Person:Benjamin Mason (1)

WILL OF BENJAMIN MASON

"In the name of God, Amen. The twenty-second day of August, 1740, I, Benjamin Mason of Swanzey in the County of Bristol in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, yeoman, being sick and weak of body but in perfect mind and memory, blessed be God for the same, and calling to mind the mortality of my body that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament, and first of all I commit my soul into the hands of God that gave it and my body to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executors hereafter named, nothing doubting but I shall receive the same again at the resurrection of the just by the mighty power of God. and as touching my worldly estate that it hath pleased God to lend me, I give, demise and dispose of the same as followeth.

Imprimis. I give and bequeath to my well beloved wife, Ruth Mason, one good feather bed and all furniture needful for said bed, and a chest of drawers and a square table and four black chairs to be at her dispose and the best room of my house and fire wood cut and brought to her door, and to go to the mill for her and my sons to be at equal charges in providing her wood and to go to the mill for her; also I give to my said wife all my other indoor movables and money debts during her natural life, and after her decease to be equally divided between my three children namely, Hannah, Christopher and Charles and also my will is that my two sons, Christopher and Charles, pay to their mother eighteen pounds a year, yearly during her life excepting my wife's pleasure is to dismiss the money and take up with a comfortable maintenance in sickness and in health, and my two sons to be at equal charges in the same.

Item. As concerning my eldest son, Christopher Mason, I have given him a deed of gift of one half of the land where he dwells in Swanzey aforesaid and salt meadow, and I also give and bequeath to my said son Christopher the other half of all that part of land where he dwells, with the housing and fences, privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging, also that lot of land I had of Nathaniel Kingsley near Wood's grist mill, and also my part of a ten acre lot of land in partnership between Thomas Wood and myself, and half the salt meadow which I had of Robert Carter and Joseph Bowen, and all the rest of my salt meadow to be divided between my two sons Christopher and Charles, to them and their heirs and assigns forever.

Item. I give and Bequeath to my son Charles Mason my homestead farm with the housing and all the privileges and appurtenances belonging thereunto excepting the room in the house which I have given to my wife during her life, and also all that part of land that lyeth upon the south side of the highway that goes by Hezekiah Bowen's in said Swanzey, and all the rest of my land in Swanzey and Rehoboth to be equally divided between my two sons Christopher and Charles and to their heirs and assigns forever.

Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter, Hannah Slade, one hundred acres of land in the Colony of Connecticut in the township of Ashford as may be found by deed and Ashford records, as also one third part of all my stock of horses, sheep and cattle, excepting one cow out of her share I give to my son Christopher to make him equal with Charles and Hannah in said stock, to her and her heirs and assigns forever and my will is that my daughter pay to her mother forty shillings a year yearly during her life.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my son Charles Mason my cart and plow and tackling belonging thereunto excepting a log chain and post axe to be between both my sons, and my will is and I do make, constitute and ordain my two sons, Christopher Mason and Charles Mason, my sole executors of this my last will and testament, ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament.

Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Benjamin Mason to be his last will and testament in the presence of us, John Seamans, John Mason, Job Mason.

Benjamin Mason. [Seal]

Probated September 16, 1740.

[Bristol County. Mass. Wills. Vol. 9, page 457.]",^[1]