Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records
(Hartford District),
Charles W. Mainwaring,
Hartford, 1902,
Vol. 2, p 121-122
STOW, Rev. Samuel, Middletown. Invt. £303-08-04. Taken 20 June, 1704, by Nathaniel STOW, Ebenezer HUBBARD, and Noadiah RUSSELL. Will dated 13 August 1702.
I, Samuel STOW of Middletown, do make this my last will and testament: I give unto my son John STOW and to his son Samuel STOW the residue of that which we have called the middle pasture, all being about 3 acres more or less, butting upon my 5-acre home lot east, and on the heirs of my daughter GILBERT west. I give unto my son-in-law Israhiah WETMORE 3 1/2 acres of swamp and meadow on the west side of the Crook bridge, that we have made for carting, which sd. 3 1/2 acres are thus bounded: on the east on my son John's; on Mr. COLLINS south; on my Cousin Sergt. Nathaniel STOWE west; and on Cousen John STOW's heirs from a great stump to a bush between Obadiah ALLYN, Senior, and my heirs. If the quantity reach so far, the north is the Lammas highway, and the line between it and my heir Samuel STOW, to whom I do give the residue of swamp northward and meadow adjoining unto my son Ichabod's heir west, and butting upon the Rivulet north and east, the south on his uncle Israhiah. Item. I having given my son Sergt. Israhiah WETMORE and my daughter Rachel part of my houselot which was five acres, the residue being three, I give the value of the sd. land to my daughter Elizabeth BARNS and to my daughter Margaret WETMORE, each of them half of the value he gave for his brother Benjamin's land. I give unto my daughters Elizabeth BARNS and Margaret WETMORE all my propriety in that which is called Round Meadow, my daughter Rachell's husband having by exchange set over his third part which their deed mentioned to his brother Beriah, the husband of my daughter Margaret. Item. Further, having given to my daughter Rachel, as their deed given doth mention, ten acres on the east side of the Great River in that lot of eight or nine and thirty acres more or less, I give to my daughter Elizabeth abovesd., and unto my daughter Margaret, each of them, 10 acres of land in sd. lot of 39 acres, the over-plus of the thirty being given to my daughter Thankful TROWBRIDGE mentioned in the deed given to her husband William TROWBRIDGE. The abutments of these parcels to my four daughters in the whole is thus: On the highway east, on the land of Henry COLES west, and Andrew WARNER south, and Mr. Giles HAMLIN's heirs north, having a highway through it to Wongunk 8 rods wide. My sons Israhiah WETMORE and Maybee BARNES having, with my approbation, sold their wives' parts to Goodman GILL, the other two must take up theirs on the east end. As to a parcel of land in the westermost range of the Great Lott, containing 605 acres, I have given to six children, to each 1/6 part: the first lott to my son John STOW in behalf of his eldest daughter Hope STOW; the 2nd to Beriah WETMORE or his wife (my daughter Margaret); the 3rd to Maybee BARNES for his wife (my daughter Elizabeth); the 4th to William TOWBRIDGE for his wife (my daughter Thankful); the 5th to my son Israhiah WETMORE as a trustee for the orphans of my daughter GILBERT; the 6th to myself, being 100 acres or more, upon an account of 100 acres I let my son Israhiah WETMORE have at the Fall Lott in lieu of his wife's 6th part in this parcel. Item. As to my interest in the division of the Half Mile, and as to the additional 3 miles belonging to it in case of a new plantation, I give to Ebenezer GILBERT, the posthumous son of my deceased daughter Dorothy; to Samuel BARNES, the son of my daughter Elizabeth; to Ichabod WETMORE, son of my daughter Rachel; and to Beriah WETMORE the husband of my daughter Margaret. I give 5 acres to my daughter Hope STOW, the daughter of my son Ichabod STOW. I intreat my friends, Mr. John HAMLIN, Rev. Mr. Noadiah RUSSELL and my kinsman, Rev. Mr. James PIERPOINT of New Haven, to be overseers. And my son John and my son-in-law Israhiah WETMORE to be my principal executors. It is further my will, as to my household stuff and moveables, it is my desire that what my wife did say before her decease (that such or such a daughter should have that as they shall agree) which I wish them to do among themselves that it be fulfilled, which I suppose done in a great part as to dammas, fine linen, cushions of needle work, velvet covers for stool and chairs. And as she wills, I will. And that my daughter Margaret shall have the high bed with the curtains and vallents broidered, with what necessary bedding and bolsters, besides the bed and bedsted, that hath been improved about me. Besides I will Margaret the value of half the long table and carpet, and daughter Rachel the whole, paying the value of half of the whole to Margaret, Mr. PIERPOINT judging of it. The great carved chest I have willed to Margaret, as also the silver spoon which she possesseth, marked "S. S. M." And that marked "S. S. E." to my daughter Elizabeth. The spoon marked "S. S. D." let it be reserved for little Sarah GILBERT when of age. As to what more of silver, brass and iron in the house that was mine, I will it to my daughter Rachel because of tender and careful of me in my old age.
Samuel STOW, LS.
Forasmuch as daughter-in-law ROBINSON hath not, according to my proffers, attended to comply with me in the establishing of this my last will to which I have set my hand and seal, I do will that land in controversy to be sold for the just defraught of extraordinary debts and charges before there be any distribution of my estate, that all due debts be paid. If she doth comply, then what may be wanting out of my responsible estate may answer it. April 20th, 1704.
Witness: John CORNWALL, Sen. Samuel STOW. LS.
John COLLINS, Samuel WARNER.