Jeremiah Fuller of Newton, Province of Massachusetts Bay, New England
Last Will written, 9 March 1742/3
Middlesex County Probate Court
Reference: Case Number 8744
Probate, 13 February, 1743/4, County of Middlesex,
Province of Massachusetts Bay, New England
(Born 4 Feb. 1657/8 – Died 23 Dec. 1743)
(Jeremiah2 , John1 of Newton)
Transcribed by George Symonds Fuller
Compiled by W. L. Fuller
In the name of God Amen, The ninth day of March in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty-two-three, I Jeremiah Fuller of Newton in the County of Midd’x in his Majesties Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England. Being Aged and ill in Body but of perfect mind and memory (thanks to given unto God) and called to mind the mortality of my Body and knowing it is appointed for man once to dye. Do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament (that is to say) Principally and first of all I Give and Recommend my Soul into the hand of God who gave it hoping threw the Merits of Satisfaction 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 Commit to the Earth to be Decently Buried at the Discretion of my Executors hereafter named nothing doubting but as the General Resurrection I shall Receive the same again by the Mighty power of God, and as touching Such Worldly Estate as it hath pleased God to Bless me in this life I Give Demise and dispose of the Same in the following Manner and form Viz:
Imprimis. I Will that all those Debts and Dutyes that I do owe in Right or conscience to any maner of person or persons Whatsoever Shall be well and truly Consented and paid or ordained to be paid in Convenient time after my Decease by my Executors hereafter named.
(2) J.H. I Give and Bequeath unto my son Thomas Fuller, Eighty Five Acres of Land by Estimation be the same more or less Where he now Dwells lying on the Southerly and Easterly Side of the Farm I now live on Accord as the dividing lines have been run in times by a Surveigher.
Also I Give and Bequeath to him two acres of the Meadow by Estimation be the same more or less lying in S[ai]d Newton on the West side of a Brook called Cheese Cake Brook which he hath improved for some time past, and Also I Give him Five acres and one half of Upland adjoining the Charles River on the South Side thereof lying also in S[ai]d Newton the bounds thereof to be as the farm now stand. Also Grant him the Gangway from his Homestead of one Rodd and half wide where it is now trodd to the Private way that runs by my Dwelling House.
Also I Grant him a Gangway from Said Five acres & half of Upland by Gates or Draw Bars to the Private way that runs by my House to Pass and Repass as there shall be occasion. Also I Give and Bequeath unto my S[ai]d Son Thomas Fuller one third part of my Marsh lying in Cambridge in the above S[ai]d County and all the land and house on the Same and Ways above mentioned Shall be to him and to his Heirs and Assigns for Ever freely to be Possessed and enjoyed. Also I give to Jeremiah Fuller who is my Grandson a silver spoon marked E : C [Elizabeth Cole]
(3) J.H. I give and Bequeath unto my Son Joshua Fuller all the Housing & land viz: all the Remainder of my Homestead being about one Hundred and Twenty and five acres by Estimation be the same more or less. Also I Give him one third part of my Marsh Land lying in Cambridge in the County afores[ai]d. Said Housing and Land to be to him and his Heirs and Assigns for Ever by him and them freely to be Possessed and Enjoyed.
(4) J.H. I Give and Bequeath unto my Son Josiah Fuller the Tenement he now lives in S[ai]d Newton both Housing and Lands being about Fifty Three acres by Estimation be the same more or less. Also I give him Five acres meadow and Upland be the same more or less lying in Said Newton on the East side of Cheese Cake Brook which he hath Possessed in time past. Also I give him Eight acres of land which I bought of William Williams Lying in said Newton. Also I give him one third of my Marsh Land lying in Cambridge in S[ai]d County – all which Housing and Lands to be to him and to his Heirs and Assigns for Ever, by him and them freely to be Possessed and Enjoyed. Also I give unto my S[ai]d. Son Josiah my Riding Horse.
