USA > New York > Suffolk County > Early Long Island wills of Suffolk county, 1691-1703. an unabridged copy of the manuscript volume known as "The Lester will book;" being the record of the Prerogative court of the county of Suffolk, New York, with genealogical and historical notes > Part 10
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WILLIAM SMITH
In ye name of God Amen ye Eighth day of April in ye year of our Lord God 1698 I Thomas Brush 58 of Huntington in ye County of Suffolk on Nassau Island in ye Province of New York in America yeo- man being very sick & weak in body but of perfect mind & memory thanks be given unto God therefor
58 Thomas Brush was probably the son of Thomas Brush who died early in 1670. He owned No. 10 of the 10 farms.
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calling unto mind ye mortality of my body and knowing yt it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last Will & testamt. that is to say principally & first of all I give & recommend my soul into ye hands of God that gave it and for my body I commend to ye earth to be buried in a Christian like & decent manner at ye discretion of my executors nothing doubting but at ye general resurrection I shall receive ye same again by ye mighty power of God and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give devise & dispose of ye same in ye following manner & form-
Item-I give & bequeath unto my son Thomas Brush my house & home lot with this provision that my dear wife shall have possess & Enjoy ye said house with a third part of my orchard & ye third part of ye benefit of my home lot during her widow- hood and if my son shall see cause to marry then ye said Thomas Brush shall allow his mother room to live in this sd house or to set her up another con- venient room where she shall see most convenient. I also give & bequeath unto my son Thomas Brush all my right of meadow in ye old Mill Pond & my lot of land in ye old field and half my meadow at Na- guntague and half my right of land there with a hundred pound right of commonage all these fore- mentioned parcels of land & meadow I give & be- queath unto my son Thomas Brush to him and his heirs & assigns forever --
Suffolk County, 1691-1703. 165
Item-I give & bequeath unto my son Jacob Brush my two lots of land in ye west necke joining together-Also I give & bequeath unto my son Jacob ye other half of my meadow at Naguntague with ye remaining part of my land there and half a hundred pound right of commonage all these afore- mentioned lands and meadows I give & bequeath unto my son Jacob Brush to him and to his heirs and assigns forever-
Item-I give & bequeath to my son Timothy Brush my lot in ye South hollow & my hollow of land lying on ye East side of Tredwells plain and half my meadow lying on ye east Neck at South with half a hundred pound right of commonage all these forementioned lands & meadows I give & be- queath unto my son Timothy Brush to him his heirs & assigns forever-Also twenty three acres of land lying southward joining to my brother John Brush's land & ye other of my right of meadow on ye east neck at South and half a hundred pound right of commonage this I reserve as yet not knowing whether my wife be with child with a son or with a daughter, if a son I give & bequeath these fore- mentioned lands & meadows unto him his heirs & assigns forever, if a daughter then this last parcel of land and meadow to be equally divided between ye three forementioned sons-Imprimis-I give & be- queath unto my dearly beloved wife a third of my moveables with ye bed I now lye on to be part of it to be raised & to be levied out of my estate-
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Early Long Island Wills.
Item-I give & bequeath unto my six or seven daughters Rebecca Sarah Susannah Elizabeth Mary Martha all of them to have equally alike Except my daughter Rebecca being eldest to have an iron pot & a sermon book which was her grandmothers-
Item-I give & bequeath to my son Thomas Brush my gun & sword & great bible-
Item-My coopers tools I give & bequeath unto my son Jacob he returning thirty shillings to his sisters ---
Item-I give and bequeath all my carpenters tools yt I have to my son Thomas Brush disallow- ing revoke & disannul all and other former testa- ments wills legacy's bequests executors by me in any ways before this time named willed & bequeathed ratifying & confirming this & no other to be my last will & testamt. in witness whereof I the abovesd Thomas Brush have hereunto set to my hand & seal ye day & year above written-I the abovesaid Thomas Brush do by these presents make con- stitute and appoint my well beloved wife Sarah Brush my whole & sole Executrix of this my last Will & testamt, this was written before ye enseal- ing & delivery hereof, Also my brother John Brush & John Wickes I do appoint to be Executors with my loving wife in this my last Will & testamt.
