Before we move onto the further court battles between the Haskell family and Edward
Berry, let's look at his estate and heirs.
As far as I've been able to determine so far, Roger Haskell and Elizabeth Hardy had
at least 9 children. These are their names and probable years of birth:
John 1639/1640
William 1645
Elizabeth 1651
Sarah 1654
Hannah 1655
Mark 1656
Samuel 1657
Roger 1658
Josiah 1659
John and William were in their twenties when their father died and Elizabeth had married
William Dodge. Hannah and Mark are not mentioned in any of the court cases so they
might have died young.
Roger's will is interesting for its mention of Mr. Gafford's land which would be fought over.
and for the way Roger lists the various farm animals by name. I like to think it shows he had
some affection for them.
The court record of Roger Haskell's will and estate is as follows:
"Elizabeth, widow of Roger Hascall, deceased, presented his will which was proved upon
oath of Thomas Pickton and John Hill and allowed. Said Elizabeth was appointed executrix.
Will of Roger Haskell, dated May 27, 1667. He bequeathed "to my wife too Cowes the one
being at our son in law William dodges & one at home named Coll I likewise doe bequeth
& giue to my three youngest sons Roger Josiah & Samuell three other Cowes as yong whiteface, velvet & Colley likewise I giue to my daughters hannah & Sarah 2 heifers a
Red one named Cherry to hannah & a black one Caled gentle to Sarah I likewise giue to my son marke a yoke of oxen named black & Butter & the horse I had of nehemiah grouer I likewise giue to my son John a lyned oxe I likewise giue to my sister Jone a heifer as soone
as the Calfe is taken off I likewise giue my son marke my black horse & to Roger my Roaned horse & to my son Josiah & Samuell my too mares likewise I giue to my wife a yearling & to my daughter Elizabeth the Browne yearling & a yearling to my 3 yongest sonns likewise I leaue my sheep to my wife & Children to pt them as they thinke fit I likewise giue to my
three yongest sonns all my lands & houses wheare I now liue to be equally divided when
they Come to age out of the same land my will is that they pay to my too daughters hannah
& Sarah ten pounds sterling apeice
"I likewise giue to my son marke my Barne Cloase with that medow that Joyne to it out of
the which my will is that this my son is to pay to hannah & Sarah ten pound sterling when they come of age I likewise bequeth & giue to my sons John & William forty akers of land a peece behinde the great pond; & likewise that land at drapers pointe Called Mr Gerfords
with the medow my will is that my wife shall haue the one halfe & my 3 sons Roger Josiah
& Samuell the other halfe & my meadow at Bunkares to be diuided equally betweene my
too sons John & William as likewise my meadow at wenham meadow either of them an
equall pportion likewise my will is that my son william dodge shall haue halfe my meadow
at the great pond & John & william the other halfe likewise my will is that william dodg
shall haue ten ackers of land most Convenient for him neere his now dwelling & my too daughters hannah & sarah twelve acres a peice out of the same land & the Rest of that
land to be equally diuided amongst my 3 yongest sons puided that the way may still
Remaine out of that land to my now dwelling I likewise giue Roger my steere Called
golding & Josiah a steere caled galent my son marke to him I giue what land my father
in law John Stone liue vpon after his desease I likewise giue to my wife one Roome which
she pleese & that my wife shall haue the disposing of this my estate till my sons
& daughters come to age & upon the same shee is to bring them up in the feare of god & to
pvide for them & my desire is that my Brothers william & marke haskell be the ouerseers
to see this my will truely pformed. Roger (his mark) Haskall. Wit: Thomas Pickton and
John Hill.
Inventory of the estate of Roger Hascall, taken June 11, 1667, by John Rayment, Hugh Woodbery and John Dodge, and allowed 25 : 4 :1667, at Salem court: Howsing and the
land lieing to it in fence, 160li.; 100 Acres of land on the Rocks adjoining, 60li.; 80 Acres of land at Lord's hill, 80li.; 4 Acres of medoe at Buncar's, 16li; 2 acres of medoe in wenham medoe, 5li.; a parsell of medoe by wenham pownd, 6li.; the barne Close and medoe, 50li.;
one halfe of that was Mr. Gafford's, 50li.; neat Cattell, 53li. 18s.; horses, 25li. 5s.; sheepe,
10li.; graine on the ground, 24li.; beedinge, 15li.; wearing Clothes, 14li.; Armes, 6li.; pewter and a warming pane, 2li.; severall particular of howsholld stufe, 7li. 10s.; bookes, 10s.; severall Iron toolls, 2li.; severall things and plow gears, 15li. 5s.; swine, 2li. 10s.; gessed 80 bushells of endian Corne, 12li.; total, 616li. 18s."
-Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts
Vol 3, 1662-1667 (pp427-728)
(The thought now strikes me that the William Haskell involved in the sale of land to Nicholas
Woodbury may have been Roger's son and not his brother.)
So this was the estate Roger Haskell left his wife and children. Roger's instructions as to
how his widow was to raise his children would have importance when the question of guardianship came to court.
To be continued.
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