Written 17 Nov 1743

Codicil Added 6 Mar 1752 [1750?]

Proved 20 July 1752

In the name of God Amen I Joseph Wheelock of Lancaster in the County of Worcester and Province of the Masachusets Bay in New England yeoman being [...] that I am a frail mortal man and not knowing the day of my Death and being minded to set my afairs in order whilst of Disponsing mind and memory, Do ordain and make these [Presents] to be and contain my Last will and testament.

In the first place I Recommend my Soul in to ye Hands of God who Gave it Hoping for Pardon and Salvation through Jesus Crist my Lord and my Body to this Earth by Christian Burial at the Discrestion of my Executor here after named Not Doubting but I shall be Raised again by ye allmighty Power of God in the Great Day. And as Touching Such worldly Estates as God has pleased to bestow upon me I Grant and Dispose of ye Same as followeth:

Imprimis: I give and bequeth unto Elisabeth my Dearly beloved wife the Improvement of all the Real Estate that now Remains in my Hands and that I have not [afore] disposed of, During her natural life, and all my Personal Estate lying wih in Doors, or Household goods so called, with one good cow to be at her dispose and her heirs for ever.

Item: I give to Joseph Wheelock my Eldest Son three Pounds to be paid him by my Executor within two years after [ye] Deceas of me and my aforesaid Wife Elisabeth which together with what I have already Given him is to be in full of his Portion out of my Estate.

Item: I give to my Son Jonathan Wheelock five shilling old tenor to be paid him out of my Estate by my Executor with in two years after [ye] Deceas of me and my wife which together with what I have formerly Given him is to be the full of his Portion out of my Estate.

Item: I give to Elizabeth Sawyer my eldest Daughter three Pounds to be paid to her by my Executor within two years after ye Deceas of me and my wife which together with what I have formerly given her is to be in full of her portion out of my Estate.

Item: I give to my daughter Mary Osgood three Pounds to be paid her by my Executor within two yars after [ye] Deceas of me and my wife which together with what I have formerly Given her is to be in full of her Portion out of my estate.

Item: I give unto my Daughter Abigail Eames three Pounds fifteen Shillings to be paid to her by my Executor within one year after the Deceas of me and my wife which together with what I have formerly given her is to be in full of her Portion out of my Estate.

Item: I give unto My Daughter Ruth Houghton three Pounds to be paid her by my Executor within two years after [ye] Deceas of me and my wife which together with what I have here to fore Given her is to be in full of her Portion out of my Estate.

Item: I give unto Martha Houghton my youngest Daughter three Pounds fifteen Shillings to be paid to her by my Executor within one year after ye Deceas of me and my wife.

Item: I give unto Dorothy Eames one of my grand Daughters three Pounds fiften Shillings to be paid to her by my Executor within one year after [ye] Deceas of me and my wife.

Lastly my will is that after ye Deceas of me and my wife that my Son John Wheelock have and enjoy all ye Real Estate that I have within the Town of Lancaster to go to him his Heirs and assigns forever, and after my Deceas all my Personal Estate Exepting ye Cow before given to his mother that at my Deceas [J] Shall [house/have] with out Doors, [he?] paying all my Just Debts Funeral Charges and the [...] or Sums before given to my other Children and GrandDaughter mentioned in this will and also his mothers funeral Charges at her Deceas, and I do Constitute and appoint my Said Son John Wheelock the Sole Executor of this my Last will and Testament and I do hearby Revoke all other wills and testaments here to fore by me made and do Rattify this only to be my Last will and Testament in witness where of I here unto Set my hand and Seal this Seventeenth Day of November in ye Seventeenth year of his majesties Reign anno dommini One thousand Seven hundred and forty three.

Signed Sealed Published Pronounced and Declared by the Said Joseph Wheelock ye Testator to be and Contain his Last wil and Testament in Presence of us who [Set to] our hands as witnesses

March ye 6 1752 [1750?] I the above named Joseph Wheelock yeoman do add as a Coddisil to the above written will what followith :viz: that where as in ye afore written will I have given to my Dearly beloved wife Elizabeth all my Houshold goods and that being Deceased, my will is that my son John Wheelock have all my household goods after my deceas to Inable him to pay my just Debts and ye [...] [...] [mentioned] in this will and Codisil and where as [...] [flucttuating] state of the [Late] Bills of [...] has Rendered ye Respective Sums to [be payed] by my Executor to His Brother and [...] what uncertain my Will now is that my Executor John Wheelock pay to my son Joseph Wheelock one pound twelve Shillings in lawfull money with in two year after my deceas and the like sum of one pound twelve shillings in like money to Each and Every of my Daughters aforementioned and in my Said Will and also to my said Grand Daughter [afore] mentioned within two years after my Decease and I do thus pronounce and Declare this Codacil with [ye] foregoing will to be and contain my last will and Testament in witness [where] of I have [here unto set my hand] and [...] the day and year afore Dated.

Worcester July 20 1752 Then the within named Josiah White Abigail White and Martha White make oath that they saw Joseph Wheelock the Testator Sign Seal ye within in written will and hear him publish pronounce and declare it to be his last will and Testaement and that [... ... ...] that he was of sound disponsing mind and memory and that they at ye same time set to to their hands as witnesses in the presence of ye Testator. Josiah White Abigail White and Joseph White at the [... ...] made oath that they saw the above named Joseph Wheelock [...] and seal ye a fore written Codisil and heard him declare and Publish ye same with ye aforegoing Will to Contain his last Will and testament and that [... ... ...] he was of a sound disposing mind and sound memory and that they set to their hands at the same time as witnesses in presence of Testator.

(Transcribed by Roderick B. Sullivan, Jr., July 2001)

[Note: The will was approved by Judge Joseph Wilder on 20 July 1752.]