52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2017 WEEK 39: JOHN ABBOTT OF ANDOVER, MA. PT3

Here's the second half of my transcription of my 8x great grandfather John Abbott's
will:

Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. Case66 Page5

Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. Case66 Page6

I give to my well beloved son Stephen Abbott one half of ye land that I purchased
that was Hue Stones and ye other half I give to my well beloved son Ebenezer Abbott
now in the posescion equally to be divided also I give to my son Stephen Abbott
Three acers of land layd out near his house to mee be it more or less and bounded as
on Record. I give also to my son Ebenezer Abbott three acers of land lying on the
west side of the land that I gave him whear he now lives as it is butted and bound
 or be itt more or less; I also give my son Ebenezer Abbott four common wights as my
 Statement was in ye divishon or the same proportion by any other way
 of statement

Item-I give to my well beloved son Ephraim Abbott 40 pounds which he has received
allredy from me also I give him three acers of land layd out to mee near his house be
it more or less-as it is bound  on Record as allso two acers and a half of my common
wright as my statement was in ye first divishion or by same proportion in any way
of statment

Item- I give to my beloved son Joshua abbott  forty-five pounds in mony: which he has
received of mee all but ten pounds -------------------------------------------------------------------

Item-  I give to my well beloved daughter Sarah Chandler : two cowes and Six sheep and
half my moveables as  expresedt on the other side thetTwo cowes and six sheep shee
has received allready att her marage.---------------------------------------------------------------------

Item- I give to my beloved daughter Presilah Abbott two cowes and six sheep and half
my moveables as is on the other side expresed.---------------------------------------------------------

Item-I order my executors to take the whole care to provide for their honored mother
after my decease first she shall have ye liberty of which roome she pleases for to
live in and my executors to provide for her suitable cloathing of all sorts both
for lining and wooling and meat  drink washing  and fire wood and candles the
 wood to be  cut and brought into ye house and phisick and tendance in case of sick nes
 and for what ever she wants for her comfort so long as she remains my widow
if it be to the day of her death and att her death  I order my executors to give ye
honored mother a decent christian buriall if she dyes my widow but if she
shall see reason to marry again then my executors to be freed from what I have
ordered them to do for her.---------------------------------------------------------------------
And I doe hear by utterly disalow revoke and disannull every other will and testament
ratiifing this and no other to be my last will: and testament: and of this I make
my well beloved sons John Abbott and Joseph Abbott my executors they receiving
paying all my lawfull debts and receiving my dues and my loveing brother
George Abbott and Nathanel Abbott to see this my will performed In witness whear
of I have hear unto sett my hand and seal the day and year on the other side
mentioned.
Signed, Sealed published  pronounced  and declared by the said John Abbott
as his last will and testament in the presence of us
the subcribers.
Timothy Abbott                                                                                John Abbott & a seal
George Abbott, Jr.
Henry Abbott                                                                            This therein  appear and make oath
                                                                                                        April 10, 1721

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2017 WEEK 39: JOHN ABBOTT OF ANDOVER, MA. PT2

Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. Case66 Page 1

I found the probate file for my 8x great grandfather John Abbott over at AmericanAncestors.org.
As you can see from the image, it's  about a page and a half of small cramped handwriting.
Luckily for me, I also found Charlotte Helen Abbott's four paged typewritten transcription, which was over on the Andover Memorial Hall Library's  website in the Abbott Genealogies collection.
I double-checked  her work and was surprised to see she had changed the spelling on some words and in some cases changed an entire word. Still, it helped me do my own transcription.

I'm posting it here in two parts. Part 1 is from about half of this first page of the will:

Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. Case66 Page5

 
In the name of God Amen. This sixteenth day of May in ye year of our Lord 1716
I John Abbott of Andover in County of Essex in New England being weake
in body but of perfect mind and memory blessed be God for itt therefore calling
to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for me once to dye
doe make and ordaine this my last will and Testament (That is to say) principally and
first of all I give and recommend  my soul into ye hands of God yt gave itt hoping through ye
death passion and meritts of my Saviour Jesus Christ to have full and free pardon
and forgiveness of all my sins and to inherit eternal life and my body I committ to ye
earth to be decently buryed att ye discretion  of my executor hereafter named noth-
ing doubting but at ye general resurrection I shall receive ye same againe by ye mighty
power of God and as touching worldly estate whear with it hath pleased  the
 Lord to bless me in this life, I give devise and dispose of the same in ye following man
or  and for me that is to say: First- I will yt all those debts and dues yt I owe in wright
or concciance to any manner of person or persons whasoever shall be well and truly
payed in a convenient time after my decease by my executors  hereafter
named.

