The Will of
John Howland
The last will and testament of Mr. John Howland of Plymouth late deceased, exhibited to the court held att Plymouth the fift day of March Anno Dom 1672 on the oathes of Mr. Samuell Fuller and Mr. William Crow as followeth:
Know all men to whom these prsents shall come that I John Howland senir of the Towne of New Plymouth in the Collonie of New Plymouth in New England in America, this twenty ninth day of May one thousand six hundred seaventy and two being of whole mind, and in good and prfect memory and remembrance praised be God; being now grown aged; haveing many infeirmities of body upon mee; and not knowing how soon God will call mee out of this world, doe make and ordaine these prsents to be my testament containing herein my last will in manor and forme following;
Item I will and bequeath my body to the dust and my soule to God that gave it in hopes of a joyfull resurrection unto glory; and as concerning my temporall estate, I dispose thereof as followeth;
Item I doe give and bequeath unto John Howland my eldest sonne besides what lands I have alreddy given him, all my right and interest to that one hundred acres of land graunted mee by the court lying on the eastern side of Tauton River; between Teticutt and Taunton bounds and all the appurtenances and privilidges therunto belonging, to belonge to him and his heirs and assignes for ever; and if that tract should faile, then to have all my right title and Interest by and in that last court graunt to mee in any other place, to belonge to him his heires and assignes for ever;
Item I give and bequeath unto my son Jabez Howland all those my upland and meadow that I now posesse at Satuckett and Paomett, and places adjacent, with all the appurtenances and privilidges, belonging therunto, and all my right title and interest therin, to belonge to him his heires and assignes for ever,
Item I give and bequeath unto my son Jabez Howland all that my one peece of land that I have lying on the southsyde of the Mill Brooke, in the Towne of Plymouth aforsaid; be it more or lesse; and is on the northsyde of a feild that is now Gyles Rickards senir to belonge to the said Jabez his heirs and assignes for ever;
Item I give and bequeath unto Isacke Howland my youngest sonne all those my uplands and meddows devided and undivided with all the appurtenances and priviliges unto them belonging, lying and being in the towne of Middlebery, and in a tract of land called the Majors Purchase near Namassakett Ponds; which I have bought and purchased of William White of Marshfeild in the Collonie of New Plymouth; which may or shall appeer by any deed or writinges together with the aformentioned prticulares to belonge to the said Isacke his heirs and assignes for ever;
Item I give and bequeath unto my said son Isacke Howland the one halfe of my twelve acree lott of meddow that I now have att Winnatucsett River within the Towne of Plymouth aforsaid to belonge to him and said Isacke Howland his heires and assignes for ever,
Item I will and bequeath unto my deare and loveing wife Elizabeth Howland the use and benifitt of my now dwelling house in Rockey Nooke in the Township of Plymouth aforsaid, with the outhousing lands, that is uplands and meddow lands and all appurtenances and privilidges therunto belonging in the Towne of Plymouth and all other lands housing and meddowes that I have in the said Towne of Plymouth excepting what meddow and upland I have before given to my sonnes Jabez and Isacke Howland during her naturall life to injoy make use of and improve for her benifitt and comfort;
Item I give and bequeath unto my son Joseph Howland after the decease of my loveing wife Elizabeth Howland my aforsaid dwelling house att Rockey Nooke together with all the outhousing uplands and medowes appurtenances and privilidges belonging therunto; and all other housing uplands and medowes appurtenances and privilidges that I have within the aforsaid Towne of New Plymouth excepting what lands and meadowes I have before given to my two sonnes Jabez and Isacke; to belong to him the said Joseph Howland to him and his heires and assignes for ever;
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Desire Gorum twenty shillings
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Hope Chipman twenty shillings
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Dickenson twenty shillings
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Lydia Browne twenty shillings
Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Hannah Bosworth twenty shillings
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Ruth Cushman twenty shillings
Item I give to my grandchild Elizabeth Howland the daughter of my son John Howland twenty shillings
Item my will is that these legacyes given to my daughters, be payed by my exequitrix in such species as shee thinketh meet;
Item I will and bequeath unto my loveing wife Elizabeth howland, my debts and legacyes being first payed my whole estate: vis: lands houses goods chattles; or any thing else that belongeth or appertaineth unto mee, undisposed of be it either in Plymouth Duxburrow or Middlbery or any other place whatsoever; I doe freely and absolutly give and bequeath it all to my deare and loveing wife Elizabeth Howland whom I doe by these prsents, make ordaine and constitute to be the sole exequitrix of this my last will and testament to see the same truely and faithfully prformed according to the tenour therof; In witness whereof I the said John Howland senir have heerunto sett my hand and seale the aforsaid twenty ninth day of May, one thousand six hundred seaventy and two 1672
Signed and sealed in the prsence of Samuel Fuller John Howland William Crow And a seale