From the Probate Files: Mary Mrs. Worden - Yarmouth, New England, 1686

Peter Worden II's wife survived him by about seven years. Unfortunately her will, dated March 26, 1686, is only available in transcript form.

[“Barnstable, MA: Probate Records, 1685-1789.” Records of Barnstable, Massachusetts. CD-ROM. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2002. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.)]

Her husband's will having disposed of his land, Mary didn't have that much to leave behind her and she sought to ensure that "there by no differance amongst my children" by having them agree that she could leave her worldly goods as she chose. "All my wearing apparrel" was to be divided equally between her three daughters, all married women, and almost everything else was left to Mary's son-in-law John Barge/Burge/Borg who was also named her executor. Her son Samuel was the recipient of the only exception: "my Indian Squaw Servant" as Peter II had directed in his will.

Sadly we have no idea of the name of that enslaved Native American woman.





© 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.