1661 John Wakeman of New Haven wrote his will on June 18. [1]
I John Wakeman of New haven being weak in body but of sound vnderstanding and memory, in expectation of my great change doe make this my last will and Testament. First I commend my soule into ye hands of my Lord Jesus Christ my redemmer trusting to bee saued by his merits and intercession and my Body to be buried at ye discretion of my Executors and freinds in hope of a joyful resurrection Testifying my thankfulnes to god for the free manifestation of his grace to me in Christ and for ___ liberty and fellowship vouchsafed vnto me with his people in the ordnances in a Congregational way wch I take to be ye way of Christ orderly walked according to his rules But I doe testify againist absolute independency of Churges and perfection of any in light or actings. And againist compulsion of conscience to concurr wth ye Church without inward satisfaction to conscience and prosecuting such as dissent vpon this groynd Wch I take to be an abuse of ye power given for Edification by Christ who only is Lord of the conscience. As for my outward Estate and worldly goods wch God hath giuen mee wch I shal loane my just debts and funerall charges being satisfied First I give vnto my Daughter Helina to be wholly at her owne disposeing And to her husband my son in Law John Talcot fiue pounds, and their Three Children fiue pounds a peice namely vnto John Eliz: and Samuell to be paid within six months after my decease I give vnto my son Samuell Wakemans two sons namely Samuel & John Ten pounds a peice, I giue vnto my Daughter Kitchels Daughter Ten pounds. It I giue vnto my Brother in Law John Nicols at Hartford my Cloth Cloak and ye sute of ye same wch was my Cousin John Walkers and my Grey Hatt. And I give vnot his wife my sister Anna Nicolls ten pounds to be wholly at her owne disposing and to their four Children Twenty shillings a peice namely John, Hanna, Sarah and Ebinezer all wch my will is should be paide vnto them within sixe months after my decease. It I giue vnto Hannah Chivers fiue pounds to be set apart and improued for her at ye end of one yeare after my decease as my ouerseers shal see meet vntil she come to eighteen yeares of age wch is ye time agreed on for her continuance with me or mine or __lyer time of her marriage provided she marry with ye consent of my executor and overseers or any two of them It I giue to my servant Thomas Huxley my ___ Gun with a rest and Bandeleers wch he vseth to frame wth vpon his good behaviour that is if he shal carry himself honestly and faithfully in his place and service to ye satisfaction of my Executor and ouerseers or with ye aprobation of any two of them
It All ye rest of my estate goods Lands debts wtsoeuer I giue and bequeath vnto my Son Samuell Wakemen and to my Son in law and daughter Samll and Elizabeth Kitchell as followeth that is when all my Debts and Legacies are discharge wch my mind is should be out of my estate as it ariseth indifferently and at ye prices common in this Jursidiction my wil is yt my Son Samll Wakeman shal haue two third parts of that my whole Estate yt remaineth and my son and Daughter Kitchell the other third part equally betwixt them And my will is that my Daughter Kitchell shal have that part of hers wholly at her owne dispossinge And I doe appoint my Son Samll Wakeman and my Son in Law Samll Kitchel to be joyntly Executors of this my Last Will and Testatment Also I doe intreat my beloved freinds and Brethern Henry Glouer and James Bishop to be ouerseers of this my Will and for their paines herein I give vnto each of them Ten shillings. And I further desire my deare and Loveing Sisters my Sister Dauies and Sister Glouer to assist my Executors and ouerseers with their Counsell and Help in prizing devideing and disposeing things Equally to mutual satisfaction according to ye true intent of this my will wch I subscribe wth my hand the 18 day of the 4th month 1660 in ye presence of Martha Davies Ellin Glouer
John Wakeman
1662 "The Inventory of ye Estate of Mr John Wakeman" was "Taken Septber: 14: Ano: 1661" by Richard Lord and Willm Wadsworth, 157: 16: 11. [2]
Research Notes:
The Wakeman Genealogy lists the baptism, marriage, death dates for this family. [3]
[1] Connecticut, Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[2] Connecticut, Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[3] Robert P. Wakeman, Wakeman Genealogy, 1630-1899 (Meriden, Connecticut: The Journal Publishing Co., 1900), 157 and 159-161, [InternetArchive].