THOMAS BRUSH [Seal] Signed sealed & delivered in sight & presence of us JOHN WICKES JOHN BRUSH JOHN KETCHUM
Suffolk County, 1691-1703. 167
By ye tenor of these presents Know ye that on ye 26 day of April 1699 at ye Manor of St. Georges in ye County of Suffolk in ye Province of N. York be- fore Coll. William Smith Judge of ye Prerogative Court in ye sd County was proved and approved ye last Will and testamt. of Thomas Brush of Hunting- ton in sd County deceased on ye 16th day of April Anno Dom 1698 who by his sd last Will and testamt. did nominate & appoint Sarah Brush his wife John Brush & John Wickes his Executors as per ye copy of ye sd will may appear for ye well & faithful ad- ministration of all & singular the goods chattels & credits of ye sd deceased to whose care & trust was committed ye administration of ye same to execute & perform their duty herein according to ye tenor of ye sd Will & ye laws of ye sd Province & to render an account of ye same at or before ye 26 day of October next ensuing being duly sworn thereunto before ye said Coll William Smith-
THO. HELME Cler.
In ye name of God Amen I Zachary Hawkings 59 of Brookhaven in ye County of Suffolk being weak in body but of sound memory thanks be to God have made ordained and by these presents do make
69 Zachary Hawkings was an early settler in Brookhaven, and a large owner of Proprietor rights. He seems to have lived near the boundary between Setauket and Smithtown. He was a man of active energy, and accumulated a large property. He was the ancestor of the families bearing the name in Brookhaven and elsewhere in the county.
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ordain & declare this my last Will & testamat. in manner & form following, first I give my soul to God who gave it and my body being dead to be decently buried in hopes of ye resurrection to life eternal and my worldly estate I give & dispose as followeth-
Item-My will is that all my just debts be well & truly paid in convenient time after my decease by my Executrix hereafter named-
Item-To Zachary Hawkings my Eldest son I give twelve acres in Cranes Neck near his house and all my land & meadow in Cranes Neck & in ye old field & half my meadow at ye west meadow & a third part of my commonage reserving to ye use of my wife ye one half of ye lands & meadows above named during her natural life Except ye house lot all which lands & meadows shall be & remain to my said son Zachary his heirs and assigns for ever to have & to hold as their proper inheritance-
Item-To my son Joseph Hawkings I give all my land at ye old mans in ye last division joining to Andrew Millers by computation fifty acres more or less & a fifty acre lot near thereunto and all my meadow at ye old mans meadow with my right of meadow there and at ye Wading Creek & my divi- sions of meadow at ye south in ye new purchase at Sebomucke & at Unkachogue with a third part of my commonage all which said land & meadow shall be and remain to my said son Joseph his heirs and assigns forever as their proper inheritance-
Suffolk County, 1691-1703. 169
Item-I give to my son Elcaser Hawkings when he shall be of twenty one years of age my house barn and home lot with the improvements thereon made & twenty acres of land at Newtown & my right of land in ye twenty acre division & ye half of my meadow in West meadow & one third part of my right of commonage reserving to my wife ye use & improvement of ye said house barn land and meadow and other the improvements until such time as my said son Eleaser shall be of twenty one years of age and after that ye use & improvement of ye half of ye same during her natural life all which said house lands & meadows & improvements shall be & remain to my son Elcaser his heirs and assigns for- ever to have & to hold ye same as their proper inheritance-
