Introduction

From Maine Court Records (1661-93)

The Will of John West

In the name of god Amen/

   I John West being very weake & sicke, but In perfect Memory In my sences praysed bee god, I do bequeath my soule to god Almighty & my body to dust, from whence itt came hopeing of a joyfull resurrection through Jesus Christ/

   And for those goods which god hath lent mee, I do bequeath into the hands of William Coole, for the space of three yeares, for the vsse of my foure grandchildren that is to say Ann Haly, Lydea Haly, Samuell Haly, & Tho : Haly, to bee æqually deuided amongst them at three yeares end, & that y^r father Thomas Haly shall haue nothing to do with itt/ And if my grand daughter Ann shall marry before three yeares tyme, shee shall haue my bedd & bedding & all belongeth to itt, for her whoole shayre, & the rest of my estate to them that are aliue : And the abousd William Coole I do giue him the Redd Heffer, and the fatt Hogg & all the Iron Towles, w^ch is mine freely, & the vsse of all the Cattle & Increase for three yeares, with the vsse of all the househould goods, except y^t Ann Haly do Marry before, & then shee is to haue the bedd & y^t which belongs to itt, alsoe I giue him the young steare freely to him selfe, & William shall haue the hay towards keepeing the Cattle; I do ow vnto Mr Fryer foure pounds which shall bee payd out of my goods/ I alsoe ow vnto Tho : & Francis Littlefejld Junjo^r & y^r mother Twenty three shillings, which shall bee payd out of my goods/ I ow Mr William : Symonds 1 bush^ll of peas/ I giue vnto Francis woolfe my best Cayrsey sujte, & my best hatt & my gray Capp, & my Colourd stockeings/ I giue vnto Mary Reade my Hollane pillow beare, & 4 Hollane napkines & a Remnant of Cayrsey, & a small parcell of woll/ I ow Goodwife : Crosse 10s for worke/

W^t is owing to mee, Stephen Batson oweth mee : 6^s 0^d
Mary Miles oweth mee about eight or : 10 0
William : Loue of Newgewanacke oweth mee : 17 6
John Smyth of Cape Nuttacke oweth mee : 01 00 0
William Norman oweth mee y^t I must pay Mr Fryer : 12 0
Mr Fletcher oweth mee : 0 6 0
Mr Preble oweth mee w^t I left in his hands wⁿ was Constable, to bee pd out
   of the Treasury : 1 6 0
More I ow George Parker 1 bush^ll of Corne |
& I ow Joⁿ Cloyse 6 dayes worke : 0 15 0
And I ow William Ashley 7 or : 0 8 0

   And I make William Coole my whoole executor, & Administrator of all my goods, & I desire Tho : Littlefejld & John Read the ouerseers of this my last Will & testament to see Itt fullfilled with out any frawd or debate/ Dated this 29^th of September 1663 : & w^r the ouerseers cometh to any trouble or charge they shall bee payd Itt out of my goods/

Assigned before vs/    Joseph Bowles/    Tho : Littlefejld his    marke/ X    Mary Reade her    Marke/ X		John West IW his own marke/
Sworn to 5th: 8th: 63: Inventory returned at £45: 10s : by Joseph Bowles and Samuel Austine same day; both recorded 23 Oct. 1663. [Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 14, citing Court Records, E, 18.]