1639 "Beniamin Willmott" signed the Fundamental Agreement of New Haven. [1]
The 4th day of the 4th moneth called June 1639, all the free planters assembled together in a ge[neral] meetinge to consult about settling ciuill Gouernmt according to God, and about the nomination of persons thatt might be founde by consent of all fittest in all respects for the foundacon worke of a church w[hich] was intend to be gathered in Quinipieck. …
Those who have desired to be receiued as free planters, and are settled in the plantation wth a purp[ose] resolution and desire thatt they may be admitted into chur. fellow[ship] according to Christ as soone [as] God shall fitt them therevnto: were desered to express it by holdeing vp of hands: Accordingly a[ll] did expresse this to be their desire and purpose by holdeing vp their handes …
All the free planters were called vpon to expresse whether they held themselves bound to esta[blish] such ciuill order as might best conduce to the secureing of their posterity according to God. In answ. herevnto they express by hold[ing] vp their hands …
Whereas there was a foundamentall agreement made in a generall metting of all the free planters of this towne, on the fowerth moneth called June, namely thatt church members onely shall be free burgesses, and they onely shall chuse among them selues magistrates and officers to ha[ve] the powere of transacting all publique ciuill affayres of this palntation, of makeing and repeali[ng]
lawes, devideing inherritances, decideing of differences thatt may arise, and doeing all tings and businesses of like nature. Itt was terefore ordered by all the said free planters thatt all those thatt hereafter should be receiued as planters into this plantation should allso submitt to the said fundamentall agreement, and testifie the same by sugscribeing their names vnder the names of of the aforesaid planters as followeth.
1641 "Ben: Willmott" received a lot "on ye banke side and by ye west creeke" when lots were drawn on March 17 for meadow land. [2]
Att a meeting about casting lotts for the east meadowes and the meadowes in the mill river 17 1t Mon: 1641
Itt is agreed thatt the small lotts shall begin att the great rock on the farre side of mill river, and so come downe towards the sea, and then begin att the lower ende of the farre side of the island in the East river, and so come downe againe on the hither side, …
Itt is allso agreed thatt in the East meadowes the first lott shall begin att the neck on the hither side of the river, and so goe on in order to the vper end so farr as there is meadow, and then begin att our pastors farme, and so goe vp agine on the other side so farr as there is meadow …
The land for the small lotts on ye banke side and by ye west creeke was appoynted to be layd out, as their litts were drowne in order as followeth. …
[26] Ben: Willmott [between Thomas Mounson and Joh: Walker]
1644-1654 "Benjamin Willmott" (perhaps the son of the elder Benjamin Wilmot) took the oath of fidelity at a New Haven court meeting on July 1, "old Willmott" took the same oath on "The 2th of Maye 1647, and "Will' Willmott" took the same oath on 22th Nay 1654. [3]
Att a Genrll Court held att Newhaven the 1t of July, 1644. …
The Gobernor haveing allso received the oath of fidelity … Then he gave itt to all those whose names are hervnder writt, …
Benjamin Willmott
1668 "Persons died in New haven … Anne wife of old Benjamin Wilmot Octobr 7th 68." [4]
1669 Benjamin Wilmott wrote his will on August 7. [5]
August 7th. 1669: The Last will & testament of Benjamin Wilmott aged about four score. Imprimis I give twenty pounds unto ye three children of my son Benjaminto be equally divided betweene them. Item Twenty shillings to each of the foure children of my daughter Anna Bunnill vizt Benjamin & Nathanll Bunnill & Lidia ffrench & Mary Bunnill, the which I will bo be payd them at or before ye terme of two yeares from ye date hereof And for ye rest I give it all to my sonn William whom I appoint my sole Executor In wittnes whereto I have sett my hand. B. W.
Wittnesse Ralph Lines
Jno Harriman junior
10:9:(69)
The wittnesses sworne in court & the Executor accepted of ye trust.
Alcorn's abstract states, [6]
Wilmott, Benjamin, Sr., "Aged about fourscore." Will made August 7, 1669. Bequeaths to three children of son Benjamin, to Benjamin, Nathan, and Mary Burrill, and Lydia French, children of his daughter Anna, and to son William. Witnesses: Ralph Lines and John Harriman, Jr.
