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 IV)

If you look closely at the inventory of this 10X great grandfather's estate you may understand why I've been postponing my consideration of it. Handwriting from the late 17th century is hard to decypher.

["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), Wills 1633-1686 vol 1-4 > image 514 & 515 of 616; State Archives, Boston.]

In fact I'm going to take advantage of a printed version of the inventory taken from "Specific Ancestral Lines of the Boaz, Paul, Welty & Fishel Families" by Adrienne Boaz.

[Specific Ancestral Lines of the Boaz, Paul, Welty & Fishel Families, page 401.

By Adrienne Boaz. Source: Google Books]

From this inventory we can see that Peter II had amassed a respectable amount of worldly goods, including livestock, beds, other furniture and cooking utensils, tools, a gun with powder and bullets, and two bibles. But there's one item I particularly want to draw your attention to in the original:

Item an Indian servant that cost att first                 04 -- 10 --- 0

This is the person referred to in this phrase of the codicil to Peter's will: "I give my Indian servant to my son Samuell after my wife's decease."

I've already covered the land in Old England left him by his father Peter I here.

Peter II's wife Mary survived him by about seven years, making her own will in 1686 which we'll look at next time.


© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

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

When the elder Peter Worden left everything including "all my lands Leases tenaments with goods movable and unmovable in ye Towne of Clayton in ye County of Lankester" to his only son Peter Worden II (who accompanied his father to Massachusetts in about 1638) both men would have known what that property was and had some idea of its worth. 

However by 1680 no one seems to have been able to judge what value to put on the property described as "all my estate in old England both land and other estate that came by my wife*" in the Peter II's will. 

["Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997D-V3D1?cc=2018320&wc=M6BX-F29%3A338083801 : 20 May 2014), Wills 1633-1686 vol 1-4 > image 516 of 616; State Archives, Boston.]

Item an Interest in house and land and mony in old England
not knowing what it may be worth                                              xxx--00---0
Item an house and land both upland and meddows
in the Towne of Yarmouth                                                            500--00--0


Peter II's oldest son Samuel Worden was the main beneficiary of his father's will and he and his mother Mary acted as executors of his estate, giving their oath that the inventory** was true.

["Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997D-V3D1?cc=2018320&wc=M6BX-F29%3A338083801 : 20 May 2014), Wills 1633-1686 vol 1-4 > image 516 of 616; State Archives, Boston.]

This  2i of March 1680
Samuell Worden and Mary Worden the Relict of the
said Peter Worden maid oath to the truth of this inventory
Before mee John Freeman Assistant?;                   John Miller
                                                                               John Hall Junior:
                                                                               Paul Sears: ????


*Although there are claims made that Peter II's wife Mary's maiden name was Winslow or Seares, I'm not comfortable with either name. In any case, we don't know what property in England she had brought to the marriage.
**I will cover the complete inventory of Peter II in a later post.


© 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.

From the Probate Files: Peter Worden - Yarmouth, Massachusetts - 1638/39

One of my maternal 11X great grandfathers, Peter Worden disappears from available records between 1629 when he lent eight shillings to the Borough of Preston in Lancashire, England, and 1638 when he made his will in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, on February 9, 1638/39, later described as the first "English" to die in that location.

 A month later this will was probated and was the first will written in Plymouth's court records. Here's what that record looks like, written in the handwriting of the day.

["Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-31878-2725-41?cc=2018320&wc=M6BX-F29:338083801 : accessed 22 Oct 2014), Wills 1633-1686 vol 1-4 > image 43 of 616;

citing State Archives, Boston.]

However legible the original record may have been, in the late 19th century Barnstable County hired Mary R. Lovell and G.A. Hinchley to transcribe them.

[Wills, Inventories, Etc, 1637 to 1685, County of Barnstable; Probate Place: Plymouth, Massachusetts. Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Original data: Massachusetts County, District and Probate Courts.]

And here's what they produced.

[Wills, Inventories, Etc, 1637 to 1685, County of Barnstable; Probate Place: Plymouth, Massachusetts. Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Original data: Massachusetts County, District and Probate Courts.]

Here's my transcription of the original document. Comparing it with the 1893 version I think Miss Mary R. normalized some of the spelling--which I can understand as it's all to easy to do. Also she and other transcriptions tend to add punctuation which is missing in the 17th century original.

     The last will and Testament of Peter Worden of
     Yarmouth ye elder deceased proved at ye generall
     Court held at Plymouth the fift day of March in ye xiiiith
     year of ye Reigne of our Sovereigne Lord Charles King of
     England ca 1638 by ye oathes of Mr Nicholas Sympkins
     Hugh Tillie & Giles Hopkins, as followith, viz 
Be it knowne unto all men to whome this doth or
may concerne That I Peter Worden of Yarmouth in New
England in Plymouth, Hatter being very sicke in this yeare
of Our Lord 1638 and on ye viiith day of February do make
my last will to testify unto all that I Peter Worden doe
give and bequeath unto Peter Worden, my only sonne &
sonne & heir and in the presense of Nicholas Sympkins
Hugh Tillie & Giles Hopkins I do make him my whole Executor
to whom I doe give all my lands Leases tenaments with
goods movable and unmovable in ye Towne of Clayton in
ye County of Lankester likewise I doe give unto
Peter my sonn all my goods which I have at this present
in New England My will is my sonn is to give John
Lewis one Nete Goate also my will is my sonn is to give
my Grandchild such money as is due for the keeping of
Goates and Calves until this day and that my sonn is
with the money to buy a Kid or dispose it otherwise
for his use also one bed or bolster three blankets also
my sonn is to have ye tuition of my grandchild untill
he be at ye age of one and twenty yeares of age also
my will is he shall fynd him with meate drinke and
clouthes and at ye three last yeares of the xxith years
also to have forty shillings the yeare after & above
for to add to his stock with the sow pigg when the sowe piggs
In witness we present set out hande
                                                            Nicholas Sympkins
Peter {his/seal} Worden                           Hugh Tillie H mark
                                                            Giles Hopkins $$
Mr Nicholas Sympkins Hugh Tillie and Giles Hopkins
weer all deposed (in open Court) to this will ye fift day of'
March 1638. xiiiith Caroli We[?] See Court order P-194

On what turned out to be his deathbed, Peter Worden left all his property in both New and Old England to his only son Peter, directing the younger Peter to take care of his grandson John Lewis whose mother was Peter's oldest child Elizabeth Worden. Young John was named after his London-born father John Lewis, a married preacher with some scandalous habits. (You can read more about him here.) This will seems to be the only reference to John who would have been about 14 at the time of his grandfather's death. Nothing further is know about him.




© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.