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Benjamin Weeks was born on the 4th of April 1685 in Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts. [1]
He married Mary (Chase) Weeks on the 14th of January 1704.[2] They had four children.
He died 9 Nov 1744 in White Oak River, Carteret, North Carolina. Weekes, Benjamin, Xov. 9th, 1744; Jan'y, 1746. Sons Isaac, Jarbus, SliolHes, Nicholas and Benjamin, daughters Lydia Wilton, Mary Williams, Christian, Thankful Hicks and Elizabeth, wife Mary Exx. Test, Jehoshaphat Hallome, Francis Burrus, Thos. Persons. [3]
Grimes Abstracts varies slightly, naming more children:
WEEKES , BENJAMIN . Carteret County . November 9 , 1744. June Court , 1745. Sons : ISAAC , JARBUS , THEFFLUS , ARCHELAS , BENGUMEN . Daughters : LIDDA WITTON , Mary WillIMS , CHRISTIAN WEAKS , THANKFULL Hicks , ELIZABETH WEEKS . Executrix : Mary . Witnesses : JEHOSHAPHAT HOLLANDS , FRANCIS BURNS , THOMAS PERSON . Clerk of the Court : GEORGE READ .[4]
In the Name of God Amen, ys. Ninth Day of November, in the Year of our Lord, One thousand. Seven hundred & Forty Four. I, Bingman Weeks, of Cartwright County, in North Carolina, being very sick & weak of Body, but of Perfect Mind & Memory, Thanks be given unto almighty God for it, & Knowing it is appointed for all Men Once to Die, Do make & Ordain this to be my last Will & Testament, that is to say; First of all I give my Sold into the Hands of God that gave it ; & for my Body, I recommend to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like manner at the Discretion of my Executors, Nothing Doubting but at the General Resurrection I shal receive the same again by the mighty Power of God that gave it; And as for Touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me with, I give & Dispose of the same in the Manner & form following.
Item, I give & bequeath unto my two Sons, Isaac Weeks & Jabas Weeks, the Tract of Land that I now dwell on with the Marsh thereunto belonging, to be Equally divided between them and their Heirs & Assigns for Ever. That is to say, my Son Jabas to have that Part of the Land that the Plantation & Houses is on, and Isaac to have the other Part with half the Marsh.
Item, I give to my Son, Theoflis Weaks, on Shilling, Sterling.
Item, I give unto my Son, Archelas, One Shilling, Sterling.
Item, I give to my Son, Bingmam, One Shilling Sterling.
Item, I give to my Daughter, Lidde Witton, One Shilling Sterling.Item, I give to my Dafter, Mary Williams, One Shilling, Sterling.
Item, I give to my Dafter, Christian Weake, One Shilling Sterling.
Item, I give to my Dafter, Thankful Hicks, One Shilling Sterling.
Item, my Will & Desire is for my Wife to have the Plantation in her Lifetime.
I give to my Dafter, Elizabeth Weake, one Shilling Sterling.
Item, my Will & Desire is that my two Sons, Isaac & Jabas, do Each of them pay unto my Grand Son Edward Weaks, the Sum of Ten Pounds, current Money of Carolina, & upon Failure thereof to be Dispossessed of the Land before given.
Item, I give unto my well beloved Wife, Mary Weake, Two Beds & Furniture, Two Cows & , and all other Hous-
hold Goods & all the Remaining Part of my Estate that is not yet given During her Widowhood, She paying all my Lawful Debts. I also Depute and apoint my sd. Wife to be my whole & sole Executor of this my last Will & Testament, Ratifying and alowing this & no other to be my last Will and Testament. Disanulling all other Will formarly by me made.
In Testimony hereunto I have Set my Hand & Seal the Day & Year above Avritten. his BiNGMAN B Wears (Seal) mark
Signed, Sealed in the Presence of us, Jehosaphat Holland. Francis Burns. his Thos. T Person. mark
Cakteret County, North Carolina. June Court, 1745.
These may certify that Thomas Person, One of the Evidences to the Within Will, in open Court made Oath that he Saw Benjamin Weeks, Deed., Sign & Seal the same; and that he also saw Jehosaphat Holland & Francis Burns, Evidence the same, And Mary Weekes, Widow, hath taken the Oath of an Executrix, and by the Court admitted to Record. Dated at the Court House the 6th. Day of June, Anno Domini, 1745.
