My wife & I are finally making our wills.
No, God willing, neither of us are ready for the great gig in the sky just yet. But we felt it was something we should do...one never knows when our Good Lord may call us home.
Patty & I don't own acres of land or anything of that sort (we live in suburban Detroit), and, really, aside from a few items, most of what we have are not heirlooms that have been passed down through the generations; we don't have any "WOW" items in our home: a 15 year old TV, a thirty five year old stereo ("What's a stereo?" I was asked a couple years ago from an employee at ABC Warehouse when I went to purchase patch cords. Yes, I was also asked, "What's a patch cord?"), an out-of-date home computer, CDs, DVDs, a library of history books, reenacting stuff...you get the picture.
It's funny---I suspect most things we treasure - things that mean so very much to us - might mean very little to our kids. Now, I keep reading and hearing that we in the, ahem, older generation - Baby Boomers & Generation X - should dispose of our much loved items...our personal treasures, because our kids, and quite possibly our grandkids, so it's said, will not be interested in what we have.
"Dump it all!" they say. "Do not force your kids to go through your things and have to get rid of them after you're gone."
Heh---I really don't care if they have to go through my stuff or not. They're my things, I'm still alive, and I like what I have. I enjoy my "cool"ectibles, and do you know what? I'm still collecting stuff that I like. My kids are quite aware and, well, as long as my wife doesn't mind (she doesn't), ain't nobody's business but my own.
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| These two books have really helped me to understand daily life during America's colonial period. Between the two they are filled with pictures and sketches of countless pieces of pretty much everything to fill an 18th century farmhouse, from the smallest details such as candle snuffers and eating utensils all the way through furniture and architecure of houses. Both are worth their weight in gold, in my opinion. |
Researching the smaller details of the past is great fun and brings me a ton of satisfaction, and lately I have been researching a few wills from the 18th century and noticed that I could very nearly make a similar one with the living history items I have, for there are things I personally own that are not too far off from what I see listed in the old wills. Reenacting/living history can do that. Wills and inventories, which, like an archeological discovery, can help us to reasonably imagine daily life of the past, can certainly give one a good idea of what material possessions were of importance to families of the 1700s, and what items one might've seen in those old historic homes.
(
HERE is a post I wrote on how I have turned a portion of my modern home into one from the 18th century)~
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Daggett Parlor~ I like seeing everyday life items from the Daggett’s period - the mid-1700s; no, these things in this picture did not belong to the Daggett family but they do represent what Samuel & Anna may have had, for when Anna’s father died in 1770, he left them, in part, two candlesticks – so here’s what could represent one of them. There’s also the pewter plate, two glass bottles, and a mirror that we see. It’s items like these that became treasures to plain farm folk like the Daggetts, and important enough to have in their wills. Being that this parlor was their “best room,” which also had a press bed for overnight guests, perhaps the plate would have been used for dinner for said guest. And the bottles, well, I’m not fully sure why they’re there…something to research~ Anyhow, it’s kind of interesting to see things that tend to be mostly overlooked. |
In the 18th century, roughly 90% of the total population in the colonies were considered farmers, meaning the vast majority of people relied on agriculture as their primary livelihood. If you have done any reading or research of these farm folk, you'll know that what they had in their homes and the land they lived on was of utmost importance. And to these farmers, family was extremely important as well, and the elders thought long and hard about what to give those who survived them.
Family life, however, was complex and varied depending on social class, gender, and region. Men were the breadwinners, providing income for the family, usually outside the home, while the mothers were in charge of the household. Marriage was also very closely tied to social class; women were seldom married into lower social rungs. Most people who could legally marry did, and stayed married until death parted them.
It was on February 4 in the year 1799 – just a day after what would have been his 77th birthday and nearly six months since his passing - that the Distribution of the Estate of Samuel Daggett occurred. This is when his worldly goods were distributed according to his Will.
To his “beloved wife” Anna he bequeathed quite a bit of his “real estate” for “use and improvement of,” and then describes in great detail the land his widow shall obtain. Also she received twelve bushels of rye, five bushels of wheat, twenty five bushels of corn, and two barrels of cider, likewise the old mare and the colt, three cows, ten sheep, “the north half of the dwelling house with half of the cellar, one half of the household furniture, the side saddle, the loom with all the tacking," her "right and privilege in the barn, with the right of drawing water at the wells, all the meat and one half of all lumber…"
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This picture was taken inside Sam Daggett's own house, where he more than likely wrote out his will.
