Extracted From
MIDDLETOWN UPPER HOUSES
a history of the north society of Middletown, Ct.
from 1650 to 1800
with genealogical and biographical chapters
on early families.
Charles Collard Adams
New York: Grafton Press, 1908.
[transcribed by Liz Matthews]
|
DESCENDANTS OF THOMAS RANNEY FIRST GENERATION The second volume of Scottish Arms names the Rany and Renny families. Herbert Rainie sat in Parliament for Dumfries in 1572. Robert Rayning was provost in 1578. Symon Renny was bailie of Inverkeithing in 1362. In 1450 Ranys and Rennys were owners of land in Forfarshire. Sir John Rany of England is named in 1660. The name is given in various forms in France and Flanders at a very early date. 1. The first known of our Thomas Rany is in the land records of Middletown, a house lot having been granted to him in 1658. His marriage is recorded as in May, 1659, to Mary Hubbard. At this date George Grave returned to Hartford and his grants were transferred to Thomas Rany, the record being dated in 1663. In 1698 Alexander Rollo, a Scotchman, and an attorney who had married a daughter of John Kirby, wrote and witnessed a will wherein "Thomas Rheny" gave to his son Ebenezer a parcel of land. The spelling does not occur in a deed dated a day later wherein the father gave adjoining land to a brother of Ebenezer. The conclusion is that Alexander Rollo is responsible for the form in which he wrote the name. In Scottish records Rheny is a familiar name. The conclusion is that Thomas Rany came from Scotland. On his tombstone the name is Ranny, and about this date, 1713, his sons wrote their name as Rany and soon after as Ranny. The deed of 1698 is in the possession of Mrs. Charles Collard Adams. While the public records give the birth of only five children, and the church records give the baptism of Marcy, the will gives the names of the ten children who survived him. While the public record says he died June 25, 1713, the gravestone says he died June 21, 1713. He is supposed to have been the first one buried here, as it was only in January preceding it was voted to set apart land for a cemetery. His signature to deeds in his later years was attested by a + and it may be that he was as unfortunate in one respect as were others of his day and generation. He was not a member of the church. He served equally with others on various town committees and was an active member of the community. In the census of 1670 when the inhabitants were rated he was rated at £105, the ninth in a list of 52 proprietors. Mary Hubbard, his wife, was born in Hartford, Jan. 16, 1641-2, the eldest child of George Hubbard and Elizabeth Watts. She d. Dec.18, 1721, and is without a gravestone. In his will dated May 2, 1681, George Hubbard, aged 80, said, "I give to my daughter Mary Rany fourty shillings out of my Estate, but on further consideration instead of that fourty shillings I give my sayd daughter the on halfe of my halfe Mille Lott on the East side the Great River by the List of 1673." His homestead in Middletown was on Main Street extending south from what is Rapello Avenue and reaching back to the Connecticut River. Thomas Allen's homestead lay between Hubbard's and Riverside Cemetery. WILL OF THOMAS RANNEY In the Name of God, Amen, the Sixth day of March in the year of our Lord 1711. I, Thomas Ranny of Middletown in the County of Hartford in New England, Husbandman, being very sick and weak in body, but of competent understanding and memory, thanks be given to God, therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body, and knowing that it is appointed for men once to dye, Do make, and ordain this my last will and testament, that is to say, principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God y gave it, hopeing through the Merits, death and passion of my Saviour Jesus Christ to have full and free pardon and forgiveness of all my sins, and to inherit everlasting life. Any my body I commit to ye earth, to be decently buried at the discretion of my executors hereafter named, nothing doubting but at ye Generall resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God, And, as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased Got to bless me in this life, I give, demise and dispose of the same in the following manner, and form, that is to say, First I will that all those debts