Tess. Geor. Read, Clk. Cur.
Recorded in Will Book 6, page 62.[5]
Benjamin Weeks was born 4 April of 1685, Falmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The exact marriage date for him and Mary Chase, daughter of Isaac Chase and Mary Tilton, is somewhat in question. In the vital records of Tisbury, Massachusetts, under marriages, it lists Mary Chase and "Benjiman Weck" of Falmouth, 14 Jan. 1704 with as asterisk. The asterisk indicated that an intention had not been recorded. I assume that to mean that they announced their desire to marry at that time, but did not state a given time for that marriage to take place. Going to the original vital records of Falmouth, Massachusetts, it lists "Beniamin Wekes and Mary Chaces Intentions of marring [sic] published May the 27th 1704." The actual marriage could have occurred after that date, so it would seem we can only say they may have married in 1704, after May 27th. Mary was born 17 January 1687/88 in Tisbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts. [6]
Mary's father, Isaac, was supposedly a Quaker, although not ultra orthodox. It was Quaker custom to appear at two monthly meetings, in succession, when contemplating marriage. The publishing of their intentions had a span of several months between, however, so maybe one or the other got cold feet, then changed their mind. [6]
The first reference I find concerning Benjamin after their marriage is when he purchased Weepecket, a small four-acre island on the north side of Naushon. It had been originally acquired by Thomas Mayhew, who sold it to Matthew Mayhew in 1682. Mathew then sold it to Benjamin Weeks, of Falmouth, in 1714. [6]
Benjamin's father-in-law, Isaac Chase, kept a tavern at Holmes/Home's Hole for many years. In concert with that, he operated a ferry to transport persons and their mounts from Martha's Vineyard to Falmouth. In 1716, Benjamin Weeks is referred to as the ferryman, so it might be that Isaac turned the business over to him. [6]
By 1741, and possibly as early as the 1730s, Benjamin and Mary Chase Weeks were in Carteret County, North Carolina. Where they were between 1716 and 1722 when their son, Isaac, was christened in Plymouth, and after 1729 when their son Jabez/Jabish was christened in Plymouth, I have not been able to discover at this point. [6]
There is no mention of the Benjamin and Mary Weeks family in the Carteret County records before 1741, when Benjamin appeared at the March term of Court for that year and made oath that he had in his family six white persons. I assume that was in addition to himself. He and Mary were also to give evidence in a court case. [6]
By March of 1744/45 we find that Mary is a widow when she requests a summons for Thomas Person to appear at the next court so that he can prove her husband's will. At that time she also requested that the boy, John Jones, be allowed to live with her family and be taught to read. At the June term of Court in 1745, Mary, as widow of Benjamin Weeks, deceased, produced the last will and testament of the said Benjamin. A transcribed copy of the original will was sent to me by Mr. George McLoughlin, who is a descendant of Christian Weeks. It can also be found in J. Bryant Grimes North Carolina Wills and Inventories, pg. 441-442. [6]
WILL OF BINGMAN [sic] WEEKS
In the Name of God Amen, ys. Ninth Day of November in the Year of our Lord, one thousand, Seven hundred & Forty Four. I, Bingman Weeks, of Cartwright County, in North Carolina, being of sick and weak Body, but of Perfect Mind & Memory, Thanks be given unto almighty God for it, & Knowing it is appointed for all Men Once to Die, Do make & Ordain this to be my last Will & Testament, that is to say; First of all I give my Sold [sic] into the Hands of God that gave it; & for my Body, I recommend to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like manner at the Discretion of my Executors, Nothing Doubting but at the General Resurrection I shal receive the same again by the mighty Power of God that gave it; And as for Touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me with, I give & Dispose of the same in the Manner & form following: [6]
Item: I give and bequeath unto my two sons, Isaac Weeks & Jabas Weeks, the Tract of Land that I now dwell on with the Marsh thereunto belonging, to be Equally divided between them and their Heirs & Assigns for Ever. That is to say, my Son Jabas to have that Part of the Land that the Plantation & Houses is on, and Isaac to have the other Part with half the Marsh.
Item: I give to my Son, Theoflis Weaks, one Shilling, Sterling.
Item: I give to my Son, Archelas, One Shilling, Sterling.
Item: I give to my Son, Bingman, One Shilling, Sterling.
