Maine GenealogyThe Will of William Pepperrell
From York County Probate Records, Volume Four (1677-1734)
In the Name of God Amen the ninteenth Day of Iuly Anno Domini one Thousand Seven Hundred thirty & three. I William Pepperrell of Kittery in the County of York in the Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England Merchant, being aged & weak in Body but of perfect mind & memory, thanks be given unto God : therefore calling unto Mind the Mortality of my Body, do make & ordain this my last Will & Testament that is to Say Principally & first of of all, I Give & Recommend my Soul into the hands of God that gave it, & my Body I Recommend to ye Earth to be Buried in Decent Christian Burial at ye Discretion of my Creator believing that at the General Resurrection I Shall receive the Same again by the Mighty Power of God, And as touching Such Worldly Estate where with it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life I Give, Demise & Dispose of the Same in the following manner & form.
Imprimis, I give & bequeath unto Margery my dearly beloved Wife Six Hundred Pounds in good currant Money, or Bills of Credit of this Province and one Horse, & two Oxen, & two Cows to her, her Heirs & Assigns forever. I also give unto her during her natural Life the Use Improvement Benefit & Income or produce of the Moiety, or one Half Part of the Farm or Place whereon I now dwell, & which I do now possess; together with half my Dwelling House out-Houses & Barns, of every Denomination, and the one half part of my Orchard, and Liberty to cutt & carry of from any of my Lands, what fire wood & Timber she shall or may have Occasion to make Use of, And the Use of all my Plate & Houshold-stuff which I shall leave at my Decease (Excepting & Reserving only Such Parts or Parcels of my Houshold-stuff as I Shall hereafter in these Presents give away) during the Term of her natural life abovesd provided & be it hereby always Understood that my said Wife Margery do upon her accepting & receiving what I have herein given unto her Renounce & Quitt all Claim to any Right of Dowry & power of Thirds of in & unto my Estate & every part thereof for Ever.
Item, I give unto my well-beloved Daughter Mary Frost Besideso what I have heretofore given her) Five Hundred Pounds, part of which Sum to be that which her Husband Iohn Frost Decesd was indebted unto me at his Decease; the Remainder of the Said Sum of Fve Hundred Pounds to be paid to her by my Executor in good currant Money or in Bills of Credit of the aforsd Province within the Space of one Year next following after my Decease & if it Should so be that She should depart this Life before it be paid to her, then the said Money or Bills Shall be Divided among her Children in equall Shares or Portions
Item. I give to my well-beloved Daughter Margery Gunnison (besides what I have heretofore given to her) Two Hundred Pounds in good currant money or in good Bills of Credit of the aforesaid Province to be to her by my Executor within the Space of one Year next Ensewing after my Decease. I also give to her during her natural Life Half an Acre of Land at the Point in Kittery aforsd as it is now butted & bounded, and the Dwelling House that is on ye Said Land wherein She did formerly Reside, and also the Liberty & Power to Dispose of the sd House & Land to any one of or among her Children their Heirs and Assigns for ever as She in her Discretion Shall See fit; but if it should so be that she should depart this Life before the Two Hundred Pounds be Paid paid to her & She make any alienation or Conveyance of ye Said Land & House then the said Money with the House & Land aforsd Shall be Divided amongst her Children in Equall Shares or Portions.
Item, I give to my well beloved Daughter Dorathy Watkins (besides what I have heretofore given to her) Five Hundred Pounds in good currant Money or in Bills of Credit of the aforsd Province to be paid to her by my Executor within the Space of one year next following after my Decease, And if it should so be that she should depart this Life before the said five Hundred Pounds be paid to her, then it Shall be paid to and divided amongst her Children in equall Shares or Portions. I also give to my said Daughter Dorathy Watkins her Heirs & Assigns my Negro Man servant Named George or one Hundred Pounds in Current Money or in good Bills of Credit of ye aforsd Province in the Room or stead of him; And I do hereby order that if the said negro Servant do faithfully & truly Serve untill he Shall come to the age of Forty years that then he shall have his Discharge Liberty & Freedom given him.
Item : I give to my well beloved Daughter Iane Clark (besides what I have heretofore given her) Five Hundred Pounds in good currant Money or in good Bills of Credit of Credit of the aforsd Province to be paid to her by my Executor within the Space of one year next after my Decease. And if it Should so happen that She should depart this Life before it be paid to her then it Shall be paid to & Divided among her Children in Equal Shares or Portions.
Item. I give to my son in Law George Iackson Ten Shillings to be paid to him by my Executor in Currant Money or Bills of Credit of ye aforsd Province within the space of a year after my Decease
Item : I give to my Grand children, the Children of my Daughter mary Frost as followeth vizt To Willm Frost Ten pounds and to Iohn Charles, George, Joseph, Andrew, Sarah, Abigail Miriam, Iane, Dorathy, Frost's to Each & ever of them Twenty Pounds in good currant Money or Bills of Credit of the aforessd Province, to be paid to them by my Executor when they Shall be of the Age of Twenty one years, or be Married, And if it Should so happen that any of my abovenamed Grand-children Frost's should depart this Life before that he or she Shall be of A Lawfull Age or Married then what I have herein given to the Decesd shall be paid to & Divided among the surviving Brethren & sisters in Equall shares or Portions by my Executor.