Authors of wills, back in this time, no doubt used what we see here in this photograph.
These items - this look - could easily represent anyone of the 18th century - including my own 5th and 7th great grandfathers (of whom you shall meet shortly), and what they may have used to write out their initial wills.
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Daughter Asenath received “twenty acres of woodland (adjoining Samuel Bishop’s land), one cow by the name of Bolton, two heifers, six sheep, half of the swelling house during her mother’s widowhood, the fourth part of the household furniture, one half of the money in the loan office, two barrels of cider, the man’s saddle…”
Daughter Talitha received a piece of land “together with twenty acres of woodland next to and adjoining her sister Asenath, the Sorrel horse, two cows (one named Droop), two heifers and two steers, two small hogs, six sheep, the fourth part of the household furniture, two barrels of cider, one half of the money in the loan office, and a man’s saddle and bridle…"
It looks like his son, Isaiah, gets the rest and the privilege of distributing the estate.
Sam Daggett very generously kept his wife & children – including his daughters – fairly well off. It is obvious he cared greatly for his family. Nowhere does it state how much money was in the loan office.
As one who has the opportunity to visit Sam Daggett's house nearly as frequently as I'd like, it boggles the mind to think this very house was the center of it all:
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| Walking the Daggett land... |
Now, we have another Daggett-related death and distrinution of worldly possessions - Nathan Bushnell, the father-in-law of Sam Daggett, died in October of 1770, and he, too, had a will:
"To Samuel Daggett and his wife Ann we have sett out,
1 blank't (blanket)
2 ruggs
2 tablecloths
1 table & curtains
2 pillow cases
1 frying pan
3 porringers
2 candlesticks
4 spoons
3 milk pans
1 pair of andirons
2 small baskets
1 gridiron
1 pair hatchets
1 iron pott
tea kettle
paperbox
1 cannisters
glass beaker
2 casks
boxes and barrels
1 cheese basket
1 large box
1 pair tongs & shovel
2 chairs
2 wood bowls
pantry hooks
This is the kind of will anyone could hope to find somewhere in their family history---Man! I would love to see what those candlesticks actually looked like! But to look at the items listed here gives me ideas of things I would like to get to complete my colonial look, epseically when we are at the cabin.
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When we are at the cabin living the 1770s life, we do our darndest to make it as
accurate as we are able to.
I believe we do a pretty fair job. |
The age-old tradition of bequeathing personal possessions to one’s descendants has its roots embedded deep within history, going back over 4,000 years, according to
THIS site.
I have been very lucky to have found, through my own family history, the ancient wills of two of my direct ancestors on my mother's side. Though my family history is nowhere near complete, I did learn that I am descended from Quaker farmers.
A little on the Quakers:
~Quakers believed that God was accessible to anyone through direct experience and inward reflection.
~They believed in the possibility of Christian perfection (meaning to have a profound awakening to the true nature of reality).
~They believed in the equality of men and women in the eyes of God.
~Quakers did not have clergy, pulpits, or ceremonies.
~They met in simple meetinghouses with rows of benches and a partition between men and women.
~They believed that anyone could speak if moved to do so by God.
~Quakers were involved in the American Revolution, participating in nonviolent protests and economic embargoes.
~Quakers were also involved in the abolitionist movement.
For some reason, perhaps due to their plain clothing, it has been thought that Quakers have avoided modern technology in ways similar to the Amish, but that has never been the case. Quakers and Amish are not the same, although they share some similarities like a commitment to pacifism and plain living. From its beginnings in the 17th century, Quakerism has always embraced science and technology as complementary and not opposed to religious life. These subjects have always been taught in Quaker schools.
I have a great interest in historic farming practices. In fact, a number of years ago I wrote a blog post entitled
A Year on a Colonial Farm: Living By the Seasons (click
HERE) - showing how farmers in general lived in early America back in the 1700s.
