Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records
(Hartford District),
Charles W. Mainwaring,
Hartford, 1902,
Vol 3, p 366-368
WILCOCKS, Israel, Middletown. Invt. £1855-08-11. Taken 25 September, 1738, by Thomas JOHNSON, Samuel STOW and Francis WILCOCKS. Will dated 27 April, 1738.
I, Israel WILCOCKS, yeoman, do make this my last will and testament: I give to Hannah, my wife, all that she brought with her which was her own proper estate before I married her, to be wholly at her own dispose. Also I give to my wife the use of 1-2 of my dwelling house, 1-2 of the seleridge belonging to it, half of my well, 1-2 of my barn at home and the use of 1-3 part of my orchard. Also, I give to my wife the improvement of 1-3 part of all my lands so long as she remains my widow. My will is that in case she should marry, then she should have but 1-2, and release the other half to my children. I give to my wife two cows, my youngest yoke of oxen and my two old mares. I give to my son Israel WILCOCKS 64 acres of land out of my right in the lottment of land lying in the northwest quarter at the turn of the great river; also 1-3 part of a lottment of land I have on the east side the Great River, call the undivided land; also my Goose Delight meadow and the piece of land on the Neck which lyeth near by it; also my gunn, rapier and belt. I give to my son Gideon WILCOCKS all my lottments of land at the Short Hill; aslo all that I had of Capt. Nathaniel WHITE near the stone quaries; also 30 acres of land out of my right in a lottment of land at the turn of the river in ye north west quarter; also 1-3 part of a lottment of landI have on the east side of the Great River, called the undivided land; also all my right in ye round meadow. I give to my son Nathaniel WILCOCKS 55 acres of land on the northwest quarter; also my right in the boggy meadow; also 1-3 part of a lottment of land on the east side of the Great River, called the undivided land. I give to my son Charles WILCOCKS all my homelott which my house stands on with the buildings upon it; also I give him all my pasture; also all my lottment of land at ye Plaines or Pines. I give to my daughter Ruth WILCOCKS £70; also my bigest brass kettle besides the £70. I give to my daughter Mary WILCOCKS £55. I give to my daughter Jerusha £60. I give to my daughter Hannah WILCOCKS £60. And further, my will is that my two eldest daughters, Ruth and Mary, shal have my right in the half-mile lott on the east side of the Great River also my Fourth Division Lott on the east side of the Great River at inventory price. And it is to be understood these two pieced of land is to be counted for part of the sums above mentioned for my two eldest daughter's portions. And further, I give to my two youngest daughters, out of my stock of sheep, 12 good sheep. And my will is that my wife shall have the improvement of them until my tow youngest daughters come of age, and then my wife shall make them good to my sd. daughters according to the inventory price. I give to my daughter Jerusha my brown two-year-old heifer. Also I give to my daughter Hannah my pied heifer calf. And further, my will is that my two sons, Israel and Nathaniel, shall be put out to prentice as soon as may be with conveniency, and that my son Gideon shall live at home with is mother until he shall arrive tothe age of 21 years, and that my son Charles shall live with his mother until he comes to the age of 15 years, if his mother finds it will be for the best. And upon consideration that my wife has small children to bring up, I think it proper to make these following considerations on that account: My will is that my son Gideon shall work with his mother until he is 21 years old, and that my wife, with my son Gideon, shall have the improvement of all my improvements at home and of my pasture at Siding Hill, and of all my mowing land and that part of my lott at the turn of the river which is contained between the ledges and the river; all these, except my wife's right of thirds, I give my wife and my son Gideon the use of until my son Gideon come to the age of 21 years and no longer. Further, I give my son Gideon the use of my oldest yoke of cattle until 3 years is expired from the date of this will, and no longer. And further, my will is that my wife and my son Gideon shall have the use of all my husbandry tools untilmy son Gideon comes of age, then it shall be divided equally between my four sons. Also, that my son Gideon shall take the whole care of all husbandry business for his mother, as giting of wood and looking after creatures, etc.; and than my son Gideon shall have for his encouragement 1-2 fo the grain that he raiseth off of the land, to be at his own dispose; and also, when buisness will allow to go out to work with a team, my son Gideon shall have 1-2 of what he gits; also that my wife shall find Gideon his victuals and clothes until he comes of age. Also my will is that the provision in house and the pied cow and all my swine shall be improved to the use of my family without being accountable for to any; and also so much of my English grain on the gruond as the family shall need, and the remainder to go to pay debts or legacies. I make my brother John WILCOCKS sole executor.
Israel WILCOCKS, L.S.
Witness: John SHEPHERD
John CLARK
Thomas JOHNSON
Court Record, page 32 -- 1st August, 1738: Will proven. This Court appoint Hannah WILCOCKS to be guardian to Charles WILCOCKS, age 9 years, Jerusha, age 4 years, and Hannah, one year old, children of Israel WILCOCKS deceased. Recog., £400.
Page 33 -- 3 October, 1738: Nathaniel WILCOCKS, age 15 years, and Israel, age 18 years, sonso fo Israel WILCOCKS, chose Joseph SAVAGE of Middletown to be their guardian. Recog., £300.
Page 46 -- 3 April, 1739: Mary WILCOCKS, age 14 years, daughter of Israel WILCOCKS, chose her uncle John WILCOCKS to be her guardian. Recog., £200.
Page 47 -- 3 Aprl, 1739: Guideon WILCOCKS, son of Israel WILCOCKS, chose his uncle John WILCOCKS to be his guardian. Recog., £400. John WILCOCKS of Middletown informs this Court that he has a right in a parcell of land lying in Middletown, which lies in common and joynt tenantcy with heirs of Thomas WILCOCKS, vil., with Thomas and Jonathan WILCOCKS, minors, and with heirs of Israel WILCOCKS, viz., Israel and Nathaniel WILCOCKS, minors, and also with Daniel and Josiah WILCOCKS, heirs of Samuel WILCOCKS of Middletown deceased. Sd. WILCOCKS desires this Court to appoint persons to divide sd. lands. This Court appoint John SHEPHARD, Hugh WHITE, and Joseph FRARY to make the division with guardians to the minors.
Page 85 -- 7 April, 1741: Hannah WILCOCKS, widow, moves to this Court that the estate given her by will may be set out to her: Whereupon this Court appoint Capt. Thomas JOHNSON, Mr. Joseph FRARY and Francis WILCOCKS to set out the widow's estate.
Page 101 -- 1st December, 1741: Israel WILCOCKS moves this Court for a division of lands lying in joynt tenantcy between sd. Israel WILCOCKS and Nathaniel WILCOCKS. This Court appoint Lt. Samuel SHEPHERD, Thomas SAVAGE and Joseph FRARY to divide the lands.