and dutyes as I do owe in right or Conscience to any manner of person or persons whatsoever, shall be well and truely contented and paid, or ordained to be paid in convenient time after my decease, by my Executors hereafter named. Item. I give and bequeath to my dear wife, Mary, during her naturall life the free use and improvement of that half of my dwelling house wherein we now live, with the seller belonging to it, and ye one half of my homelott, and half of my old barn with the new end thereof, to-gether with my whole upper lott in the long meadow both plowing land and grass land, with two acres on ye near neck, the use of a teem with a yoke of oxen and a horse, and necessary instruments belonging to it, and so much bedding and household stuff as she shall need for her own personall comfort and benefit, and likewise she shall have the whole despose of that land which her Father Hubbard gave her, and I do ordain and appoint my son Thomas to take care of his Mother after my decease and to see that what I have wild to her for her comfortable maintenance be improved to that end. Item. I give to my son Thomas, the lott on which his house stands as it is now divided, and one acre and half of my lott in Wongung Meadow, and a quarter part of Butt Swamp lott, also the whole of ye upper long meadow lott after his mothers decease also I give to him one acre of my boggy meadow swamp lott the half of my timber hill lott ye south side, & a quarter part within fifteen acres of the plain lott or Cold Spring, having his part divided to him by quantity and quality, also a quarter part of my long lott on the east side of ye great River, also I give to my son Thomas a quarter part of the undivided land y is yet in the town, also I give to Thomas a quarter part of the round meadow and further neck after my daughter Savages three acres of upland lying next ye meadow be taken out, also a quarter part of the half of that lott near Wongung bars, or Indian Hill, the west part of the lott with the swamp adjoining to it, this lott begins from the Highway eastward against Jonathan Warners. It is my will that this lott be splitt into, and the east part of it butting upon the highway against Jonathan Warners I do reserve for myself, to dispose of as I please, the other half of the lott, viz, the west part of it with the swamp adjoining to it it is my will that it shall be equally divided betwixt by four sons, Thomas, John, Joseph and Ebenezer. Item. I give to my son John, that lott whereon his house stands, with one acre of my boggy meadow lot, also the just half of what is left of my Wongung meadow after Thomas has his own acre and half taken out and the fourth part of my lott in the plain to be divided to him by quantity and quality, also a quarter part of my long lott on the east side of the great river, also a quarter part of butt swamp lott, this I gave to him formerly by a deed of gift, also eight acres of my timber hill lott, and something better, this also he had formerly by a deed of gift, also a third part of my lower long meadow lott both plowing and grass land and swamp after my son Ebenezers three acres be taken out which he has now under improvement, this I will to him to take in possession after my decease, also a quarter part of the further neck, and round meadow, after the three acres of upland which I give to my daughter Mary Savage be taken out, also a quarter part of the undivided land in the town equall with his brethren, also a quarter part of the half of that lott near Wongung bars, or Indian Hill butting upon the highway east over against my son Jonathan Warners, the west part of the said lott, which lott I have split into, reserving the east part of it for myself, with the swamp adjoining to the west part equall with Thomas. Item. I give to my son Joseph that lott whereon his house stands, and one acre of my boggy meadow, with the just half of my Wongung meadow after Thomas has his one acre and half taken out, also the fourth part and fifteen acres of my plain lott, the fifteen acres to be taken out of Thomas part in consideration of Thomas being made better y he, at timber hill, also to be divided to him by quantity and quality as ye rest of his brethren have, also a quarter part of my Long lott on the east side of the great river also a quarter part of the