That all being said - - here are the two wills that are from my own ancestors. Beneath each are transcriptions:
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The Will Jonathan Heacock - 1764
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And here is the above will transcribed:
~The Will of Jonathan Heacock 1764~
(My 7th Great Grandfather
Born about 1680 in Slindon, Eccleshall Parish, Stadfordshire, England
Died 1764 Chester County, Pennsylvania
Married Ann Till 3 February 1711
Ann was born in White Grove, Stadfordshire, England 1681 or 1685
No death date but was in Chester
County, Pennsylvania)
I, Jonathan Heacock, of the Township of Marple County of Chester
and Province of Pennsylvania, being weak
in body but of sound and perfect mind and memory do make and publish this my
Last will and Testament in manner and form follow (that is to say) first it is my will and mind that my executors
herein after mentioned shall make and I do empower them to make a good and
sufficient Title to my son Joseph HEACOCK for fifty acres of Land according to
an article obligatory on mee for that purpose. Secondly, I give and devise to my dear wife Anne HEACOCK
all the Remainder of my Messuage Tenements and tract of Land situate lying and
being in Marple afforesaid together with all ways passages easements profits
commodities and appertinences thereunto
belonging to have and to hold unto her, my said wife, Anne HEACOCK and her Assigns for and during
the Term of her natural life she making no wast or distruction there upon but
keeping the same in good and Sufficient Repair and immediately from and after
her decease I give and devise the sais Messuage or Tenement Land and premises
to my son Joseph HEACOCK, his heirs and
Assignes forever, He paying the sum of
one hundred and twenty pound therefore lawfull money of Pennsylvania into the
hands of my Executors within nine months after the decease of my wife, Anne HEACOCK. It is also my will and mind that within one
year after the decease of my wife, Anne
HEACOCK, all the remainder of my
personal estate (not herein disposed of
after my Just debts and funrall expenses are paid) as well as the one hundred and twenty pound to
be paid by my son, Joseph, shall be equally divided between five of my
children viz John HEACOCK, Jonathan
HEACOCK, William HEACOCK, Mary Penrose, and Anne Morgan, but if son Joseph should Refuse or neglect to
pay the Hundred and twenty pounds for the Land as afforsaid then it is my will
and mind that my Executors shall sell the Land and premises whereon I now dwell
and divid the money ariseing from the sail thereof between my six Children
equally to wit my son, Joseph, and the five above mentioned, and also it is my will and mind that if it
should happen that the profits of the Land and premises devised to my wife
should not be sufficient for amentenance for her that my Executors provide for
her out of my personal Estate untill she have a sufficient mentenence. I also give and bequeath unto my son, John
HEACOCK, one large Bible and a hand
gun or fowling peace. Item I give to
my son, Jonathan HEACOCK , all my wearing aparrill and a Book intitled
Howgells works. Item I give to my son, William HEACOCK, a Book called Barcleys appolegy, also it is my will and mind that my Executors
shall cancell all the Bonds that the (----)
shall finde due from aney of my Children
to me except my son, Joseph HEACOCKS, Bonds and I do hereby make and appoint my son,
John HEACOCK, and my friend, John LEWIS (or LEVIS?), Joynt Executors of this, my Last will and Testament devising of them to
take upon them the Charge and ?trouble thereof and to see the same performed
according to my true intent and meaning, and Lastly I do hereby revoke all former and
other wills or wills by me made and declare this only to be my Last will and
Testament. In witness whereof I, the said Jonathan HEACOCK, have here hereunto set my hand and seal the
fourteenth day of the fourth month one thousand seven hundred fifty
three….signed
Jonathan HEACOCK
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Jonathan Heacock - 1764
In case you have trouble reading what was written it says: "I also give and bequeath unto my son, John HEACOCK, one large Bible and a hand gun or fowling peace. Item I give to my son, Jonathan HEACOCK , all my wearing aparrill and a Book intitled Howgells works."
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That book must have meant a lot to him to include it in his will.
