Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records
(Hartford District),
Charles W. Mainwaring,
Hartford, 1902,
Vol 3, p 210
WILLIAMS, John, Middletown. Died 6 May, 1735. Invt. £323-11-02. Taken 23 May, 1735, by Solomon ADKINS, Ephriam ADKINS and Joseph ROCKWELL. Will dated 27 February, 1721-2.
I, John WILLIAMS of Middletown, do make this my last will and testament: I give unto my wife Abigail £20 current money, to be paid out of moveable estate at inventory price. And also I give unto my wife the improvement of all my homestead and all the homelott from east to west highways, with all the buildings thereon, as dwelling house and barn and all the appurtenances thereon, the whole term of her natural life. I give unto my daughter Mary the one equal half of the Hunting Hill, so called and known, the quantity as per record doth appear; and also 1-2 of the meadow land which I bought of Sergt. WHITMORE and John GILBERT, the quantity as per record; these tow parcels of land to be equally divided between Mary and Martha. I give unto my daughter Martha the 1-2 of my Hunting Hill lot, so called, and also the 1-2 of my meadow land which I bought of Sergt. WHITMORE and John GILBERT; these two parcels of land to be equally divided between Martha and Mary. I give unto my daughter Dorothy my homestead whereon I now dwell, the land being butted on the highways easterly and westerly, and sideing by the HALL's land north and the WARD's land south, but the acres more or less, together with all the buildings and fences thereon, as dwelling house and barn, and all other my meadow land which I bought of my son-in-law Ambrose CLARK; the whole of both these lotments of land and buildings abovesaid I give unto my daughter Dorothy. As as to my moveable estate, after my wife hath had £20 and my just debts and funeral charges are all paid, it is my will that what remaineth shall be equally divided between my three daughters, Mary, Martha and Dorothy, excepting one of my best feather beds with all the needful bedding and furniture to it, which I give unto my daughter Dorothy. And I do also give unto my three daughters above named my lotment of land on the east side of the Great River, lately laid out, containing 68 acres, bounded as per record, with this promise, if I do not see cause to dispose thereof in my lifetime; if not, to be equally divided between them. I appoint my wife Abigail, my daughters Martha and Dorothy, and my son-in-law, Stephen SMITH, as executors.
John WILLIAMS, L.S.
Witness: Joseph ROCKWELL
Joseph ROCKWELL, Jr.,
William ROCKWELL
Court Record, Page 28 -- 3 June, 1735: The last will of John WILLIAMS, late of Middletown deceased, was not exhibited in Court by Stephen SMITH, one of the executors, which will being proven, was ordered to be recorded.
Page 31 -- 26 August, 1735: Dorothy WARNER, daughter to the deceased, being appointed an executrix, with her husband Samuel WARNER now accepted the trust, and also brought in an addition of £10-14-00 to the inventory.