(5) J.H. I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Thankful Wiswall the sum of Two Hundred pounds in good Bills of Credit on the afore S[ai]d Province of the old Tenor or an Equivalent of the New to be Paid unto Her in the following maner viz: Fifty pounds thereof to be paid Her by my Son Thomas Fuller, and one Hundred and Fifty pounds thereof to be paid Her by my son Joshua Fuller Viz: Fifty pounds thereof to be paid at my Decease and One Hundred pounds within two years next after my Decease. Also I give her the Feather Bed that was Her own Mothers with the bolster two Pillows, four Sheets, two Blankets and a Coverlet. Also I Give her four Great Pewter Platters, Eighteen of the best Plates, a Chest of Drawers, a Great Looking Glass, a Warming Pan. Also I Give to Jeremiah Wiswall [b. 1725] who is my Grand Son a Silver Spoon marked F / E T
(6) J.H. My Will further is that all my Books Shall be Equally Divided to and among all my four forementioned Children.
J.H. I Give and Bequeath unto Elizabeth Miller who I brought up the Sum of Thirty Shillings old Tenor to be paid by my Executors hereafter named.
J.H. Also my Will further is that all the Rest and Residue of my personal or moveable Effects not otherwise particularly disposed of in this my last will Shall be for my three Sons Viz: Thomas, Joshua and Josiah Fuller to be divided Equally amongst them and they to pay Equally for the discharge of my Debts, and that Legacy to Elizabeth Miller, and my Funeral Charges, the other Legacy being Provided for other ways as before mentioned and if it so happen that there do arise any controversy or diference amongst my Said Three Sons whether on the account of any Claims or demands on my Estate for Services done for me in the Time past or whether on the account of the bounds or description of the Land, I have Given to them my Will in that case is that Deacon Thomas Greenwood of Newton and Deacon John Coolidge of Watertown Should hear their Please and arguments and finally determine any difference that may arise amongst them on any of the accounts afore mentioned.
And I do Likewise Constitute make and ordain my Said Three Sons Thomas Joshua & Josiah Fuller my only and Sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament, and to Utterly disallow Revoke and disannull all and every former Testaments Wills Legacies Bequests and Executors by me in any Wise before this time named Willed and Bequeathed, Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my last will and Testament. In Witness Whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal the day and year first above Written
Jeremiah Fuller (seal)
Signed Sealed Published
Pronounced & Declared
by the Sd. Jeremiah
Fuller to be his last
Will and Testament
in presents of us the
Subscribers Viz:
Benjamin Whitmore
Elizabeth Beal Her X Mark
John Coolidge
Probate:
Province of the Massachusetts-Bay, Middlesex, ss.
At a Court of Probate holden by the Honorable Jonathan Remington Esq; Judge of the Probate of Wills &c within and for the County of Middlesex, on the thirteenth Day of February A.D. 1743.
The Instrument hereunto annexed (purporting the last Will and Testament of Jeremiah Fuller late of Newton in the said County, Yeoman deceased) was presented for Probate: Then present the three Witnesses thereto subscribed, who made Oath, that they saw the said Testator Sign, Seal, and heard him declare the said Instrument to be his last Will and Testament, and that they subscribed their Names together as Witnesses to the Execution thereof; in the Presence of said Testator, and that he was then (to the best of their Judgment) of sound and disposing Mind:
And said Instrument is by said Judge proved, approved and allowed as the last Will and Testament of the said deceased, and Administration thereof in all Matters the same concerning, and of his Estate, is committed unto his three sons, Thomas, Joshua and Joseph Executors therein named, faithfully to execute the said Will, and to administer the said Estate according thereto; who accepted of this said Trust; & gave bond for the faithful discharge of the Same and they shall render a full and true Account of their said Administration, when thereunto required.
By Order of the said Judge,
[signed] S: Danforth [sic] Regt
Sources:
Fuller, George Symonds Fuller (1886-1959), Fuller Genealogy, 1959.
Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871. New England Historic Genealogical Society online database, 2014. From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives, Boston, MA, USA.