Item-To my grandchild Nathaniel Brewster I give all my right of upland & meadow in ye old pur- chase at ye south to have & to hold ye same as his proper inheritance ---
Item-To my grandchild Zachary Smith I give a fifty acre lot in Mount Misery to have & to hold ye same as his proper inheritance-
Item -- To my daughter Martha & to my daughter Hannah to each of them I give ten pounds to be paid them & each of them when they shall be of age or at the time of their marriage ---
Lastly-I give to my beloved wife Mary Hawkings all my moveables of what kind nature or quality soever they be for her comfortable maintenance ye
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education of my children ye payment of my debts & legacys herein named. And I do hereby nominate & appoint my said wife Mary Hawkings to be ye Executrix of this my last Will & testamt. In Witness hereunto I have set my hand & seal the 17 day of November in ye 10th year of ye reign of William ye 3d of England &c King Defender of ye faith &c Anno Dom. 1698 --
ZACHARY HAWKINGS [Seal]
Sealed published and declared in presence of
THOMAS HELME RICHARD WODHULL WVM. SATTERLY
By ye tenor of these presents Know ye that on ye 27 day of April Anno Dom. 1699 at ye Manor of St. Georges in ye County of Suffolk in ye Province of New York before Coll. William Smith Judge of ye Prerogative Court in ye County abovesd was proved & approved ye last Will & testamt. of Zachary Hawkings deceased at Brookhaven on ye day
of Anno Dom 1698 who by his said will & testamt. did nominate & appoint Mary his wife his Executrix as by ye copy of ye said Will may appear for ye well & faithful administration of all & singular ye goods chattels & credits of ye sd deceased to whose care & trust was committed ye administra- tion of ye same to Execute & perform her duty herein according to ye tenor of ye said Will & ye laws of the said Province and to render an account of
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Suffolk County, 1691-1703. 171
ye same at or before ye 27 day of October next ensuing, being duly sworn thereunto before ye sd Coll
WILLIAM SMITH
THO. HELME Cler.
In ye name of God Amen I Peter Whitier6 of Brookhaven in ye County of Suffolk on Nassau Island of ye Province of New York Yeoman being weak in body but of good & sound memory thanks be to God & being sensible of my uncertain state in this life do make ordain & declare this to be my last will & testamt. hereby revoking & annulling any other or former will by me made either by word or writing and that this & none other is to be taken to be my last will & testament (viz)-
First I commit my soul to God who gave it & my body to ye earth to be decently buried and my worldly goods I dispose in manner & form fol- lowing --
Item-My will is that all my just debts be well & truly paid in convenient time after my decease-
Item-to Rachel my beloved wife I give & bequeath ye benefit use & improvement of my house
60 Peter Whitier was probably son of Abraham Whitier, who was in Salem in 1638, and at Southold in 1660. He was living in Setauket in 1655. In 1672 he appears to have been living in Easthampton, but re- turned to Brookhaven and died there. "The meadows at Conscience " are on the borders of Conscience Bay west of Strong's Neck. "New- town " is probably East Setauket.
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Early Long Island Wills.
