Nathaniel Treadway of Massachusetts   Treadway Wills

Josiah Treadway Will
31 July 1723
Admitted to Probate: 31 Jan 1730/31
Probate Record # 22,773
Donated by Hazel Roche

Middlesex Co., MA

     I Josiah Treadway of Charlestown in ye County of Middlesex in ye Province of ye Massachusetts Bay in New England, Maultster, being at present through ye goodness of God in helth, strength, and of sound and disposing mind and memory. Yett never the less having arived to old age think it my duty to sett my house in order and prepare for my great and last chang and being desirous to leave my children in love and peace do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following. That is to say first and principally I resign my soul into ye mercyful hands of Almighty God my creator assuredly hoping through ye merritts of Jesus Christ to obtain ye pard and remission of all my sins and a glorious resurection to life eternal, and my body I comitt to ye earth whence it was taken to be decently buried by ye Executors herein after named and as for the worldly goods and Estate ye Lord hath lent me I dispose thereof as following viz:

I will that all my just due bebts be will and truly paid and discharged by my Executors within covenient time after my decease, as also my funeral expenses before any legacy or bequest.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my dear and loving wife Dorothy Treadway the use and improvement of all that my double house in Charlestown which I built upon ye land which I bought of my sd. wives son Samll. Cuttler with ye lands and priviledges to ye same belonging during ye term of her natural life and no longer, as also ye sum of one hundred pounds to be pd. her out of my Estate as exprest in a bond which I gave her before marriage and in discharge there of. As also ye full third part of all my movable Estate which shall be left after my debts and funeral expenses are all pd. and discharged to be at her own dispose for ever excepting ye mony coming by ye sale of sd. house which I intend she shall have no part or share of having already given her to ye highth of wt. my Estate will bare. My will is that my wifes hundred pounds be paid before her thirds be set out.

Item: My will is yt. in case I depart this life before my two daughters Unis and Cathren Treadway are provided for yt. then they shall each of them have twenty and five pounds out of my Estate before division be made of ye rest as also their equal share with ye rest of my children, but in case I live to provide for my sd. daughters as I have for my other children, then they shall have no more than an equal share with ye rest of my children in my Estate.

Item: My will is that all my six children viz James Treadway, Bethiah Jones, Tabitha Munk, Sarah Priest, Unis Treadway, and Cathren Treadway shall have equal shares alike as well in ye house and land ye use whereof is herein given to my wife, after her decease as in my other Estate wch. shall remain after paymt. of debts as afore sd.

Item: I give and bequeth unto my grandson Samll. Maxfield half so much of my Estate before mentioned as I give to one of my children before mentioned that is to say my estate read and personal being divided into six equal parts of shares and one half share, my six children before named to have share and share alike and my sd. grand child ye half of a singe share, to be to them, and their heirs and assignes for ever.

And in as much as my sd. son James Treadway liveth at such a great distance in an other govrment I do therfore nominat Apoynt Ordain my dear and loving wife Dorothy Tredway together with my sons in law Thomas Jones and Christopher Munk to be Executors of this my last Will and Testament. Revolking all other wills by me heretofore made declairing this only to be my last Will and Testamt. which I earnestly desire my loving cousins Josiah Jones and James Jones both of Weston in ye County of Middsex. Will see performed and give their friendly assistanc in all artickls of difficulty which may arise and I do also desire my dear children to take up with and by determined by their friendly determination in any difficulties which may develop from this my last Will and testamt. Dated: 31 July 1723.

Josiah Treadway {Seal}

Witnessed by:

John Rand
Jonathan Kettell
James Hastin