Estate of John Burnam (son of Deacon John Burnam, Sr.)
of Ipswich (Chebaco)
Essex Probate Docket # 4116
In the name of God, Amen. I John Burnam, Senr of
Chebaco, in Ipswich In the County of Esix In the province of Massachusetts
Bay in New England, Yeoman, being att this present time through Gods Goodness
of Good understanding and firm and sound in memory and of a Disposing mind
tho very weak and infirm of Body, not knowing how soon it may please God
to call me hence to my long home.
I Do here by these presents make this to be My last will and Testament. I
Committ My Imortall Soull into the mercyfull hand of that Gracious God who
gave it and my Body to the Grave and to a Descent Buriall in hopes of a Glorious
Ressurection thro Jesus Christ who i trust hath Redeemed my Soul from Death.
And as to what Outward of this World God in the Way of his Good providence
Bestowed upon me, I give and Bequeath as hereafter followeth.
1. I Do hereby Give & Bequeath as hereafter followeth. John Burnam &
Thomas Burnam all my housing & upland & Marsh & Meadow Ground
that i do now posess & Enjoy to be Equally Divided Between them Both
for Quantity and Quality only my Son John Burnam Shall have my Dwelling house
& homestead with the outhouses adjacent which i now inhabit and half
of all my Land Lying most Convenient to it as aforesaid & my said son
Thomas Burnam Shall have the Dwelling house that lyeth abut Southwest from
my now Dwelling house & his half of the said Land to be to him as may
be most convenent adjoining thereunto.
2. Also I Give my said two sons all my Quick Stock to be Equally Divid Between
them & also my Carpenters tools & untensills husbandry all to be
Divid as they Shall agree, or as judicious men Chosen Between them Both Shall
Determine. They Equally paying the Legacies & performing the Severall
Dutys that be hereafter Mentioned & they Equally to pay all Debts that
my be Due from the Estate & Equally to receve all that my be Due to the
Estate & my two Said sons John & Thomas Burnam to have their Equall
Share of all my Common Rights.
3. I do hereby Give & bequeath unto my well Beloved wife Sarah Burnam
all my household Goods & furniteur of Every Room in my House to be att
her Dispose among her Chilldren as se may See cause or for her own use. also
two Cow & then Sheep, ewes to be provided by my said two Sons Equally
and from time to time to be Equally Maintained Both winter & sumer by
them for her own proper use Behoff and Benefit also my Said wife shall have
the use of one end of my now Dwelling house which She Shall Chuse & what
priviledg She may have Occasion for In the Cillar & so as to the Ovens,
well & other necessaries & convenenices that she may stand in need
of; My said two sons shall Equally provide and maintain a good able horse
Sutable for thir mother's use and also to pay her yearly Equally Between
them the full sum of Seven pounds In money or in other species as money also
they Equally are and shall provide firewood for one fire-room Drawn home
and ready cutte fitt for her use and all these severall perticulars shall
be continued and performed By my said two sons to my said wife Sarah so long
as she remains my widdow.
4. I Give to my Eldest Daughter Sarrah wife of Jacob Brown what she hath
allready had which is her portion also i give her ten shillings in, or as
money as a token of my Love to be payd Equally by my two sons above named
in one year after my Decese.
5. I give and Bequeath to my youngest sons jonathan Burnam & Robert Burnam
forty pounds apice In money or other specie as money to be paid to them when
they arrive successivley at the age of twenty and one years By my said two
sons John & Thomas Burnam Each of them their Equall part which is forty
pounds apice.
6. I hereby Give and Bequeath to my three youngest Daughters viz. mary Burnam
Elizabeth Burnam & Hannah Burnam Each of them thirty pounds apice in
money or other speces as money to be paid to each of them succesfully upon
marrage or when they arrive succesfully att the full age of twenty and one
years the three said Legacies which amount In the whole to Ninety pounds
to be equally paid as abovesaid by my two sons John Burnam & Thomas
Burnam.
7. I Do hereby constitute & appoint by trusty and well Beloved freinds
Mr. William Thompson & Leutt John Cogswell to be overseers of this my
Last will and testament & they to be satisfied for what trouble they
are att in sevin herein & in witness that this is my last will and testament
I the said John Burnam have thereto Set my hand and seal this seventeenth
Day of December Anno Dom one thousand seven hundred & Eight.
JOHN BURNAM Senr.
Signed Sealed as the Last will & testament of the sd Jno Burnam Senior
In presents of us three witnesses.
William Thomson
John Cogswell, Junr.
Mathe Rust Sen.
Copia Vera as on record
Expand
Attest Daniel Rogers, Regstr.
Source: "Genealogical Records of the Three Brothers, John, Thomas and Robert
Burnham" Vol II, by Roderick H. Burnham, Longmeadow, Mass., 1869, pub., Hartford
Conn., by Case, Lockwood & Brainard.
Submitted by:Linda Herrick Smith