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| Jonathan Heacock - 1764 |
Now we can go to another of my ancestors, who just so happened to be the grandson of the one who wrote the previous will, and who's name just happens to also be Jonathan Heacock, but only this one died in 1812:
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| Jonathan Heacock - 1812 |
And, once again, here is the above will transcribed:
~The
Will of Jonathan Heacock
1812~
(Jonathan
Heacock was my 5th great grandfather
Born
1755 in Richland County, Pennsylvania
Died
23 April 1812 in York County, Canada
Married
Mary Evans in 1784
Mary
was born in 1759)
Dated March 10, 1812
I, Jonathan Heacock, of the Township of King in the County of York,
Home District and Province of Upper
Canada, (Yeoman) being weak of body but favour’d with sound
disposing mind and memory, do by divine
perdition make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form
as follows – that is to say – First my will is that all just debts and funeral
expenses be fully paid and discharged,
by my executors hereinafter appointed. I give, devise and bequeath to my beloved wife Mary
Heacock the sole use and profits of all my estates, real and personal. Whilst and so long as she remains my widow, for her support, and also to enable her to raise up my younger
children and to pay the legacies as is herein after directed, and after the termination of her widowhood, by death or otherwise, my will is that all my land situated in the
afor’d township of King, containing
about two hundred and seventy five acres (it being the eastern parts of lots no. twenty-six and twenty-seven in the third
concession of the said township) to be
divided between my son Edward Heacock, and
my three youngest sons as follows, I
give and devise to my son Edward one fourth the part of my said lands, together with my dwelling house and all other
improvements theron, to hold to him my
said son, Edward Heacock, his heirs and assigns forever, I give also give and devise unto my three
youngest sons, namely Rowland Heacock, Amos Heacock, and Levi Heacock, their heirs and assigns all the remaining
three fourths of my said lands with all the improvements theron to be equally
divided between them by quantity of acres, to hold to them my said sons. Rowland Heacock, Amos Heacock, and Levi Heacock respectively, their heirs and assigns forever as tenants in
common, but if it so happens that either
of my above said sons died before they arrive to the age of twenty-one years
and without lawful issue then I give and devise his or their shares to be
equally divided between the survivors of them. I also give and bequeath to my seven
daughters, namely, Jane Srigley (wife of Robert Srigley), Susannah Heacock, Mary Heacock, Catherine Heacock, Deborah Heacock, Sarah Heacock, and Ann Heacock, the sum of five pounds each, lawful money of aforesaid province. But if it so happens that either or any of my
said daughters died before they arrive to the age of eighteen years and without
lawful issue my will is that their legacies be equally divided between the
survivors of them share and share alike. And if my personal property be found
insufficient to discharge the above said legacies my will is that my four sons,
Edward, Rowland, Amos, and Levi supply the deficiency by paying
equally share and share alike out of the land above mentioned to be given to
them, and further that the above said
legacies mentioned to be paid to my sons John and Nathan and to my seven
daughters as above named, are to be paid
at the direction of their mother, Mary
Heacock, or not until my youngest son, Levi, attains to the age of twenty-one years. And all remainder of my personal estate if any
there be wheresoever or whatsoever it may be I give and bequeath to be divided
amongst all my above said sons and daughters share and share alike – and lastly
I do hereby nominate and appoint to the above said beloved wife, Mary Heacock, Executrix, and my friends, Issaac Webb and Thomas Linville, both of the township of Whitchurch And county
above said (Yeoman) Executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking and disanuling all former
wills by me made, confirming and
ratifying this and no other to be my last will and testament, In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand
and seal this tenth day of the third month in the year of our lord one thousand
eight hundred and twelve 1812.
his
Jonathan X Heacock
mark
Witnesses: Isaac
Wiggens, Reuben Burr, Peter Wismer,
(copied from Ontario
Archives by Norman Jolly, from the History of Toronto and County of York, Vol.
2, 1885)
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Jonathan Heacock - 1812
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The common denominator for these wills seems to be land.
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| An amazing book! |
I've written about the amazing
diary-published-as-a-book A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard in previous postings (click
HERE to read how the published diary was turned into a wonderful docudrama). I have sometimes wondered how these old pages survived for two hundred years. I learned that Martha's youngest daughter, Dolly, was left in charge of Martha’s papers after she died (in 1812), and Dolly passed the diary on to her own daughters. Martha’s diary was continuously passed down through Dolly’s descendants until it reached Martha’s great-great-granddaughter, Mary Hobart, one of the country’s early female physicians. Mary treasured the diary but thoughtfully gave it to the Maine State Library in 1930 so that it might be more accessible to historians.
Well, this diary is a wealth of information of the early Republic of the United States, and it wasn't until Laurel Thatcher Ulrich learned of it and added daily life history to help with the understanding of Martha's time in which she lived that it was finally published and made available to the general public. It continues to sell and helps historians understand about daily life of over 200 years ago.