barn & orchard & ye rest of my homestall or lands joining thereunto both within fence & without-I give her likewise ye use of my meadows at Conscience, until such time as my son William shall be of age to possess it and then she shall enjoy my meadow at ye pond & at Whitehall during her natural life for her comfortable maintenance-
Item-to my son Abram Whitier I give a fifty acre lot lying eastward beyond Andrew Millers at ye Round Swamp joining to John Woods lot on ye east & to John Muneyes on ye west and ten acres of land near Andrew Millers which was taken out of Zachary Hawkings land with my right of meadow at ye Wading River and my right of meadow & upland at ye south number four & five and half a share of commonage and all my right of inheritance at MManchester which my father bought of John Norman to have & to hold the said lands meadows with their priviledges and commonage as is expressed to him my said son Abram his heirs & assigns forever as his or their proper inher- itance Also when my said son Abram shall be twenty- one years of age he shall receive two cows ye one given by his grandmother the other by his uncle Abram-
Item-to my son William Whitier I give all my land in Newtowne about twenty eight acres and all my land in Cranes Neck and after my wifes decease all my housing & land with ye improvements, in & about my home lot & ye land joining thereunto and my meadow at ye pond & in ye field to have & to hold ye said land & meadow with half a right of common-
Suffolk County, 1691-1703. 173
age to him my said son William his heirs & assigns forever as his or their proper inheritance also to my said son William I give all my tools & implemts. of husbandry and my arms reserving the use of ye said tools & implemts. of husbandry to ye use of my family until my wifes decease-
Item-to my daughter Sarah I give two cows or ye value of ye same to be delivered to her within a twelve month after my decease and ye half of my moveables after my wifes decease and if ye sd moveables & two cows shall not be of ye value of twenty pounds in money then my son William shall allow her so much out of ye other half of ye moveables-
Item-My will is that my son William shall have ye other half of ye moveables out of which he shall pay likewise ye cow according to ye will of his grand- mother & perform the condition of Robert Goosberry his indenture, moreover my will is that if my son Abram shall be dutiful to his mother and continue with her until he shall be twenty one years of age then he shall have a pair of steers and the long linked chain and if he shall continue in ye family until my son William be of age he shall have ye management & improvemt. of ye land & stock & for his care shall have one third part of ye increase of ye land & stock & his dyate until my son William comes to age-
Lastly-I do hereby nominate & appoint my friend Timothy Brewster my Executor of this my Will & testamt. & do desire my friend Thomas Helme to
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assist my s" Executor & be helpful to my family in ye well ordering their affairs-
In Witness hereunto I have set to my hand & seal this fifth day of June Anno Dom. 1697-
PETER WHITEHAIR [Seal]
Signed sealed & declared to be ye last testamt. of ye sd. Peter Whitier in presence of JOHN THOMAS HANNAH HULS RICHARD GREEN
Memorand. yt this Codicil to ye said Will by ye sd testator, that w'soever of my estate shall appear either moveable or unmoveable of w' kind or nature soever by ye sd will not disposed of shall be to ye maintenance of my wife and my daughter Sarak shall have one cow added to her legacy and yt my son William shall be bound to his Uncle William to learn his trade until he shall be 21 years of age and my will is that my son Abram shall further have my drugget coate & a pair of breeches- P. W. [Seal]
Signed sealed & declared to be ye annexion to ye will by ye said testator
Witness :
DANIEL BREWSTER
HANNAH SWAZY
WILLIAM W. E JAYNE his mark
To all to whom these presents shall come Greeting Know ye yt whereas Peter Whitier late of Brookhaven
Suffolk County, 1691-1703. 175
in ye County of Suffolk husbandman departed this life on ye 21 day of August Anno Dom. 1698 who by his last Will & testamt. as by ye copy thereof here- unto annexed may appear did nominate Timothy Brewster his Executor and ye sd Timothy for certain causes hath Expressly renounced ye burthen of ye Executorship, I therefore by virtue of ye power & authority to me given reposing special trust in you Thomas Helme have nominated constituted and appointed and by these presents do constitute and appoint you Thomas Helme administrator of all & singular ye goods chattels leases debts rights & credits of ye sd Peter Whitier deceased with full power to ask receive demand & recover ye same by all lawful ways & means w'soever which to ye sd deceased did any ways belong or of right appertain in ye time of his death & ye legacys specified in ye sd will in ye first place paying those debts wherein ye sd deceased stood obliged at ye time of his death you being obliged truly to administer ye same & to make or cause to be made a true & perfect inventory of all & singular ye goods & chattels debts rights & credits to ye sd deceased belonging which shall or may come to your hands possession or knowledge & to render a true & perfect acct. in & concerning ye sd administration before me or such other Judge or Judges as shall be thereunto appointed at or before ye first day of May next ensuing Witness my hand & seal ye 29th of Octob. 1698.
WM SMITH
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Early Long Island Wills.