west part of my lott near Wongung bars equall with Thomas and John as before mentioned, with the swamp adjoining to it, also a third part of my lower long meadow lott both plowing and grass land and swamp, after Ebenezer has his three acres taken out this I also will that he shall have in possession, after my decease, also a quarter part of further neck and round meadow after the three acres of upland which I give to my daughter Mary Savage be taken out, also a quarter part of butt swamp lott, also a quarter part of the undivided land in the town. Item. I give to my son Ebenezer the half of my dwelling house, homestead and old barn, and it is my will that my said son Ebenezer shall have the other half of my dwelling house, barn & homestead after his mothers decease provided he do pay to Mary Savage, Elizabeth Warner, and Easter Savage five pounds appease in pay, also that he shall give to Hannah, Margaret and Abigail so much of his part of Cold Spring lott as shall amount to or produce fifteen pound in pay, and if he shall refuse and neglect to pay his three sisters first mentioned, viz, Mary Savage, Elizabeth Warner and Easter Savage their Legacy fifteen pound he shall then resign up two acres in the near neck, but if he pays them their due according to my will he shall enjoy the same after my and my wifes decease when he shall take possession of the whole of the homestead with all the buildings upon it, also I give to him one acre of the boggy meadow, and the fourth part of the plain lott to be divided to him according to quantity and quality, also a quarter part of the west part of my lott near Wongung bars or Indian Hill as before mentioned, equal with Thomas, John and Joseph, with the swamp adjoining to the west part, the east part of ye said lott butting upon the highway against my son Jonathan Warner I have reserved for myself, also a quarter part of my long lott on the east side of the great river, also a quarter part of further neck and round meadow after the three acres I have given to my daughter Mary Savage be taken out, also a quarter part of butt swamp lott, also a quarter part of the undivided land, also I give to my son Ebenezer three acres or thereabouts which he now improves of my lower long meadow lott, both plowing land and grass land and swamp. Item. I give to my Son and daughter John and Mary Savage besides wt they have had formerly given to them in land by a deed of gift, and household stuff, I do now give them and tr heirs forever three acres of my land on the farther neck against ye lott in the round meadow so as may be convenient for them to come to tr meadow land running up to the highway also five pound in pay, to be paid to ym by my son Ebenezer. Item. I give to my son and daughter Jonathan and Elizabeth Warner besides what they have had given to them formerly in land by a deed of gift and household stuff, it is my will that they have given to the other viz: Mary & Easter, five pounds in pay, to be paid to them by my son Ebenezer. Item. I give to my son and daughter Nathaniell and Easter Savage besides what they have already received formerly in land by a deed of gift and household stuff, it is my will that they shall have their five pound as ye rest have which Ebenezer is to pay, and also I do give to ym and to yr heirs forever the half of my half mile lott. Item. I give to Hannah, Margarett and Abygail, five pound apiece in current pay which my son Ebenezer is to pay unto them out of his part in the plain lott in Consideration of his having the whole of the homestead also I do give to them what remaines of my boggy meadow that I have not given yr brothers, what remaines be it more or less to be equally divided amongst them after my decease also two acres in the east side of the near neck next to a highway to be equally divided amongst them after my decease, Also it is my will that what remaines of the household stuff besides what yr mother needs for her own personall use and benefit, shall be equally divided amongst them, also two cowes, three mares and all the sheep to be equally divided betwixt them, divideing of them as they see cause, also the team with two oxen, one horse together with all the husbandry tools and what bedding and household stuff shall be left after yr mothers decease shall be equally divided amongst my three