Maine Wills

 From Maine Court Records (1661-93)

May : 7 : 1667 : In the name of god Amen/

   The last Will & Testament of Mr John Gouch Senjo^r now liueing in Wells, In the Province of Mayn/

   I bequeath my soule to god that gaue It in hopes of a Joyfull resurrection, through Jesus Christ my Saujo^r, & my body to the earth from whence It was taken to bee honorably burjed by my executrix/

   I do make my Loueing wife Ruth Gooch my soole executrix/ And first I do bequeath vnto her that Prcell of Marsh at y^e Yland, which Marsh I bought of Samuell Austine, w^ch lyeth on the Northeast side of the aforesd Yland, which lyeth before my now dwelling house/ I do also bequeath to my executrix my Oarchard, W^ch is adioyneing to my sd dwelling house/ furthermore I do bequeath vnto my executrix all my Cattle, & horse kind, sheepe & swine, & all my househould goods, & all my moueable goods, all which is to bee at her Lyberty to dispose off, as shee shall see Cause, & all the rest of my Lands (except w^t is vnderwritten) I do give & bequeath vnto my sun John Gouch, vidz^t : My land which I now liue vpon & Marsh belonging therevnto, which is to bee his own with in six Moenths after my death/ & my executrix to haue the vsse of the dwelling house as shee shall see Cause dureing her life, & the sd John Gouch is to pay to my executrix towards her liuelyhood yearely, & euery yeare seaven pounds dureing her life In M^rchandable provission, or other pay as shee shall accept off/

   Allsoe I do will & bequeath vnto my sun John Gouch, all my right & priuiledg to & in that swampe lijng on the North east side of my house, & all my houseing except y^t before excepted/

   And I do will & bequeath to my sun James Gooch a Certen parcell of Land w^ch I bought of William Hammonds, Namely an Oachard Garden & house being in a place Called Slymbridge, In ould England with all Rents dues, & Arreas therevnto belonging/

   I do will & bequeath vnto my sunn James, a certen Prcell of vpland, lijng on the South West side of the aboue mentioned Yland, next the Mussell Ridge & soe to y^e Sea Wall, & soe Joyneing to the Marsh W^ch I formerly gaue to my sun James/

   I do will & bequeath to my grandchildren Elizabeth Donell, Mary Weare, & Hannah Weare tenn shjllings a peece, to bee payd within three years after my death, by my executrix : And the other of my grandchildren Phoeby Weare, Peter Weare Nathaniell Weare, & Ruth Weare, & Elizabeth Austin I give to them fiue shillings a peece, to bee pd by my executrix or her Assignes, wⁿ they come of age/ And I do giue my grandchild John Gooch fiue shillings to bee pd wⁿ hee is of age by my executrix/

John Gooch Senjo^r (his seal)

   I do make Mr William Symonds, and my brother William Hammonds my supervisors or ouerseers to see this my Will Prformed, & soe I give them tenn shillings a peece/ In witness w^rvnto I haue subscribed my hand & seale the day & yeare aboue mentioned/

Signed & sealed    In ye Presence of us,    William Hammonds/    Jonathan Hammonds/		John Gooch Senjor (his seal)
Sworn to by both attesting witnesses 12 July 1667; recorded 27 July 1667. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 32, citing Court Records, F, 31.