Book Shelf: Good Wives: Image and Reality in the Lives of Women in Northern New England, 1650 - 1750

The title of this book attracted me because I'm alway trying to understand what the lives of my many-times grandmothers were like. I'm not sure if any of my direct ancestors lived in the precise area covered here but I don't imagine that the experiences of women south of Boston were markedly different, indeed the author acknowledges that in her preface.

[Published by Random House, available through Amazon.com]

[Map of Northern New England as described by the aurhot]

Here's quote from the author's preface:

Good Wives was originally published in 1980. I bought it for my Kindle.



© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

From the Probate Files: Peter Worden II - New Plymouth, New England, 1680 (Part II)

Last week we looked at the first part of the will of the younger immigrant Peter Worden who had come to America with his father in about 1638. Now here's what he added to that will at a later date.

This 29th of July 1680, I Peter Worden yett Remaining in perfect ~ ~
memory though weak in body doe add this to my Will as a further ~ ~ ~
explanation; firstly that my ^wife have all her own disposall what ever shee
can raise of my land and Cattle in the improvement of them; during her life
for her support and is there be any overpluss to dispose it to my children
as shee shall see need
Whereas I have in my will given to my son Samuel all the cattle that
hee hath bin possessed of by mee; excepting two oxen my will it that as

["Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997D-V3ZQ?cc=2018320&wc=M6BX-F29%3A338083801 : 20 May 2014), > image 514 & 515 of 616; State Archives, Boston.]

my son hath them principally for to doe the worke of my ~ ~
family, plowing and carting etc soe likewise that hee keepeth three
steers more of my Cattle; and when hee hath brought to of them to worke
suitable to supply the Round[?] of those above said two oxen, then I give one of
the old oxen to my wife and the other to my son Samuell; and
the third steer my son Samuell shall keep to the halves, hee to
have one halfe and his mother the other halfe; and my will is that
my son Samuell will breake other of my steers during my wife's
life to be in reddyness to doe the work as above said; and att my wife's
decease my will is that the two oxen that be then in Government shall
goe to my son Samuell with the house and land that my wife 
liveth on; likewise I give to my son Samuell my Gun and all my takleing
for plowing and carting and housebondry after my wife's decease and my son
Samuell is to provide his mother with firewood during her life
and likewise to provide hay for my cattle during his mother's life that
is to say to Gett the hay mowed and made and stacked and have
the oxen and Cart if a reddyness for that end the stocke of cattle, to
pay for the geting of the said hay excepting cart and oxen for draught
Further whereas my son Kendline Winslow oweth mee forty
shillings I give him twenty shillings of it; and whereas my son John
Burge oweth mee thirty shillings I give him twenty of it; and likewise 
I give my Indian servant to my son Samuell after my wife's ~ ~
decease; as Witness my hand and seal the day and year above said
Memorandum I except one Cow and Calfe that I have in Samuell's
hand ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Signed and sealed in the presence                          Peter Worden
of us John Freeman Senior: An?isson;                   And a {Seal}
Silas Sares

Next time we'll look at the inventory of Peter's estate.

© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

From the Probate Files: Peter Worden II - New Plymouth, New England, 1680

Last month we looked at the will of another Peter Worden who was this Peter Worden's father. Both men had arrived in Yarmouth in about 1638. This will, written in 1679, included a mention of the land in Old England left to him by his father.

["Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97D-V3DG?cc=2018320&wc=M6BX-F29 : 20 May 2014), > image 514 of 616; State Archives, Boston.]

I Peter Worden of the towne of Yarmouth in the collonie of New Plymouth
in New England in America about saventy one years of age being weake in
body yett in perfect memory doe make this my last will and testament ~ ~ ~
Firstly I bequeath my soule to God that gave it and my body to the earth to be
decently buryed when God's time is to remove mee out of this world by death ~ ~
Secondly. I make my son Samuell Worden my whole and sole executor to
whom I give all my lands upon the necke called Equinett Necke with all the
priviledges therto belonging, to him and his heires and assignes forever with
eight acrees of land att the south sea; to the said necke soe likewise I give
to my son Samuell Worden all my housing and land that I now live upon
after his mother's decease both upland and marsh and orchyard and the
land I bought to Mr. Allin; with all other lands due to mee from the towne
not yett layed out or from the country as procured by the late warr with
the indians; so likewise I give to my son Samuell my best bedsted and
my trundle bedsted; ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thirdly I give to my daughter Martha the wife of Joseph Severens
a peece of marsh about three acrees be it more or lesse lying att the head
of the marsh above John Burgis his ditch; during her naturall life; and
after I give it to my son Samuell Worden to whom I likewise give ~
all the cattle that hee hath bine possessed of by mee excerpting two oxen ~ ~ ~
Fourthly I give to my loving wife Mary Worden the proffitts and improvement
of my housing and lands and orchyards that I now live upon during her natural
life, both upland and marsh with the land I bought of Mr. Allin and all
my household good and cattle for her support during her life and my will is
that what of my goods and cattle are left after my wife decease shal be
equally divided betwixt my three daughters Mary, Mercy and Martha ~~
Fifthly I give to my son Samuell Worden all my estate in old England
both land and other estate that came by my wife ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sixthly I give to my daughter Mary the wife of John Burgis, the one half of my
forth acrees of upland att the head of the lotts to her her heires and assignes
forever ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
Seaventhly I give to my daughter Martha the wife of Joseph Severens
all the cattle and goods that; shee is already possessed of by mee with one cow ~ ~
more att my decease and after her decease my will is that what of them are left
shall fall to her two daughters now living ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
Lastly I give to my son Samuell Worden my Chist and my cloake;
Signed and sealed before                  Peter Worden [and a Seale]
us this 9th day of January 1679
John Freeman Senior
Silas Sares*   

On July 29, 1680, Peter Worden wrote an addition to this will "as a further explanation" which I will address in a future post.
.


*This transcription is based on one found at USGenWeb donated by Don Ross which I have edited and amended using the scan of the original.



© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.