Nathaniel Treadway     Treadway Wills

John Fisher Will
22 Apr 1668
Donated by Randy Treadway

Medfield, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts

Pg. 18

     In the the year of our Lord one Thousand six Hundred sixty & Eight the 26th of the fourth month called June I John ffisher of meadfield in the Countie of suffolke in new England though by the afflicting of god upon mee being infirme & weake of

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body, yet through his mercy whole & sound in my memory & understanding & not knowing how neere and sudden the time of my disolution may bee I doe therefore in the name & feare of God make & ordaine this my last will & Testament in manner & forme following- First, I doe commit my soule into the hands of Jesus Christ the Redeemer thereof & my body to the Earth after my decease to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor.

     Item: I give & bequeath to Mary my deare & well beloved wife all that Estate whatsoever that I had with her, that is so3 much as I now in being, & more one feather bed upon which wee ordinarily lodge, with all the bedding furniture belonging thereto, Except that furniture about it that Came by my former wife Elizabeth & also the free use of that part of the House, wherein I now dwell with free liberty of water & Convenient yard roome for wood and other her necessary occations with free Egres & regrese for her selfe her servants and assignes, for & dwellinge all the whole time & terme that she shall remaine a widdowe & unmarryed Provided & given with this Condition that shee at noe time take in any other dweller with her into the said House or any roome or roomes therein besides her child or children, & necessary unwants. And more I also give & allow, to marry my said wife her right of the thirde or dower according to the Lawe in that Case provided. All which above bequeathed I give as aforesaid unto my said wife for & towards her Owne supply & maintenance & the Education & bringing up of that or children which the Lord hath or may yet give mee by her. Also I give unto my said wife one halfe of the Provisions that shall be in the House when the Inventory is taken.

     Item: My mind & will is that after my decease a true Inventory bee made of my whole Estate – Whereof I give & bequeath to John ffisher my Eldest sonn a dubble portion that is twice soe much thereof as any one of my other children to whom that is to say to my sonn Jonathan ffisher & my daughter Elizabeth ffisher

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& that child that Mary my said wife may now be Conceived with, to Each of them and Equal Portion to be payd & divided to them & Each of them at that time as the shall severally attaine lawful Age or day of marriage, which soever shall come first only their parte in my said wifes third only Executed which they are not to Enter upon untill after her decease.

     Item: I give unto my sonn John the Curtains & vallance & bed & bedding belonging that came by my first wife.

     Item: I give unto my daughter Elizabeth all her owne her mothers wearing cloathes, both woolen & linnens silks &c. Also the Cubbert that stands in the House. I give to John & all other things that Came by my former wife that are not in Common use shall be divided between these my two Children John & Elizabeth & for that Estate or legacie that may yet come to my children by the guift of their Grand fathers unkle in England my mind & will is that it be paid only to my two Eldest children last above named. My sonn John to have a dubble Portion therein because it came to them in their Owne mothers right. And further my mind & will is that if it shall please God by death to take away Either of my two children John or Elizabeth before they attaine Lawfull age, or marriage as aforesaid that then they portion shall goe, one third of it to the survivour of them two one third part to my Child or Children that I have or may have by Mary my aforesaid wife the other third part to goe to the Children of my Brother Josiah Fisher & the children of my sister Mary Basil, two thirds of it to my Brothers children, one third of it to my sisters children, at the discretion of thier fathers or Parents, And according to that Proportion according to that Generall Rule the Estate, the Estate to be divided if God please to take away any of my children before they come to Lawfull Age or marriage.

     Item: I doe nominate my well beloved Cousin Ensigne Daniel Fisher of

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that Towne to be my Executore for the due Execution & performance of this my last will as it is above written & for the receiving of all the debts due to mee & for the payments of whatsoever otherwise may Concerne them as my Executore & my mind & will is that should be fully sattisfied & paid for their Care service & painee for this their undertaking Out of my Estate. And I further declare that my mother Ann Fisher may enjoy that part of the House my father & she live in instead of that End that I live in now in which she is to have during her life with one row of Apple Trees, as is Exercised in my deed from my father to me. But my will is shee should have free Egress and regress water yard roome etc for her necessary occation, if shee should rather Choose that End then the part of the House shee she now lives in which is my desire shee should Enjoy, with the benefit of halfe the Orchard I mean that parte Housse wherein now she live.

     And I further name & intreat Our Reverend Pastor Mr. John Wilson & my deare & Lovinge father Josiah Fisher both of Medfield aforesaid to be Overseers to this my above written will & to be assisting to my afore named Executore about the disposing of my two Eldest Children, to whose Care & trust I commit them to be placed. And for to provide for in Education & otherwise, as the greater number shall see best for the said Children from time to time. As for that Child God hath given me, by Mary my wife, I leave to her Care to provide & dispose of as shee shall see best. In Witness whereof I the said John FIsher have hereunto subscribed my hand & affixed my seale the day and year above named.

John Fisher {Seal}

Signed sealed & Published in the presents of us
John Willson
Samuel Bullen