The following italicized notes come directly from that book, as authored by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich:
In one year the Ballard family had been touched by most of the matrimonial rites common in an 18th century town. The town clerk recorded the marriage intentions of the three couples, and the justices of the peace said the vows. ...Hannah and Parthenia amassed the goods essential to housekeeping.
Martha's diary entries continued in December 1792 as they had begun in October, with the young brides hard at work, now weaving rag coverlets rather than cloth, while the mother continued to make purchases at the stores. On December 12, she wrote, "Clear but very cold. Mr. Pollard came and Conducted my daughter, & his spouse, home to Housekeeping." Ephraim drove the team, Dolly went along to help unpack, "Cyrus went and Bot 2 pails," perhaps his contribution to the new household. The next day the new Mrs. Pitts "made her Candles & some for me." Parthenia washed on December 14, went to visit Hannah on December 16, and on December 20, she and Shubael also went to housekeeping. "Shubael Pitts came and removed his wife from here," Martha wrote. "May they prosper in this life & be happy in the future."
The phrase "went to housekeeping" had perhaps an even greater resonance than the words "joined in marriage." Until Hannah (Martha's daughter) and Parthenia (Martha's niece) actually left the house, they remained "the girls." Once they had gone, they were forever after known as "Daughter Pollard" and "Mrs. Pitts." Martha later recalled that she had gone to housekeeping the same day as she was married, but (where they lived) in Hallowell (Maine) that practice was unusual. All the marriages recorded in the diary followed the same leisurely pattern. Hannah, Parthenia, and (Martha's son) Jonathan all went to housekeeping more than a month after marriage, as did (Martha's youngest daughter) Dolly and her cousin Betsy Barton three years later...
...
I hope you enjoyed this unique journey to the past. If you are a genealogist, then you are quite aware of ancestral wills and the like. But I know most people do not research family history pasts. However, all of this allows us to see a time of long ago in a different light. I think what I enjoy seeing the most are the items written out in wills that I also have in my own collection of the past, whether antique or replications. It sort of validates what I bring along on my own living history excursions, especially at the cabin (see links below).
So, my question to you:
what have you put in your Will?
Until next time, see you in time.
To learn more about the book, A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, click
HERETo have an idea of the female side of my ancestors, click
HERETurning my modern home into a colonial home, click
HERE
The following 'series' has links to each and every living history cabin excursion we have participated in. I invite you to check them out, for each is loaded with pictures, and you can see how serious we take our fun! And perhaps you may see a few items listed in some of the wills in today's post.
~To read about our 2020 excursion - our first autumn at the cabin - click
HERE~To read about our 2021 wintertime excursion at the cabin - click
HERE~To read about our 2021 springtime excursion at the cabin - click
HERE~To read about our 2021 summertime excursion at the cabin - click
HERE~To read about our 2021 summer harvesting of the flax at the cabin - click
HERE~To read about our 2021 autumn excursion - click
HERE~To read about our 2022 winter excursion at the cabin - please click
HERE~To read about our 2022 spring excursion at the cabin - please click
HERE~To read about our 2022 summer excursion at the cabin - please click
HERE~To read about our 2022 autumn excursion at the cabin (Pioneer Day) - please click
HERE~To read about our 2023 winter excursion at the cabin - please click
HERE~To read about our 2023 spring excursion at the cabin - please click
HERE~To read about our 2023 late spring at the cabin - click
HERE~To read about the 2023 early summer - please click
HERE~To read about the 2023 mid-summer - please click
HERE~To read about the 2023 autumn Pioneer Day - please click
HERE~To read about our 2023 Thanksgiving harvest celebration - please click
HERE~To read about our 2024 Winter experience at the cabin - please click
HERE~To read about our 2024 spring excursion at the cabin - please click
HERE~To read about our 2024 late spring with just Patty & I - click
HERE ~To read about our 2024 summer - please click
HERE~To read about our 2024 mid-and-late-summer - please click
HERE~To read about our 2024 mid-September - click
HERE~To read about our 2024 autumn Pioneer Day Celebration - please click
HERE~To read about our 2024 Thanksgiving Harvest - please click
HERE~To read about our 2024 Christmas at the Farm Cabin presentation - please click
HERE
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