Samuel Hides[1] of Newton, The Dominion of New England[2]
Last Will written, June 11, 1689
Middlesex County Probate Court
Reference:  Case Number 11279
Probate, 1 Oct 1689, Cambridge, Middlesex
The Dominion of New England

(Born 1610      –       Died 12 Sept 1689)

Transcribed by W. L. Fuller
[names bolded by transcriber]

Note: Samuel Hides was the father of Job who married Elizabeth Fuller, daughter of John Fuller of Newton and because both Job and Elizabeth died in 1685 when their children were underage, the children were raised by their grandparents. Samuel’s Will shows that he has provided for his grandchildren, Samuel, Sarah and John. Similarly, the Will of John Fuller of Newton shows how he provided for his grandchildren, Mary, Bethia, Hannah and Jonathan. In addition, the probate court assigned Job Hyde’s farm of 40 acres to Job’s eldest son, Samuel, and ordered him to pay is siblings £64.[3]  

 

I, Samuel Hides of New Cambridge, being ill and weak in body but having my perfect understanding, do commit my body to ye earth, my sole to God who giveth, in hope of a glorious resurrection and dispose of my outward estate as followeth. 

Imprimis, I do give unto my beloved wife during her natural life, half my dwelling house, half ye orchard on the South side of ye house and, third part of the orchard on ye north side of ye house, also all of ye moveable goods within ye house that I did possessed of & also a pair of oxen a cart nessessarie appertaining to them, two cows, three swine, half the corn growing & also the improvement of the three acres and an half of ye land where corn is growing on the west side of ye hyghway during her life. 

And my will is that my Grandson Samuel Hides shall manage & improve what is above mentioned for my wife. And it is my will that in case what is above given be not sufficient for a comfortable livelihood for my wife then she shall have ability and power to mortgage or sell off my farm lying in Watertown lands baring about 124 acres upland and meadow. So much as that she may be comfortable during her life.

And what is left of the said farm, at the death of my wife, I do give to my grand children, to Samuel Hides one quarter, to John Hides on half, to Sarah Hides one quarter.

And I do have in my will confirm unto my son Samuel that I formerly gave him and do add to it one cow, one swine and my wearing apparill.

And I do give to my son in law Thomas Wilson & his heirs for ever a small parcel of land which he hath enclosed, and joining to his own land baring about three acres more or less, also a little corner of land about a quarter of an acre not far off and now improved by him, and an acre of marsh which I formerly gave to him I do hereby confirm.

I do make my beloved wife sole executrix. And I do desire & appoint my loving brother Jonathan Hides to be overseer so as that my will be preformed and my wife comfortably provided for. Unto this my last will & testament, I do put my hand and seal, the tenth day of June, 1689.

Signed & Sealed in the presence of:                          Samuel Hides his  “S“ mark [Seal]

John Gibson      his “E” mark
Thomas Greenwood

[PS – written on the back of the Will and signed by his mark]
It is to be understood that what is left of the moveable at the death of my wife it shall fall to my grandson Samuel Hides & his wife.

Witness my hand Samuel Hides    his   “S”  mark

The Judge appointed people to prepare and inventory, 1 Oct 1689.  

 

Source:
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. The original copy of this Will was obtained on-line. 

Notes:

  1. Hides, Hide or Hyde are different spellings of the same name.
  2. Throughout its history, Massachusetts has gone through several legal identities starting with Massachusetts Bay Colony. During the period from 1686 to 1692, it was the Dominion of New England.
  3. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database: org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2018.) Record: April, 1917, Volume 71, Text: Four Generations of Descendants of Samuel Hyde of Newton, Mass., page 146;   “Job Hyde (Samuel), born at Cambridge in 1643, died there 19 Nov. 1685, aged 42. He married Elizabeth Fuller, born about 1647, died at Cambridge 28 Nov. 1685, daughter of John and Elizabeth.” 

“Since Job and his wife died when the children were young, the two grandfathers, Samuel Hyde and John Fuller, cared for the children. On 6 Apr. 1686 a petition was presented for the division of the estate of Job Hyde, because if the grandfather, “Decon Hide,” should die, the children would be left with nothing. The children were given as Samuel Hide, aged 19, Elizabeth, aged 15, Mary, aged 13, Sary [Sarah], aged 12, Bethia, aged 9, Hannah. Aged 6, John, aged 4, and Jonathan. Aged 2. (Middlesex Court Files). On 24 Dec. 1694 Bethia, a minor in her 17th year, daughter of Job, chose her uncle, John Fuller, as guardian, Hannah, a minor in her 14th year, daughter of Job, chose her uncle, Jonathan Fuller, as guardian, Abraham Brown was appointed as guardian of John, a minor in his 13th year, and Jonathan Hides was appointed guardian of Jonathan, a minor in his 11th (Middlesex Probate Records, vol. 8, fo. 585.) In 1694 administration on the estate of Job Hyde was granted to John Fuller, and in Mar. 1694/5 division was made between Elizabeth, wife of William Hide, Mary, wife of Abraham Brown, Sarah, Bethia, Hannah, John, Jonathan (the youngest son), and Samuel (the eldest son), Samuel taking the 40 acres given to him by his father and paying his brothers and sister £64, their share. (Middlesex Probate Files, 11245. [should be 11246])”