Item: I give to my Daughter, Lidde Witton, One Shilling, Sterling.
Item: I give to my Dafter, Mary Williams, One Shilling, Sterling.
Item: I give unto my Dafter, Christian Weake, One Shilling, Sterling.
Item: I give to my Dafter, Thankful Hicks, One Shilling Sterling.
Item: my Will & Desire is for my Wife to have the Plantation in her Lifetime.
Item: I give to my Dafter, Elizabeth Weake, One Shilling.
Item: my Will and Desire is that my two Sons, Isaac & Jabas, do Each of them pay unto my Grand Son, Edward Weaks, the Sum of Ten Pounds, current money of Carolina, & upon Failure thereof to be Dispossessed of the Land before given.
Item: I give unto my well beloved wife, Mary Weake, Two Beds & Furniture, Two Cows & Horses, and all other Household Goods & all the Remaining Part of my Estate that is not yet given, During her Widowhood, She paying all my Lawful Debts. I also Depute and apoint my sd. Wife to be my whole & sole Executor of this my last Will & Testament, Ratifying and alowing this & no other to be my last Will & Testament, Disanulling all other Will formarly by me made.
In Testimony hereunto I have Set my Hand & Seal the year and date above written. [6]
His Mark Signed: Bingman (B) Weaks
Signed, Sealed in the Presence of us,
Jehosaphat Holland
Francis Burns
his
Thomas T. Person
mark
Carteret County, North Carolina.
June Court, 1745. [6]
These may certify that Thomas Person, one of the Evidences to the Within Will, in open Court made Oath that he Saw Benjamin Weeks, Decd., Sign & Seal the same: and that he also saw Jehosaphat Holland & Francis Burns, Evidence the same, And Mary Weekes, Widow, hath taken the Oath of an Executrix, and by the Court admitted to Record. Dated at the Court House the 6th Day of June, Anno Domini, 1745.
Teee. Geor. Read, Clk. Cur.
Recorded in Will Book 6, pg. 62. [6]
Mary is still living in 1749, as she and her son, Isaac, are to give evidence for a suit against William Gray, who was accused of taking a hog. [6]
At the present time, a death date for Mary is not known. [6]
With the exception of Isaac, Elizabeth and Jabez, the dates for the children are estimates, and they could have been born before or after the years indicated. Benjamin and Mary Chase Weeks had the following children, most of whom were probably born in Tisbury or Falmouth, Massachusetts: [6]
1) Mary Weeks, born abt. 1710, Massachusetts. Md. Weston Williams. [6]
2) Lida Weeks, born abt. 1712. Md. a Witton. Mr. Dickerson indicates that she married Thomas Whitten. (See footnote) [6]
3) Archelas Weeks, born abt. 1714. [6]
4) Theophilus Weeks, born abt. 1716. D. 1772, Swansboro, NC. Married Grace Green, a widow. She was born in Falmouth, Massachusetts, died in Onslow County, NC. [6]
5) Thankful Weeks*, born abt. 1720, Massachusetts. Died abt. 1785, Craven County, North Carolina. Md. Thomas Hicks, most likely a son of Thomas and Abigail Bliffin Hicks, formerly of Swansea, Massachusetts. Mr. Dickerson indicates that Thankful married Thomas in Plymouth, Massachusetts. (See the Hicks Family History). [6]
6) Isaac Weeks, christened 21 July 1722, Plymouth, Massachusetts. Md. Sarah, surname unknown. Living in Carteret County, NC by 1741. Gave evidence in a suit of the King against a Thomas Hicks in 1749. Thomas, a planter, had acknowledged himself indebted to the King for the sum of ten pounds during the March term of court 1747. This must be one of the other Thomases in the area, as the Thomas Thankful married was a cooper. [6]
7) Elizabeth Weeks, christened 14 Feb. 1724/25, Plymouth, Massachusetts. [6]
8) Benjamin Weeks, born abt. 1726, Plymouth, Massachusetts. [6]
9) Jabish [Jabez] Weeks, christened 4 Aug. 1729, Plymouth, Mass. Md. Mary Rhodes abt. 1745. He is mentioned in the June term of court, 1751. [6]
10) Christian Weeks, born bef. 1744. D. 21 Jan 1806, Mandeville, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. Md. Abel Goffigon. He was born 1747 in Northampton Co., Virginia; died before 1794 in St. Tammany Parish. [6]
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