Inventory, taken by John Hodshon and Ralph Lines, £25: 13: 02.
Jacobus corrects Alcorn's abstract as follows, [7]
The abstracts of early New Haven probate records which were published in the New Englnad Historical and Genealogical Register suffer at time from undue brevity and rearrangement of items and also contain a number of misreadings of names. For example (Vol. 81, p. 135), the will of Benjamin Wilmott is thus digested: "Bequeaths to three children of son Benjamin, to Benjamin Nathan, and Mary Burill, and Lydia French, children of his daughter Anna, and to son William." Examination of the origianl record (xVol. 1, Part 1, p. 144) shows that he gave: to the three children of my son Benjamin, £20l 20 shillings to each of the foure children of my daughter Anna Bunnill Vizt Benjamin & Bathanll Bunnill & Lidia ffrench & Mary Bunnill; and to son William, the residue. It will be seen that Bunnill was misread as Burrill, and Nathaniel as Nathan; and by rearranging the names of the grandchildren for convenience, the order is changed and the order indicates that Lydia was older that Mary.
1669 "old Benjamin Wilmott dyed August 18th 69" in New Haven, Connecticut. [8]
1669 The will of Benjamin Wilmott was proved on October 9. [9]
Research Notes:
Donald Lines Jacobus, The Wilmot Family of New Haven, Conn. (Boston: New England Historical Genealogical Society, 1904)
Listed in Sixteen Hundred Lines to Pilgrims National Society of the Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims.
Took oath of Fidelity, New Haven, CT 1647.
Excerpt from "The Wilmot Family of New Haven, CT" By Donald Lines Jacobth of New Haven, CT, pg 555 of Genealogies of Connecticut Families, Vol. III "Benjamin Wilmot and his wife Ann settled early in New Haven, CT, At'a Court the 2th of Maye 1648, Old Goodman Willmote and Samuel Marsh tooke the oathe of fidellitie.' (Colonial Records, Vol. i, p. 111) His son Benjamin was in New Haven at least as early as 1641. On May 1, 1654, 'Old Goodman Willmot desired the Court, that his son may be freed from training which was considered, and with reference to his own age, his wife's weakness, and their living at a farm, his son was freed, only is to attend as other Farmers do.' (Colonial Records vol ii., p. 180) The son referred to was William. The father, Benjamin died Aug. 18, 1669, aged 'about fourscore,' and his wife died Oct. 7, 1668."
[1] Charles J. Hoadly, ed., Records of the Colony and plantation of New Haven, From 1638 to 1649 (Hartford: Case, Tiffany and Company, 1857), 18, [HathiTrust], [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[2] Charles J. Hoadly, ed., Records of the Colony and plantation of New Haven, From 1638 to 1649 (Hartford: Case, Tiffany and Company, 1857), 51, [HathiTrust], [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[3] Charles J. Hoadly, ed., Records of the Colony and plantation of New Haven, From 1638 to 1649 (Hartford: Case, Tiffany and Company, 1857), 138, [HathiTrust], [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[4] Vital Records of New Haven, 1649-1850, part 1 (Hartford: The Connecticut Society of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America, 1917), 32, [InternetArchive], [GoogleBooks].
[5] New Haven Probate Record, Vol. 1, 1647-1687, FHL film 5294 item 1, DGS 7626739, [FamilySearchImage], [FSCatalog].
[6] Winifred S. Alcorn, "Abstracts of Early Probate Records of New Haven, Connecticut, Book I, Part I, 1647-1687," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 81 (1927), 121-135, at 135, [AmericanAncestors].
[7] Donald Lines Jacobus, "Probate Digests, Their Value and Dangers," The American Genealogist 22 (1945), 151-157, at 152, [AmericanAncestors].
[8] Vital Records of New Haven, 1649-1850, part 1 (Hartford: The Connecticut Society of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America, 1917), 25, [InternetArchive], [GoogleBooks].
[9] New Haven Probate Record, Vol. 1, 1647-1687, FHL film 5294 item 1, DGS 7626739, [FamilySearchImage], [FSCatalog].