Maine Wills

 From York Registry of Deeds (1640-91)

   In the Name of God Amen/ the xxv^th of June in y^e year of our Lord one thousand Six hundred fforty Seuen, I George Puddington the unprofitable Seruant of God, weake in body, but Strong in mind, doe willingly and with a free heart render and giue again into y^e hands of my Lord God and Creat^r my Spirit which he of his ffatherly goodness gaue unto me when he first fashioned me in my Mothers Wombe, making me a liuing and a reasonable Creature, Nothing Doubting but that for his infinite Mercye, Set forth in y^e precious blood of his Dearly beloued Son Jesus Christ our onely Saui^r & Redeem^r he will receiue my Soul into his Blessed Saints.

   And as concerneing my body Euen with a good will & free heart I giue ouer, recomending it to y^e earth whereof it came nothing doubting but according to y^e Article of my faith at y^e great day of generall Resurrection when we shall appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ, I shall receiue y^e Same again by y^e mighty power of God whereas he is able to Subdue all things to himselfe, Not a corruptable, Mortall weak and vile body as it is now but an incorruptable, immortall, Strong and perfect body in all points.

   ffirst as concerning my wife with whome I Coupled my Selfe in y^e fear of God refuseing all other women I linked my Selfe unto her, liuing with her in y^e Blessed State of Honourable Wedlock, by whom alsoe by the Blessing of God I haue now two Sons and three daughters, John & Elias Mary ffrances and Rebecca. And albeit I doubt not but that God after my departure according to his promise will be unto her a husband yea a father and a Patron and Defender, and will not Suffer her to lack if She trust fear and Serue him dilligently calling upon his holy name, yet forasmuch as God hath Blessed me with Worldly Substance and She is my own flesh, and whoso prouideth not for his, denieth the ffaith and is worse than an Infidell/ I therefore giue & bequeath unto John my Eldest Son, and Elias my youngest Son all my land and houses and out houses which are now in my Possession where I now dwell in Gorgeana in New-England and alsoe all my Marsh ground, or land, in Gorgeana aforesaid with all y^e appurtenances thereunto belonging to them and to their heires for euer Equally to be Deuided, but if any of my Sons doe die without heires of his body lawfully begotten that then the land and Marishes aforesaid remain to y^e longest liuer and to his heires ffor Euer. But if it shall please God that both my Sons doe die w^thout heires of their bodyes lawfully begotten that then I giue and bequeath the aforesaid land and Marish grond unto my three daughters Mary Rebecca & ffrances, and and to their heires for Euer/ And if any of them Shall die without Issue of their bodies lawfully begotten then to the longest liuer and their heires for euer/ but if all my Children doe die without heires that then I giue and bequeath my aforesaid land and Marish ground unto my brother Robert Puddington and his heires for Euer Prouided always that Mary my wife haue y^e Said land and Marsh ground during this her Mortall life for y^e bringing up and Maintainance of my said Children—moreouer I giue and bequeath unto Mary my Eldest daughter one cow called or known by y^e name of Ladd and fiue pounds Starling when She Shall come unto the age of Sixteen yeares/ I doe giue and bequeath unto my Second Daughter ffrances one Cow called or known by the name of young finch, and fiue pounds of money, and the which to be payd unto her at y^e age of Sixteen yeares ffurther I doe giue and bequeath unto my youngest daughter Rebecca one heifer called or known by the name of young Ladd and fiue pounds of money and the said 5^lb to be payd unto her at y^e age of Sixteen yeares And all y^e aforesaid Cattle to remain in Mary my wiues Custody untill they or Either of them Shall come unto y^e age of Sixteen years without any fraud or Couin And my meaning is that my three daught^rs Shall haue the thirds of y^e Increase of the afores^d Cattle in the mean to their use/ My Will is further that I doe giue unto John my Eldest Son, my best feather bed with all things Else thereunto belonging, and one long Table, and a Brewing ffurnis, but Mary my wife to haue y^e use of them untill he come unto y^e age of one and twenty years but if he Shall die in the mean time that then my Will is that y^e ffether bed with that thereunto belonging, and the Table and the Brewing ffurnis I giue unto Elias my youngest Son and to his heires for Euer/ My Will is further that I doe giue unto Mary my Eldest daughter, one fflock bed and Bolster with all things Else belonging, also my Will is that Mary my Wife I doe make and ordaine to be full and wholly Executrix of this my last Will and Testament/ Alsoe my desire is that my Brother Robert Puddington and M^r Edward Johnson M^r Abraham Preble & M^r John Alcock to be Supervisers of this my Will/ And in token of my loue unto them, I bequeath unto these my Supervisers ten Shillings.

   Witnesse hereof I haue hereunto Set my hand and Seal in the presents of/

John Alcock    The mark of + Bartholmew Barnet    The mark of X Arthur Bragdon		George Puddington (Seal)
Recorded 18 Jany 1695-6. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 99, citing Registry of Deeds, 5, 121.