Item : I give to my well Beloved Daughter Miriam Tyler, (Besides what I have heretofore given to her) Four hundred Pounds in Good Currant money or in Bills of Credit of the Aforesaid Province to be paid to her by my Execr within the Space of One Year next Following after my Decease and if it Should So be that She Should Depart this life before the Said money or bills be paid to her, then it Shall be paid to and Divided among her Children in Equal Shares or portions.
Item. I Give to my beloved Grand children Peletiah & Ioel Whittemore Twenty pounds to each of them. And to Willm Whittemore ten shillings and to Mary March (their sister) ten shillings in good currant Money or Bills of ye aforsd Province to be paid to them by my Executor when they Shall be of Lawfull Age and if it should so happen that any of them Should depart this Life before what is herein given be paid to him or her then what I have herein given to the Decesd Shall be paid unto & divided equally among those that shall Survive of them or Such as Shall Legally represent them.
Item. I giue to my beloved Grand-children the Children of my Danghter Ioanna Iackson Decesd as followeth. Vizt to Margery Iackson the Land, House, & Orchard that was formerly Majr Francis Hooks Esqr Decesd to her and her Heirs for ever provided & on Condition that She lives and dwells on the Said Land, & if She shall not dwell there then to be paid by my Executor one Hundred Pounds in Currant Money or Bills of Credit of the aforsd Province when She shall be of Lawfull Age to receive it or Married & my Executor his Heirs & Assigns to Enjoy & possess the said Land & House & Orchard for ever. And to Mary Elizth Ioanna Dorothy, & Sarah Iackson, one Hundred pounds to Each & every of them to be paid to them in Currant Money of Bills of Credit of the aforsd Province by my Executor when they shall be of Lawful Age or Married; but if it should so happen that Any of my abovenamed Grand Children Iacksons should depart this Life before lawfull Age or Married then the Surviving of them or such as Shall legally represent them shall have divided in equal shares or Portions that which Should have been paid to the Decesd.
Item : I give to my beloved Grand children William, Andrew, Miriam, Mary & Katharine Tyler's Twenty Pounds to each of them & to my Grandson Pepperrell Tyler Forty Pounds; to be paid to them by my Executor in currant Money or Bills of Credit of the aforesd Province as they shall be of Lawfull Age or married; and if it should so happen that any of abovenamed Grand-children Tyler Should depart this Life before Lawful Age or Married then such of them as shall survive or Legally represent the Decesd Shall have divided in equal shares or Portions among them that which should have been paid to the Decesed.
Item : I give to my beloved Grandsons Andrew & Iohn Watkins Twenty pounds to Each of them, to be paid to them in good currant Money or Bills of Credit of the aforesaid Province by my Executor when they shall be of Twenty one Years of Age, And if it should so happen that either of them Should depart this Life before he he Shall be of that Age then the Sum of Forty Pounds shall be paid unto the Surviving Brother.
Item : I give to my beloved Grandsons William Clark one Hundred pounds & Benjamin Clark Fifty pounds to be paid to them by my Executor in Currant Money or Bills of Credit of the aforsaid Province when they shall be Twenty one years of Age. And if it should So happen that either of them should depart this Life before he shall be of the Age above mentioned, then the Surviving Brother if he liveth to the Age of Twenty one shall have paid to him the sum of one Hundred and Fifty Pounds.
Item : I give to my beloved Grandaughter Sarah Frost the Wife of Charles Frost ten pounds in Currant Money or Bills of Credit of ye aforesd Province to be paid to her within the Space of one Year next after my Decese by my Executor : I also give to Each of her Children vizt Charles, Sarah, Margery & Iane Frosts' Twenty Pounds in Currant Money or in Bills of Credit of this Province, to be paid to them when they Shall be of Lawful Age or Married by my Executor, & if it should be that any of them should depart this Life before that the sum herein given be paid them the Decesd's Part Shall be divided in equal shares amongst them that shall surviue.
Item : I give to my beloved Grandaughter Margery Wentworth one Hundred & Fifty Pounds in currant Money or Bills of Credit of the aforsd Province, to be paid to her by my Executor within the Space of one year next Ensewing my Decease. I also give to her Son Andrew Pepperrell Wentworth Thirty pounds & to her Daughter Sarah Wentworth Twenty pounds in Currant Money or Bills of Credit of the aforsd Province; to be paid to them by my Executor when they shall be of Lawfull Age or Married, and if it should so be that Either of them should depart this life before lawful Age or Married then the sum of Fifty Pounds Shall be paid to the survivour of them :
Item : I give to my beloved Grandson Andrew Pepperrell his Heirs & Assigns for ever my Farm in York that I purchased of Arthur Bragdon, Together with all Appurtinances belonging to the Said Farm, to be possest thereof when he shall be of Twenty one years of Age, I also give unto him the Rent or Income of the said Farm until that Time. But if it so happen that my Said Grandson Depart this Life before he shall be of age to Inherit the said Farm, and my son William Should have another Son Named either Andrew or William then I give the said Farm together with the appurtinances thereunto belonging & the Rent thereof to him his Heirs & Assigns for ever : And if it should so be that my son William Pepperrell should not have a son of either of those Names live to the Age of twenty one years to inherit the said Farm, Then I give the said Farm with the Rent or Income thereof unto my Grand son William Clark & his Heirs & Assigns for ever And if the Said William Clark should depart this life before he shall be of a Lawful Age to Inherit, & possess it, then the said Farm Shall be & Remain my son William Pepperrells his Heirs & Assigns for Ever.