daughters Hannah, Margarett and Abygail, also I give unto Hannah, Margarett and Abygail the just half of my half mile lott, the upper part of it next to ye short lotts. Item. I give to my grandson Willett Ranny the remaining part of timber hill lott which consists of eight acres or thereabouts, four acres of ye plowing land he may now take possession of, the other four acres of pasture he shall have ye possession and improvement of after myne and my wifes decease. Item. I give to my grandson Thomas Savage my lott in the dead swamp. Lastly I do nominate and appoint my son Thomas, John, and Joseph to be executors of this my will and testament, to take that it be duly executed according to the true intent and meaning of ye same, also I do nominate and appoint Mr. David Deming, and my son John Savage as overseers of this my last will and testament to see yt the Executors do fully execute this my will and testament and yt according to ye true intent and meaning of it. And I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke and disanull all and every other former testaments, wills and legacyes, bequests and Executors by me in any wayes before this time named, willed and bequeathed, ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this eighth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eleven, being the tenth year of the reign of our Soveraign Lady Ann by the Grace of God, Queen of Great Britain, France and Ireland, defender of ye faith &c. his THOMAS x RANNY (seal) mark Signed, sealed published pronounced And declared by me Thomas Ranny as my last Will and testament in the presence of us ye subscribers, viz: Nath: White Senir Samll frary Timothy Sage An inventory of the estate of Thomas Rany late of Mideltown deceased, taken July 27: 1713 by us prisers John Sage Samuell frary and John Warner. To his waring apparel, Cash 11 s d to a cloak 15s to a gray carsy coat £1-10s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 02-05-00 to 3 vests and an old coat 17s to a pair of briches 5s . . . . . . . . 01-02-00 to 2 pair old briches 2s to 1 pair of gloves 1s . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00-03-00 to 1 pair of stockins 2s-6d to 2 pair of shoes 10s . . . . . . . . . . . 00-12-06 to a hat 2s to 2 shirts 11s to 2 neck-cloths and other linen . . . 00-15-00 to cash att fiftenn peny weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-04-00 to a gun and sword £1 to amunition and powder horns 5s-6d . 01-05-06 to a bulit mould 1s to 3 pound of lead 1s to an old blanket 5s 00-07-00 to a feather bed, bolster and pillow £3 to 2 underbeds 3s . . . . . . 03-03-00 to 25 yds of bed ticking £1-17s-6d to 2 underbeds more 9s . . . . . 02-06-06 to 5 feather pillows £1 to 2 old coverlids more 8s . . . . . . . . . . . 01-08-00 to 7 coverlids £3-10s to 6 pair of old sheets £3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 06-10-00 to 3 pair of new sheets £3 to 16 fine napkins £1-4s. . . . . . . . . . . 04-04-00 to 5 table cloths 15s to 8 towels 8s to 6 pillow cots 12s. . . . . . . . 01-15-00 to a chees cloth 1s to an ink horn 8d, to an old red mantle 5s . . . 00-06-08 to 3 yds of lincy-woolcy 9s to 3 lb of flax £1 to 2 meall bags 8s . . 01-17-00 to 11 lb of sheeps wool 11s to 2 chests 15s to a box and and old trunk 5s . . 01-11-00 to a new bedstead 10s to 2 old bedsteds 6s to 3 bed cords 7s-6d . 01-03-06 to a brass ketell £4 to 2 brass skilits 11s to an old brass cittell 5s 04-16-00 to an iron pot £1 to an iron kettel 10s to a warming pan 13s . . 02-03-00 to 2 peuter platters 14s to a peuter bason 5s to 6 poringers 6s . . 01-05-00 to old peuter 4s-8d to a chamber pot 1s-8d to an earthen plater 1s . . 00-07-04 to other earthern ware 4s-4d to 4 glass bottles 2s to wooden and platers and chese moats 5s and chees press 4s . . 0-15-04 to a wooden bottell and 1 paill 2s-6d to a hetchell 10s . . . . . . . . 00-12-06 to 1 pouder tub 7s to other tubs in the seller 5s to a half bushell 1s-6d . . 00-08-06 to a half peck 6s and 2 barils 4s to 4 vines 3s corn basket 1s. . . . 00-08-06 to 3 old riddels 1s to 3 old bags 1s to a half pike 1s 2 sieues 3s . 00-06-00 to 3 splinter brooms 1s to 2 powdering more 3s to 3 old cask 1s-6d . . 00-05-06 to a meall troaff 1s to 3 bushels of mault 9s to half bus salt 2s . 00-12-00 to 5 spoons and 2 pair of sisors 2s to an old frying and a smothing iron 4s. . . 