Will of Eleazar Wheelock of Medfield, MA.

(3 May 1654 - 24 Mar 1730/31)

Written 29 Jan 1730

In the name of God Amen, the Twenty ninth day of January Anno Domini 1730 [Annog] Regni Regis Georgii Secundo [...] [...] [...], I Eleazar Wheelock of Medfield in the County of Suffolk within his majesties Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England yeoman, being aged and Considerably stricken in years, nevertheless of Sound Mind and Memory For which I give thanks to God, therefore calling to mind the mortality of my Body and knowing it is appointed by an Unchangable Decree for Men once to Dye, Do now while I am in the Enjoyment of my Memory and Understanding that Peace and Justice may be to them that succeed me I make & ordain this my last Will & Testament wherein Principally & first of all I give & recommend my Immortal Soul into the Hands of the almighty God, who gave it, In and this Jesus Christ my ever blessed Redeemer, and my Body I Recommend to ye Earth to be decently buried in descent Christian Burial at the Discretion of my Executor hereafter named Nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty Power of God And as teaching and worldy Estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with in this Life, I give Grant [Demise] & Dispose of the same for the following manner & form That is to say after my Lawful Debts and Funeral Charges are Defray'd -

Impl. I give & Bequeth to Mary my dearly & well beloved wife the one half of my Household Goods & moveable Estate within doors, And the use Improvement & Profit of Two Milk Cows and all necessary Provisions besides [..] meal or meat or other [...] [...] & Health Sufficient for her Comfortable Support & maintenance for & During the term of her Natural Life Excepting some particular Books & one feather Bed hereafter mentioned & Disposed of.

Item: I give & bequeth to my dutiful son Ralph Wheelock of Wendham and to his Heirs and asigns The Sum of one hundred pounds to be paid to him or those that may Legally represent him in Good Lawful Bills of Credit or Currant Money of the siad Province within or at the Expiration of one year after my decease as [also?] the great Bible, The Annotations, The Concordance, The Dictionary Called Mr. Wilsons Dictionary Mr Perkins Works in folio, and Mr. Baxters Works Which with what Have heretofore [delvire'd] him with shall be in full of his Portion of my Estate.

Item: I give & bequeth to my Daughter Rebecca Adams the other half of my Moveable Estate within doors (Excepting what is above Excepted) as also a Book called the Practice of Piety, and Twenty Pounds in money or that which is Equivalent to be paid & delivered to her or those that may Legally Represent Her within one year after my decease, which with what I have here to fore advanced Her shall be in full of her Portion in my Estate.

Item: I give and bequeth to my granddaughter Ester Wales the Sum of Five pounds in good Currant pay as above s^d. To be payd in Twelve Months after my decease, Which is to be in full for Her Share in my Estate.

Item: I give & bequeth to my granddaughter Elizabeth Holbrook the Sum of Ten Shillings in good Currant pay in full of Her Share in my Estate, In Her Mothers Right.

Item: I give and Bequeath to my three grand Children Mary Lawrence Daniel Lawrence & Ester Lawrence the Sum of Ten Shillings a peice In full of their Share & Portion In Right of their Mother my Daughter Mary In my Estate.

Item: I give and Bequeath to my grand Daughter Elizabeth the Daughter of my Son Ralph Wheelock afores^d. my own Feather Bed which of late I have Used & Improv'd for my rest and Comfort. Together with all the Bed cloathing, Bedstead Covering & furniture thereto belonging to be Delivered to Her In Convenient time after my Decease.

Item: I give & Bequeath to my Dutiful Son Ephraim Wheelock all my Housing Lands Buildings & Improvements In Medfield aforesaid or else where to Be Possessed & Enjoyed freely by him, or disposed of as he sees meet (Saving what and so much of house Room as my Wife may want for her Comfort so long as she Lives, and two Milk Cows also to be to her use & Improvement as aforesaid To be Wintered and Summered att my said Sons Charge and Care or at the Cost Charge and Care of those that may Legally represent him, as also, all my other Estate of whatever kind or nature or wheresoever found the Providing for & taking care of his mother So [...] she may be Comfotably supported so long as she Lives (Excepting my Pistolls and Holsters) which I Bequeath to my Son Ephraim Wheelocks Son Eleazar. And Excepting that peice of Land which lies between the Land of William Plimpton On which his House stands & the high Ways, which I bequeath to my Son Ephraim's Son Ralph. I do also bequeath to my Son Ephraim my Servant Man whose Name is James Donley (That is to say) his Service for the time [...] he is bound by an Indenture to Serve me - And futher my Will is That my Son Ephraim Wheelock afores^d. or such as may Legally Represent him shall pay to my said Wife his mother, The Sum of Ten Pounds money or Bills of Credit all or upon Demand when she stands in Need after my decease, And also answer ye Fourty Pound [Bond] which I gave to my s^d. Wife If it be [desired/claimed] So that the rest of the Heirs may be wholly freed from any manner of Trouble or Cost Relating to the Same or otherwise to see that the s^d. Bond is Cancelled. And I do hereby Nominate & appoint my s^d. Son Ephraim Wheelock To be my Sole Executor of this my last Will & Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal the Day & year before mentioned.

(Transcribed by Roderick B. Sullivan, July 2002, from a copy of the original, Suffolk County Probate Case 6068)
 

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