In ye name of God Amen this eleventh day of April in ye year of our Lord Christ 1699 I Thomas Ryder " of Southhold in ye County of Suffolk on ye Island of Nassau in ye Province of New York being weak in body but sound in mind thanks be to Al- mighty God therefor & calling to mind ye uncer- tainty of this transitory life do make ordain con- stitute & appoint this to be my last Will and testament in manner & form following-Imprimis- I bequeath my soul to Almighty God from whence it came & my body to ye earth to be decently in- terred according to my degree & quality by my Executor hereafter named-
Item-I give & bequeath to my son Joseph Ryder my homestall to say housing orchard long lot & Homacke lot the half of my out lands & meadows to be equally divided between my two sons Joseph & Providence regard being had to quality as well as quantity & my desire & will is that my brothers in law Nathaniel & Gersham Terry shall see it done-
Item-I give to my said son Joseph all my tools & implements of husbandry the one half of all my Cattle except one white faced which I give to my daughter Hester-
Item-I give to my son Providence Ryder my new lot & the house thereon half of my old lands & half my meadow as aforesd half my cattle & half my
61 Thomas Ryder was son of Thomas Ryder who married Abigail, daughter of Richard Terry. In 1677 his father gave him all his lands from Sterling Creek to Toms Creek.
Suffolk County, 1691-1703. 177
clothes linen & woolen & my son Joseph ye other half
Item-I give unto my said son Providence my chest & bed & a pot-
Item-I give unto my son Jeremiah Ryder ye sum of fifty pound in money of this Province to be paid him when he shall attain to ye age of twenty one years to be paid him by his brother Joseph thirty pounds & by Providence twenty pounds & my will is that he shall be put out to a trade which he is most inclinable to-
Item-I give to my daughter Elizabeth ye now wife of Joseph Ludlam twenty sheep-
Item-I give to my daughter Abigail ye wife of William Downes one sheep in full of all portion-
Item-I give to my grandchild Abigail Downes four sheep --
Item-I give to my daughter Hester Ryder my cubbord of drawers one whitefaced cow & five sheep & ye one half of all my household goods as bedding linen woolen brass pewter iron ware & all other things within doors Except w' is before given-
Item-I give unto my daughter Mchitable five sheep & ye other half of all my household goods in manner aforesd-
Item-I do give all ye rest of my moveable estate not disposed of or mentioned in this my will unto my two sons Joseph & Providence-
Lastly-That my two sons Joseph & Providence Ryder be ye Executors to this my last Will and
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Early Long Island Wills.
testament-Revoking all wills by me formerly made and publish & declare & appoint this to be my last & only will. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal ye day & year first within written.
The mark of x THO. RYDER [Seal]
Signed sealed published & declared by ye sub- scriber Thomas Ryder as his last Will & testamt. in ye presence of us witnesses subscribed-
JACOB CONCKLIN JOSEPH MAPES ISAAC CORY
Southhold ye 26th in ye year of our Lord Christ 1699 and in ye eleventh year of his Majes reign, then appeared before me Isaac Arnold Judge of his Maj"> Court of Common Pleas for ye County of Suffolk on Nassau Island in ye Province of New York Thomas Mapes & John Tuthill Esq's his Majes Justices of ye Peace for ye sd County Jacob Concklin Joseph Mapes & Isaac Cory & made oath yt they saw Thomas Ryder late of Southhold, deceased. in his lifetime sign seal publish & declare ye above written to be his last will and testamt. and that to ye best of their skill he was of sound memory & dis- posing mind at ye time of doing thereof & is so certified per ISAAC ARNOLD
By ye tenor of these presents Know ye yt on ye 23ª day of May Anno Dom. 1699 at ye Manor of
Suffolk County, 1691-1703. 179
St. Georges in ye County of Suffolk before Coll. William Smith Judge of ye Prerogative Court in ye sd County was proved & approved ye last Will & testamt. of Thomas Ryder late of Southhold in ye said County deceased on ye 12th day of April 1699. The administration of ye goods chattels and credits of ye sª deceased was granted to Gersham & Nathaniel Terry of Southhold.
