Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records
(Hartford District),
Charles W. Manwaring,
Hartford, 1902,
Vol 3, p 99
James RAY, Sen., Haddam. Died 1 Mar 1730-1. Invt. £355-02-10. Taken 24 Mar 1730-1, by Simon SMITH, Thomas SHAYLOR & Joseph ARNOLD. Will dated 14 Jan 1730-1.
I, James RAY, Sen., of Haddam, in the County of Hartford, do make and ordain this my last will & testament: Imprimis. I give and bequearth unto my beloved wife Elizabeth the use of all my household goods during her life, and do hereby bind & oblige my two sons, James RAY & Joseph RAY, at all times to take a tender and constant care ofmy wife, thier mother, and to provide all neessaries for her comfort during her natural life. I give to my son James RAY all my land on the west side of the highway butting on the country road, which land I bought of the ACKLEYs, and all the land that I bought of John KENNERD on the west and east side of sd. highway or country road. Further, I conditionally give to my son James RAY my lott in the Cone Meadow, provided that he the sd. James RAY pay to my grandson Samuel BUMP of Bolton £30 when sd. BUMP shall arrive at the age of 21 years. But if sd. BUMP should dye before that age, then my lott shall be my son James RAY's forever. I give to my son Joseph RAY 8½ acres of land near or adjoining to his own land at Prospect Hill. I give to my grandson Isaac RAY my lott of land that lyes near to Benjamin TOWNER's, also a right of £20 in all undivided lands in Haddam West Side. I give to my daughter Anne DUNK 1 cowe and all my household goods of all sorts, as beds & bedding, woolen & linen, pewter, brass, iron & wood, to be delivered to sd. Anne or her children at the death of my wife or soon after. I give to my granddaughter Elizabeth RAY a heifer. I further give to my son Joseph RAY my plow, with the irons, chain, clevy, and all my irons belonging to the cart and wheels, as hoops, boxes or other. Under several considerations, and sufficient reasons in my own breast, I give to my son Peter RAY one shilling in money and nothing more. Further, I give to my two sons, James RAY & Joseph RAY, all my stock of creatures, as cattle, sheep and horse kind, to be equally between them divided, except what is above disposed of. I make my son James RAY sole executor.
James RAY, L.S.
Witness: Joseph ARNOLD, Nathaniel TYLER, Solomon BATES, Jr.
Court Record, Page 47 -- 28 Jun 1731: Will proven, except the testator had not given the widow her dower. The executor declined the trust.