The Will of John Rogers of Duxbury, 1691

Date: 26 Aug 1691 to 20 Sep 1692
Location: Duxbury, Plymouth, Plymouth Colony [uncertain]
Surnames/tags: Rogers Mayflower

Last Will & Testament of John Rogers Sen of Duxborough

On the 26 August in the year of our Lord 1691:

In the name of God Amen.

I John Rogers Sen of Duxborough in the County of New Plimouth Being Sick and weak of Body but of Sound and perfect mind and memory Praise be therefore Given to Almighty God Doe make and ordain this my present last will and Testament in maner and forme following that is to say first and Principally I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God Hoping through the merits Death and Passion of my Saviour Jesus Christ to have full and free pardon and forgiveness of all my sins and to Inherit Everlasting Life.

And my Body I commit to the earth of the decently Buried at the discretion of my Executor hereafter named.

And as Touching the Disposall of all Such Temporall Estate as it hath pleased God to bestow upon me I Give and Dispose thereof as followeth.

First I will that my debts and funerall charges be paid.

Item I Give unto my Grandson John Rogers all my houses and Lands Lying and being in the Township of Duxborough in the County aforesaid to him and his heires forever. I give also unto my Grandson John Tisdall for the use of his mother Anne Terrey one half of my Land Divided and undivided lying and being in the township of Middleborough Excepting my Right in the Majors Purchase and my Will is that this Land be disposed of according to his mothers mind.

Item I give unto my daughter Elizabeth Williams the other half of sd tract of Land in the Township of Middleborough as aforesaid to her and her heires. All my Cattell I Will that they be Equally divided Between my daughter Elizabeth Williams and my Grandson John Rogers and my Grandson John Tisdall.

Item I Give my houshold Stuff and moneys whatsoever unto my Grandson John Rogers out of which he shall pay forty shillings to his sister Elizabeth Rogers and twenty shillings apeece to his other three sisters Hannah Bradford Ruth Rogers and Sarah Rogers. Also I Give that twenty shillings a year which is my due for fourscore acres of land which I sold to my two Grandsons Joseph Richmond and Edward Richmond which said twenty shillings a year I Give to my daughter Abigail Richmond.

I Doe hereby Constitute make and appoint my Loving Son John Rogers sole Executor and Administrator of this my last Will and Testament. John Rogers"

Signed Sealed in John Rogers & a (seal) in the presence of Rhodolphus Thacher, Mary Wadsworth, Elisha Wadsworth

Mr Rhodolphus Thacher and Elisha Wadsworth two of the witness herein named made oath before the Court at Plimouth the 20th of Sept 1692 that they were present and Saw and heard the above named John Rogers the testator Sign Seal and Declare the above written to be his last will and testament and that to the best of their Judgment he was of sound mind and memory when he did the same Attest. -- Saml Sprague Clerk

Sources

• Plymouth County Probate Records, Vol. 1:145
• George Ernest Bowman, "The Will of John Rogers" Mayflower Descendant Vol. 5:205-6.
• Mayflower Families Through Five Generations Vol. 19, p. 7-8.