In ye name of God Amen & in ye 10th year of the reign of our Sovereign of England Scotland France & Ireland King Defender of ye faith &c. I Francis Sayre 6 of ye town of S'hampton in ye County of Suffolk & Province of N. York being by ye blessing of Almighty God in health of body & of sound memory & considering ye frail Estate of all mortals do make & ordain this to be my last Will & testamt. in manner & form following-(viz) I do hereby re- voke make void & null all former wills of mine of what nature or kind soever. And bequeath my soul to God that gave it me & my body to be
62 Francis Sayre was eldest son of Thomas Sayre, one of the original founders of Southampton. The land at "Flying Point " left to son John is the homestead of late Captain Thomas Sayre. The "rood of ground with dwelling house " left to son Thomas is on the east side of main street of Southampton, lately the residence of Peter Fournier and now owned by Chauncy Norton. The home lot of Francis Sayre was the lot of which the above was a part, and was lately owned by heirs of Septer Jackson, and now by Mrs. Caroline Jennings. The farm at Seven Ponds, lately owned by the Archibald family, was a part of the estate, and known as "Ichabod Sayres close." The Long Springs close was a part of the land lately owned by George W. Whittaker, and formerly owned by Samuel Jagger.
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Early Long Island Wills.
decently buried and after funeral charges and all my just debts are paid I dispose of my worldly estate as followeth (viz) I give & bequeath unto my eldest son John Sayre all that my certain tract of land with his dwelling house thereon standing at Flying Point only according to an agreem' formerly with him made to pay unto his brother Caleb Sayre thirty pound & his mother to have ye use of half sd house during her life-
Secondly -- 1 give unto my son Thomas Sayre & his wife Patience during their natural lives all that my certain piece of . . . of about . . . acres be the same more or be it lesse as it is now fenced & lyes adjoining to ye north side of my long springs close of land and a rood of ground as it is now fenced be it more or be it less with his now dwelling house thereon standing and two acres of land in ye first neck in ye great plains in ye first neck and if my s" son Thomas shall have any heir or heirs of his body then I give the sd land unto ye sd heir or heirs forever-
Thirdly-I give & bequeath unto my seven chil- dren namely John, Thomas, Francis, Jonathan, Icha- bod, & Caleb Sayre and my daughter Damaris Howell two third parts of all my moveable estate my cart & plow tackling only Excepted to be equally amongst them my above named seven children divided only my sd daughter Damaris to have liberty to chose what she will have her equal seventh part in of sd two third parts of my moveable estate aforesd-
Suffolk County, 1691-1703. ISI
Fourthly-I give & bequeath unto my well beloved wife Sarah Sayre all that my one half of ye land above named & given to John & one third part of my land & housing hereafter given & bequeathed to my son Ichabod for her substance during her natural life and one third part of all my moveable estate to be deliv- ered unto her by my Executor-and she my sª wife to have her choice of what rooms she sees cause of my dwelling house so that it makes not above one third part of my said dwelling house-
Fifthly-I give & bequeath unto my son Ichabod Sayre & to his heirs & assigns forever all ye rest of my land & meadows of what kind nature or quality soever that I have do or may possess in ye bounds of sd town of Southhampton and not before in this my will demised or given with my dwelling house & barn only reserving to my wife what is above mentioned (viz) one third part of ye land during her life and then I say it is my will that he my said son Ichabod shall enjoy all my land & meadows to him & his heirs forever-That I have not mentioned to be given to my son John or Thomas Sayre-I also give unto him my said son Ichabod Sayre my cart & plow with all takling & utensils thereunto belonging or appertain- ing. And I do hereby make & ordain him my sª son Ichabod Sayre Executor of this my last Will & testamt. willing him to pay unto his youngest brother Caleb Sayre ye full sum of forty pounds current money of this province when he sd Caleb shall attain ye full age of twenty one years and that he do in
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