00-06-00 to 7 small baskets 2s to an old bible and other old books 8s . . . 00-10-00 to 4 chair 6s and 4 cushins 2s to a table 10s to a lamp 2s . . . . . . 01-00-00 to a pair of cards 1s-6d to a slise 2s-6d to a pair of tongs 3s . . . . 00-07-00 to a tramill and hooks 6s and 1 pair of pot hooks 1s . . . . . . . . . 00-07-00 to 14 lb. of coars wool 9s-4d to a youk and stake and rings 3s-6d . . 00-12-10 to hors traces and whipeltree chain 12s and coller 4s . . . . . . . . 00-16-00 to a plow chain and double hooks 10s and plow cleui 2s-6d . . . 00-12-06 to a sheare and coller 8s to a cart and iron to it £1-4s . . . . . . . . 01-04-00 to a fork 2s-6d to a cart roap 5s to a sith and tacklin 5s-6d . . . . . 00-12-06 to a broad hoak 3s to a timber chain £1-15d a bridle 3s . . . . . . 01-15-06 to 2 pair of fork tines 3s beatle and 3 wedges 6s an ax 4s . . . . . 00-13-00 an old ax 1s-6d and cutting knife for hay 4s-6d and sheep shears 2s. . . 00-08-00 to a hand saw 3s to drawing knife 4s-6d to a lathing hamer 2s-6d to another hamer 1s-6d to a troah 1s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00-12-06 to chisels and a goudg and a punch 5s 2 trouels 4s. . . . . . . . . . . 00-09-00 to old broken chains and old iron £1-8s sith tacklin 2s-6d . . . . . 01-10-06 to gimblits and awls 2s to 2 spindels 1s to a spade 3s . . . . . . . . 00-06-00 to a stubing hoak 2s-6d to a parcel of tand leather 14s . . . . . . . . 00-16-06 to a percell of nails 4s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00-04-00 to one yoak of oxen £9 to a three years old stear £2-10s . . . . . 11-10-00 to a heifer £1-15s to one Cow £2-15s to 2 mares £5 . . . . . . . . . 09-10-00 to 6 sheep £1-10s to 3 hindges 3s to a cow hide 2s-8d . . . . . . . . 01-15-08 to the house and homstead and barn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110-00-00 to the upper lott in the long meadow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42-00-00 to the lower lott in the long meadow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50-00-00 to the boggy meadow lott and the swamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-00-00 to the round meadow lott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 08-00-00 to 4 acers on the near neck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-00-00 to land on the further neck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 09-00-00 to the dead swamp lott. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 02-10-00 to five acers of land on which Thomases hous now stands . . . 15-00-00 to five acers of land on which Johns hous now stands . . . . . . . 15-00-00 to three acers of land on which Josephs hous now stands . . . . 15-00-00 to 24 acers of land att hubards hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60-00-00 to 315 acers att the plains or Cold Springs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150-00-00 to Wangog meadow lott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-00-00 to 15 acres of upland neare wangog bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-00-00 to 5 acers and half of swamp land att the uper end of pason chog . . 05-10-00 To the long lott on the east side the great river . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80-10-00 To the half mile lott on the east side of the great river . . . . . . . 10-00-00 To the half of a half mile lott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 07-10-00 To His right of the undivided land in the Towne . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-00-00 Sum totall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 757-19-10 The above Inventory taken by us the day aboue sett downe, JOHN WARNER {JOHN SAGE} {SAM'LL FRARY } PRISERS ____________________ Children:
3 John, b. Nov. 14, 1662. 4 Joseph, b. Sept., 1663. 5 Mary, b. Oct., 1665; m. John2 Savage. 6 Elizabeth, b. Apl. 12, 1668; m. Jonathan3 Warner. 7 Esther, bapt. Apr. 22, 1673; m. Nathaniel2 Savage. Hannah, bapt. Mar. 23, 1675; d. Nov., 1713. Margaret, bapt. Jan. 10, 1678-9; m. abt. 1734, Stephen Clark; living, 1734, in New Haven. 8 Ebenezer, b. abt. 1681. Mercy, bapt. Nov. 12, 1682; d. -------. Abigail, b. -------; m. Jan 21, 1713-14, Walter Harris. "She departed this life by death," Dec. 15, 1714. Child:
|