the said John Appleton the testaor to be his last will anbd testament in the presence of us, who subscribed our names as witnesses in his presence and of each other. - William Dennis, Daniel Noyes, John O. Noyes Prob 3 Feb 1794, Essex Co., MA

Sources

1. ↑ Will of John Appleton: Massachusetts, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991; Essex Co., Probate Records, Vol 362-364, Book 62-64, 1792-1797. Archived on Ancestry.com. Transcribed by TimTreadwell, June 2019.