Thursday, November 14, 2024

FOLLOW UP FRIDAY ~ The Last Will & Testament of Cornelius Fisher 1699 Massachusetts

 


A FOLLOW UP TO A BLOG POST I WROTE 3 JAN 2017 – You may read it here 52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS–Week #1–Cornelius FISHER, Sr. (1629-1698/99) of Wrentham, Massachusetts

Cornelius Fisher, Sr is my husband, Ron’s, 7th great grandfather. 

When I wrote that blog post in 2017, I promised to transcribe it and blog about it. How time flies.

If words are spelled “incorrectly” or differently than we would spell them today, I left them as is. 

I've highlighted family names in yellow so they are easy to locate.

Here is an image of the beginning of the will.

The Probate of the Will of Cornelius Fisher late of

Wrentham deced and Administration granted thereon

Unto his Sons Cornelius Fisher and Eleazer Fisher

Executors in the same Will names

Cornelius Fisher Probate

2523

William Stoughton Esq duely appointed and comissionated to be Judge of the Probate of Wills, and for granting Letters of Admin

On the Estates of person deceased having Goods, Chattel, Rights or Credits in the County of Suffolke within his Matys Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England.  To all unto whom these pyents shall come, Greeting.  Know ye that on the Fifteenth day of June in the year of our Lord on thousand Six hundred ninety nine Before me at Dorchester in the County aforsd The Will of Cornelius Fisher Sen. Late of Wrentham in the County husbandman deced to these present annexed was proved, approved and allowed.  Who having while he lived and at the time of his death Goods, Chattels, Rights or Credits in the County aforsd And the Probate of these Will and power of committing – Administration of all and Singular the Goods, Chattels, Rights & Credits of the deceased and also the hearing examining and allowing the ____ of the same, by virthue thereof, of right appertaining unto me The Administration of all and Singular the Goods, Chattels, Rights and Credits the deceased and his Will in any manner concerning was committed unto his two sons Cornelius Fisher and Eleazer Fisher 

Executors in the Will named.  Well and faithfully to administer same, and to dispose thereof according to the Will. And to make a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the Goods, Chattels, Rights and Credits of the deced. And to exhibit the same into the Registry of the Court of Probate for the County aforsd at or before the Fifteenth day of December next ensuing.  Also to render a plain and true ___ of theirs Administration upon Oath in Testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand and the Seal of the Court of Probate Dated at Dorchester aforsd the day and year first above written.

In the name of God amen.  In the year of our Lord one thousand six ninety and nine, the third day of February.  I Cornelius Fisher Sen in the Town of Wrentham in the County of Suffolke in New England Husbandman being aged and _____ in body but sound in my understanding, condiering my mortalitie desire to set my house in order Do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all forms Wills Improvis I commit my Soul into the hands of Jesus Christ my only mediator and my body to the Grave to be decently buried by my Executors hereafter named.  Item I do give to my dear and wel beloved Wife Sarah Fisher my best bed and furniture sufficient for it for her use during her natural life.  Item I do give to my eldest Son Cornelius Fisher my homestead to wit, my home Lott, pasture and Orchards and Buildings and one halfe of my meadow at pine plain, and all my meadow near the Sawmill and three cow common right in the Common Sand in Wrentham aforesaid  On this condition that he take this for his portion and maintain his mother in Law the whole term of her natural life with what she shall stand in need of for Food, Cloathing and Physick, and what else may be needful, suitable and convenient for an aged person or else pay or cause to be paid to her or her order six pound a year __wit Forty Shillings in money and four pound insuch currant pay as The shall have need of during her life and other ___ to wit, at the choice of my wife Sarah Fisher, and also pay to the rest of my children twenty five pound, Vis To my son Eleazer Fisher five pound; To my Daughter Leah five pound; To my daughter Experience five pound: To my daughter Anna five pound; and To my daughter Sarah five pound, and all this within one year after my Wife decease. Item I give to my Son Eleazer Fisher one halfe of my meadow at pine plaine the prive of it to be discounted in his portion  Item I give to my Son in Law Benjamin Hall my meadow Land at Stoney brooke the price of it alike to be discounted in his portion Further my mind and my Will is that all the rest of my Estate both in Sands and moveables Goods and Chattels be equally divided amongst my children First Eleazer and Sarah and Experience and Anna & Sarah they each of them reckoning or accounting of what they have received in part of their respective portions, First Eleazer Eight pound beside the meadow above named; Anna six pounds, Leah six pounds Experience three pounds, Sarah Seven pounds.  Finally my mind and my Will is that my children agree in love as to the premises and to that end do order, and my mind and Will is that if any of the he or she that unjustly make disturbance or not sit downe in quiet by this my will shall loose the one halfe of his or her part above mentioned and to be divided among the rest  I do nominate and appoint my two sons Cornelius Fisher and Eleazer Fisher to be sole executors and In Confirmation hereof I have set to my hand and seal Cornelius Fisher and a Seal In presence of Jn Ware Robert Ware John Maccal.

In Inventory of the housing and lands, goods & chattels of Cornelius Fisher, Sen. dec’d in Wrentham taken June the 20th 1699.


This is a rough transcription of his inventory.  Many words I am unable to read.  The total came to £242,,19,,8

His wearing cloaths 4th his armes & ammunition

His homestead, housing and land, pasture & orchards

His outlands and meadows and common rights

Brass and pewter, linnon, books

Ironware, earthenware and glasses

Spinning wheels and cards  wooden ware

Linnen yarne and flax  Joyner ware

Chairs and cushions ___a remnant of cloth

4 meal sacks 8 grain caprenters tools

Husbandry tools & tacklin   a pigeon net

A barrel of cyder   a cyder mill and press

Cash  Coppers ware  Lumber

Cattle  Bovine

An old pillion

Appraised by John Fairbank, Sam’l Fisher, John Ware

By the Honble William Stoughton Esq. Judge of the probate __Cornelius Fisher and Eleazer Fisher sons and executors of the last will and testament of Cornelius Fisher late of Wrentham husbandman deed exhinited the above written, and made oath that it contains a just and true inventory of the estate of the deceased so far as hath come to their knowledge and that if more hereafter appears they will cause it to be added.

If you are related to or connected to anyone in this blog post, please get in touch.  Let’s exchange information.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl
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