Item : I give to my beloved Grandaughter Elizabeth Pepperrell one Hundred Pounds in currant Money or Bills of Credit of the aforesaid Province to be paid to her by my Executor when she shall be of Lawful Age or Married.
Item : I give to Each of my Kinsmen William, Andrew, & Iohn Phillips Twenty Pounds in Currant Money or in good Bills of Credit of the aforesd Province to be paid to them by my Executor.
Item : I give unto the Church in the Lower Precinct or Parish in ye Town of Kittery the Sum of sixty Pounds in Currant Money or Bills of Credit of the aforesd Province to be laid out or turned into Plate or Vessels for the Use of said Church at the Discretion of my Executor & Overseers with the Pastor & Deacons of said Church.
Item : I give to the Poor of the Church in the Lower Precinct or Parish in the Town of Kittery The sum of Fifty Pounds in Currant Money or Bills of Credit of this Province to be paid by my Executor to the Pastor & Deacons of said Church, to be Distributed by them among the Poor of said Church at such Times & in such quantities as they in their Discretion shall see meet.
Item. I give to the Poor in the lower Precinct or Parish in Kittery aforesd sixty Pounds to be Laid out in Corn & Distributed amongst them at the Discretion of my Executor & Overseers.
Item : After the Decese of Margery my Wife I give the Moiety or one half part of my Plate & Houshold-stuff To my son William Pepperrell & the other moiety or half part thereof to my Daughters Mary Frost, Margery Gunnison, Miriam Tyler, Dorothy Watkins, Iane Clark & the Children of my Daughter Joanna Jackson Dece'sd or those that shall legally represent them; my Grandchildren Jacksons to have one Sixth part thereof the remainder to be equally Divided among my Daughters aforesd or Such as shall legally represent them.
Item : I give of my Money in Mr Henry Roe's Keeping in Great Brittain unto my Cousin Mary Nicols in Ravelstock Twenty Five Pounds, and to my said Cousin Nicols two Daughters Mary & Elizth Four Pounds to be Equally divided between them. I also give unto my Cousin Tamazin Gilberts Daughters Five pounds and unto Ioan gendal in Primstock five Pounds. & unto Dorothy Lapthorn twenty Shillings if she be living. I also give unto ye Poor in the Parish of Ravelstock Five pounds to be divided among them at the Discretion of the said Mr Henry Roe.
Item. I give unto my Molatto man servant named Toby his Discharge Liberty & Freedom at one Years end next after my Decease on the Condition that he behave himselfe a true & Faithful Servant until that Time.
Item : I give unto my Negro man servant Named Scipio his Discharge Liberty & Freedom when he shall be Forty years old Provided & on Condition that he truly & faithfully serve until that Time
Item : I give unto my much Respected Friend Colln John Wheelwright Esqr Five pounds & Colln Timothy Gerrish Esqr Five pounds & The Revnd Mr John Newmarch Ten pounds in Currant Money or in Bills of Credit of the aforsaid Province. Whom I Desire Constitute & Appoint to be my Overseers of this my last Will & Testament
Item. I give unto my wellbeloved son William Pepperrell, whom I Constitute Make & Ordain my sole Executor of this my last Will & Testament all the Residue or Remainder of my Estate both Real & Personal of every Kind & Denomination whatsoever & in what place soever the same or any part thereof shall be to him his Heirs & Assigns for ever. And after the Decease of Margery my dearly beloved Wife I also give unto him my said son his Heirs & assigns forever the other moiety or half part of my Farm or Land whereon I do now live & dwell with Dwelling-House, out Houses & other Biuldings that are thereon the whole & every Part thereof freely to be possessed & Enjoyed by him and them for Ever.
And I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke & disanul all & every other former Testaments Wills Legacies & Bequests & Executors by me in anywayes before Named, Willed & Bequeathed Ratifying & Confirming, this & no other to be my Last Will & Testament.
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & seal the Day and Year above written
| Signed sealed Published Pronounced & Declared by the said William Pepperrell as his Last Will & Testament in the Presence of us the Subscribers. Joseph Hammond Bray Dearing Willm Daring Iohn Dearing. |  | memorandum : the words Province & shall be were (in the third Page) inter- lined before signing. William Pepperrell (Seal) |
| Probated 6 March 1733-4. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 342, citing Probate Office, 4, 177. | ||
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