Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records
(Hartford District),
Charles W. Mainwaring,
Hartford, 1902,
Vol 3, p 144
BROWN, Nathaniel, Middletown. Invt. £129-14-05. Taken 15 July, 1735, by John COLLINS, Joseph ROCKWELL and Robert HUBBARD. Will dated 20 September, 1731.
I, Nathaniel BROWN of Middletown, being sicke and weak in body, doe make this my last will and testament: I give to Sarah, my wife, the whole of my household goos and all otehr moveable estate (as stock of creatures and other utensils of what kind soever), to be for her comfort and at her dispose forever (excepting my gun and sword and amunition, whihc, if my daughter Sarah BECKWITH should have a son and they call him after my name, I give sd. arms and amunition unto that child). It is my will that my Wongunk land and my lott in the last division of land on the east side of the Connecticut River, which was laid out in the name of Jasper CLEMENS, and also my 15-acre lott by Capt. Daniel HALL's, each lott shal be made sale of by my executors after named, for the payment ofmyjust debts and funeral charges, and for procuring of two silver cups, to be marked with the £12 price each of them, the one of which cups I give to the First Church in Middletown, and the other of them I give unto that church in Lyme which my son George BECKWITH is now the pastor of. I give unto Sarah, my wife, for her comfort so long as she shall continue my widow, my dwelling house and barn and homestead, and my two acres of Long Meadow and my Boggy Meadow land. I give unto my only daughter Sarah, now the wife of George BECKWITH, and to her issue, all other of my lands in Middletown which are not above mentioned, as specified of record, and also all my above mentioned buildings and lands granted to my wife, when her right therein shall expire. I give to my son George BECKWITH and to my daughter SArah, now his wife, all my right in Lyme to be wholly at their dispose. I give to my son and daughter above named my griss mill and my right there, they allowing and paying to my wife the 1-6 part of their income from time to time therefrom for her support and comfort, exceptiong my executors shall see cause to sell sd. mill and keep the lands above mentioned for sale, or any parts of land lands, then the sd. lands to be theirs. I give to my daughter and son all my rights in Middletown. I constitute my wife and George BECKWITH and Sarah his wife my executors.
Nathaniel BROWN, L.S.
Witness: Giles HALL,
Joseph ROCKWELL,
Joseph SOUTHMAYD
Page 320 (Probate Side, Vol. XII): An agreement,dated 14 July, 1735, made by and between Mrs. Sarah BROWN of Middletown, widow and relict of Mr. Nathaniel BROWN decd., and the Rev. Mr. George BECKWITH of Lyme in the Country of New London, and with Sarah his wife, daughter of them aforsd. Nathaniel and Sarah BROWN. It is mutually agreed by the parties aforsd. that the sd. Sarah BROWN shall have, hold and injoy to her, her heirs and assigns forever, all the personal or moveable estate which Mr. Nathaniel BROWN was possessed of at the time of his death, excepting only ye gun and sowrd and amunition accutrements for war, with the use and improvement of the dwelling house, barn and homested, his 2 acres of Long Meadow and the Boggy Meadow land, during the terme that sd. Sarah BROWN remains a widow. It is further agreeded that Adms. of the estate shall be granted to the Rev. George BECKWITH, and after paying all just debts the remainder and residuary of the estate of sd. Nathaniel BROWN, with the reversion thereof, be and shall remain utno her the sd. Sarah BECKWITH, her heirs and assigns forever, so that neither the sd. Saray BROWN nor any other from or by her shall have any rights whatsoever in the residuary and remainder of the estate aforesd. under colour of dowry or priviledge of thirds, but that she and they and each of them shall be secluded and barred forever. Sarah BROWN, L.S. George BECKWITH, L.S., Sarah BECKWITH
Court Record, Page 30 -- 14 July, 1735: Adms. granted to George BECKWITH of Lyme, who recog. with John BROWN of Middletown. An agreement for the settlement of the estate was now exhibited in Court and accepted. Ordered recorded and kept on file.
Page 39 (Vol XXII) 23 March, 1775: At a Court of Probates held at Hartford, the last will and testament of Nathaniel BROWN of Middletown, who died about the year 1731, was exhibited by Nathaniel Brown BECKWITH, son of the sd. George BECKWITH of Lyme, who reported that sd. will had for some time been secreted. Sd. will being proved by witnesses thereto, taken by John HAMLIN, J.P., is by this Court approved and ordered to be recorded and kept on file.