Estate of John Procter, Sr. of Ipswich
Essex Probate Docket # 22850

In the name of god Amen: I John Procter Senr beinge aged & inform in body of sownd understandinge & memory (god be praised) doe make & ordaine this my last will & testament in manner & forme followinge, viz. First i give my soul into the hands of god who hath redeemed it by the most precious blood of his deare Son Jesus Christ and my body be desently buried in hope of a happy resurection at the last day.
Item. I give my wife fower pownds yearly to be pd in merchantable paye at the price Currant soe long as she Liveth.
Item. I give my wife martha the milk of two cows which She shall choos & every spring.
Item. My will is that every year she shall have a good hog of one yeare & halfe old wel fatted & fower bushels of malt & fower bushels of wheate, also I give her the horse that was George Stevensons to be kept for her use both winter & sumer & to be attended as neede doth require, also two yews and there Fleeces & what increeses of them, also I give her the use of the bed and al belonging to it in the parler roome & al the wood she needeth ready split and cut up for her fires, also the comand of al my.......pewter & al this (except onely the fower pownds.......which she shal have dureing her life is to be ....shal have soe long as she remaineth a widow.....also my wil & meaning is she shall.....whether she will except of what I doe thus dispose or stand to her dower or thirds wch the law al.....for which she shal take one month to considr of. Also I give Martha Hadly my grand-daughter tenn pownds in mrch....pay to be be paid out the day of her maridg also I give to Jno Ha......my grandsonn fifty shillings to be pd when his tyme....out with John Davis, also I give to my ffower daughters Martha White, Abigail Varney, Sara Dodge & Hanna Wede five pounds apeece also I do make & appoint my three Sons John Procter, Joseph Procter & Benjamin Procter executors of this my last wil & testament & they are to have my lands & my moveables equaly devided amongst them.
In witness hearof I have heare unto Sett my hand this 28th of august 1672.

John (his V mark) Procter
Witness:
Samuel Symonds
John Dane junr.
Proved in Salem court 28:9:1672 by Mr. Samuel Symonds, and the court was informed there was something more added verbally to be left to the court's further consideration.

Inventory.........
Copy of will and inventory, Essex County Probate Records, vol. 301 pgs 6 & 7.

Sarah Story and Mary Fellows testified in Ipswich court 24:7:1672 that being at Goodman Procter's house, they asked him what should be done with his wife's clothing and he answered that it should be disposed of among his daughters and Martha Hadley, both woolen and linen, also her horse & all the wool that was in the chamber, about one or two pounds. He also said that he had given his son James White one pair of oxen which were not entered in his will. Copy made Oct 3, 1672 by Robert Lord, cleric. The court at Salem 26:4:1673 ordered the above written to be annexed to the will.

Source: Printed "Probate Records of Essex County, Massachusetts;
1635 - 1681," In three volumes,The Essex Institute; Salem, MA; 1916
Essex County Quarterly Court Files, vol. 20, leaf 147

Submitted by: Linda Herrick Smith

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