I give to my well beloved wife Sarah Abbot ten pounds in money and all my household  move
ables during her naturall life and when  ye Lord shall see good to remove her by death y
then my moveables to be divided between my daughters Sarah Chandler and Priscillah
Abbott   By moveables I mean my bedding linen, woolens, pewter, brass, iron,tin and all
wooden ware excepting baoles but it must be unders tood that what my daughter
Sarah Chandler hath received be accounted for when the divishon is made.

Item  I give to  my beloved son John Abbott one part of my whomestead  bounded  on ye north
by a stake st at ye highway side and so running to ye end of ye orchard to a white oke
tree marked as ye fence now stands then to a white oake tree marked standing near the fence
to south east att the westerly end of my whomestead with all my housing orchard and fences
and all upon it also my loome with all my weaver takoling and half my meadow att
Beaver Dam lying between Billerica and Oborn also a parcell of land laid out to me on the left
hand of the way goe ing  to William Lovejoy Junor containing a bout 4 acres and
a half be it more or less Bouned  as on Record: also I give him six common wrights and a half according to my state ment was in ye first divishon or the  same proportion
by any way of statement for paying what I shall order him to pay.

Item- I give to my beloved son Joseph Abbott the other part of my whomstead bound
att the stake above named then running to a whit oke att the end of the orchard as the
fence now stands then to a whit oke stand ing near the fence souest marked : all
this esterly  end  with  the  barn  orchard  and  fence and all upon itt also a pece of  land on the
west side of the way near his barn as it is now fenced: also a pece of mowing  ground
ly ing upon Roger brook and joyning to good man Ballards land as it is now fenced
and  half  my bevor dam meadow as it is butted and bounded also a pece of land lying
near the parsonage laid  out to mee for three acres be it more or less and bounded as
on record. Also I  give him five acers and a half of my com mon wright: as my
statement was in the first division of the same proportion by any other way of
statement be pay ing what I shall order him to pay


To be continued

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2017 WEEK 39: JOHN ABBOTT OF ANDOVER, MA. PT1

My 8x great grandfather John Abbott was the eldest child of my ancestors George Abbott and Hannah Chandler. I'm also descended from his younger siblings Benjamin and Sarah.The Abbotts were a prominent family in early Andover Massachusetts and John was no exception. Here's what William Richard Cutter has to say about him:

(II) Deacon John, eldest child of George and Hannah (Chandler) Abbot, was born in Andover, Massachusetts, March 2, 1648, and died there March 19, 1721. He lived with his father in the garrison house, and is said to have been a man of judgment and executive ability. He was employed much of the time in business for the town, and served as selectman and representative to the general court. When the church was organized in the south parish of Andover. in 1711, he was chosen deacon, and Mr. Phillips mentions that "he used the office well." Both he and his wife were much respected for uprightness and piety. Deacon Abbot married, November 17, 1673, Sarah, daughter of Richard Barker, one of the first settlers in Andover. She was born in 1647 and died February 10, 1729. They had nine children, all born in Andover: 1. John, November 2, 1674, died January 1, 1754. 2. Joseph, December 29, 1676, died January 9, 1757. 3. Stephen, March 16. 1678, died May 27, 1766. 4. Sarah, December 7, 1680, died March 6, 1754; married, 1707, Zebadiah Chandler. 5. Ephraim, August 16, 1682. 6. Joshua, June 16, 1685, died February 11, 1769. 7. Mary, January 2, 1687, died December 2, 1688. 8. Ebenezer, September 27, 1689, died January 14, 1761. 9. Priscilla, July 7, 1691, died May 24, 1791-p521

Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of the State of Massachusetts, Volume 1  Lewis historical Publishing Company, N.Y., N.Y.  1910




I've found his will and a transcription, which I'll discuss in the next post.