Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records
(Hartford District),
Charles W. Manwaring,
Hartford, 1902,
Vol 1, p 552
Thomas DUNK, Saybrook, Tanner, Heir of Thomas DUNK of Saybrook, Tanner, Decd. Power of Atty. to Ensign John STEDMAN of Wethersfield, 9 Sep 1699.
Thomas DUNK, L. S.
Witness:
John DUNK,
John CHANDLER
Acknowledged 29 Sep 1699, before Danll TAYLOR, J. P.
No. 210. John STEDMAN, Atty., makes application to the Court, being agrieved in the Dist. of the Estate of Thomas DUNK, late decd., per order of Court at New London, 20 Nov 1683, of the Estate of my late Hond. Father, T. D. This against Benjamin LORD, Adms. Estate of Lydia POST, late of Saybrook, Decd.
A Letter from Thomas BUCKINGHAM to the Court of Probate:
No. 211. The case between Tho: DUNKE and Benjamin LORD, as administrators to the Estate of Lidia POST, late of Saybrook, Deceased, I suppose to be about the distribution of the Estate of Tho. DUNKE, late of Say Brook, deceased. And concerning the case, it being now about seventeen years since It was acted, It cannot bee expected that I can bee vary particular. But if anything I can say may be of any good use, I hold myself bound as a friend to truth & righteousness, and in obedience to authority, to offer it Impartially. The sd. Lydia POST was sometime the wife, afterwards the relict, of sd. Tho. DUNKE, late of Say Brooke, and she was prudent and industrious in her palce; nor have I heard of any Contentio between the husband DUNKE & her. Shee brought with her five or six children, the eldest of them between fouteen and fifteen years of age. Hee, the sd. DUNKE, had with her the Improvement of between four and five hundred pounds Estate (as I am informed), most of it real estate, the most of which was fit for Improvement. The improvement of the personal Estate was so much the more, becuase utensils in the house of the sd. DUNKE were not very pelntifull before he was married to the sd. Lidia. And thus they lived comfortably and credibly for the space of between foure and five years, and until the decease of sd. DUNKE. I have understood from them both that they had descorsed of a bargin between them that their Estates should be distinct, so that which of them should happen to die first should have the disposal of the Estate formerly belonging to the dying one, their marriage notwith standing. And the woman being in her apprehension like to dy first (being very sick), shee showed herselfe that it might be according to these proposals, and Committed so to a friend to use his wisdom and interest that it might bee so. But after her recovery her friend had none occasio to negotiate in thee affairs, nor did he hear more from her of the matter. When the man came to ly upo his death bed hee was put in minde to make some alteratio in his will, because hee now had a wife, but had none when hee made his will. Hee answered that his wife was to have her owne Estate and he was not farther obliged, bat at length granted that something was meete and necessary to have done, but being under greate extremity hee said hee could not do it then, nor was there found a time to do it in. By which I could understand there had been something verbally passed between them about a bargain, and unto which neither of them was unwilling when they thought of dying first, yet nothing brought to that head as would oblige the survivor to set down by It, no, not in the Cort of Conscientio. When the sd. DUNKE was deceased his widdow came to mee as guardian to the person of the heir, and advised what shee should doe. I cannot give a particular account of the discourse that passed between us. The Issue was that shee would be contented if her owne Estates were returned and such a summe as I proposed out of the sd. DUNKE his Estate to bee allowed to her as his relict. And I engaged to her that I would write to the Corte and endeavor it might be so, and that her children might bee comfortably cloathed out of the Estate besides. But after this and Immediately before ye Corte (and of which I knew nothing untill after the Corte) see did meete with other advice, which prevailed with her, to inquire after, and the Corte allowed her more. And what the Corte saw cause to allow her hath been received by her unto a small matter, which hath been made up to foure sons since her decease, as doth appear under their hands. When the Corte made that distribution, the Estate of ye sd. DUNKE was represented greater by not a few hundreds of pounds than indeed It was, as hath been evidenced to the satisfatio of the Corte, and as Captn. CHAPMAN is able to demonstrate, and is upon record in the case depending, I have been informed. This is the substance of what I do remember that may bee usefull in the case depending. And such of It as may bee thought testimonial I am ready to affirme unto you upon the highest assurance, as witness my hand ye 30 Septemr, 1700.
Tho. BUCKINGHAM, Senior.