Person:George Stillman (1)

"George Stillman, 1st, was born in England in 1654. His wife, Jane Pickering, was born in London, England, in 1659. They were married in London in 1677. They had but one child, George Stillman, 2nd, who was born in London in 1678. In 1683-4, Mr. and Mrs. Stillman sailed for America, leaving their only son George, 2nd, then about 5 or 6 years old, with friends in England. On the voyage to this country Mrs. Stillman died and was buried at sea in 1684. On arriving in America Mr. Stillman settled at Hadley, Mass. In 1686 he married Rebecca Smith, a daughter of Lieut. Philip Smith, and Rebecca Foote, who was a daughter of Nathaniel Foote, one of the original settlers of Weathersfield, Conn. Rebecca Smith was born in Weathersfield, in 1668.

George Stillman, 1st, became a merchant of enterprise and wealth in Hadley, Mass. In 1698 he was a representative of that town in the General Court of Massachusetts, and a Selectman some years previous. In 1703 he removed to Weathersfield, Conn., with his large family, where his wife was born and her kindred lived. Here he carried on a large mercantile business until his death, Nov. 17, 1728. Weathersfield was settled in 1634, making it the oldest town in the State of Connecticut. …

In the will of George Stillman, 1st, made July 26, 1728, he gave his wife Rebecca £100 for and then a life use of a large property. Rebecca his wife died at Weathersfield, Conn., Oct. 7, 1750."

"Probate Records. Vol. X, 1723 to 1729 Recorded in Vol. XII, Page 188-9-90-1.

Stilman, George, Wethersfield. Invt. £3622-04-07. Taken 14 January, 1728-9, by David Goodrich, Benjamin Smith and Martin Smith.

I, George Stilman of Wethersfield, do make this my last will and testament: I give my wife Rebeckah £100 current money to be her own forever. Also I give her the full remainder of my whole moveable estate to use and improve during her natural life (if she remain a widow to me, but, if she marry again, to be divided amongst all my children). I give to my son George Stilman £100 in money (besides what he has already received of me), to be paid him out of my estate. I give my son Nathaniel Stilman, as in addition to what I have already given him, a lott of land in Wethersfield which I bought of Nathaniel Nott, containing about 13 acres; also 1-2 of my swamp lott in Wethersfield meadow which I purchased of Joseph Wright; also the half of the lott of land I bought of John Hollister, Walter Harris and John Williams, being all in 1 piece about 5 acres in Wethersfield meadow; also 1-2 of the lott bought of John Brownson, being in Wethersfield, about 26 acres; also 1 more lott of land in Wethersfield meadow which I bought of George Kilbourn, about 4 acres and 1-2; all which pieces or parcells of land I give to my sd. Son Nathaniel forever. I give to my grandson Nathaniel Stilman, son to Nathaniel, 1-2 a lott of land lying in Middletown which I bought of William Hamlin and was his father's, situated on the east side of the Great River, about 40 acres, which land I give to my sd. grandson forever. Item. I give to my son John Stilman, as an addition to what I have already given him, a lot of land in Wethersfield bott of Joseph and Thomas Tryon, about 7 acres; also a lot of land in Wethersfield, about 14 acres, bott of Joseph Crofoot; also the other half of my swamp lott in Wethersfield meadow, bott of Joseph Wright: also the other half of my lott bott of John Hollister, Walter Harris and John Williams, being in Wethersfield meadow; also the other half of that lott in Wethersfield which I bought of John Brownson; all which pieces or parcells of land I give to my sd. son John forever. I give to my son Benjamin Stilman, as an addition to what he has already had of me, my dwelling house and home lott, with all the buildings and appurtenances thereon or thereunto belonging, the 1-2 thereof at my decease and the other half to my loving wife Rebeckah during to her widowhood, to revert to my son Benjamin. I give to my son Benjamin land in Wethersfield, 4 I-2 acres, bought of Joseph Hills and John Gilbert, 1-2 at my decease, the other half to revert to my son Benjamin; also I lott of land at Wethersfield, about 4 acres, bott of John Russell; also a lott of land in Glastonbury at a place called the Great Swamp, about 16 acres, bott of Benjamin Strickland; all which pieces of land I give to my son Benjamin, with a building thereon, forever. I give to my grandson John Stilman, son to John, a lot of land in Middletown on the east side of the Great River, bott of Jonathan Gilbert, about 40 acres, forever. I give to each of my daughters, Mary Blynn, Sarah Willard, Anne May, Elizabeth Blynn and Hannah Caldwell, I say to each of my sd. daters, £300 in money, including what they have each already received of me in my lifetime. Lest any difficulty should arise to know what is right about the interest I had in a house at Hartford formerly Benjamin Smith's, which I acquitted to my son-in-law John Caldwell and have charged to my daughter Hannah in my book, I say the amount of ye value of my interest in sd. house acquitted as aforesd. And charged in my books, is to be a part with ye other charges in my books of my daughter Hannah's. I give to my daughter Lydia £300 in money, clear and free of all charges, to be paid her forthwith out of my estate. I give my grandson George, son to Mary Blynn, 2 lotts of land bought of Jonas Holmes, about 50 acres, which was Ranney's and Attkison’s, forever. I give to my grandson Samuel, son to Sarah Willard, a lott of land in Middletown on the east side the Great River, about 40 acres, being the 111th lott in number, forever. I give to my grandson Samuel, son of Anne May, the other half of that lott I bought of William Hamlin, to him and his heirs forever. I give to my grandson William, son to my dater Elizabeth Blynn, a lot of land on the east side of the Great River in Middletown, bott of Mr. Starr, which was James Brown's draught. I give to my grandson James, son to Hannah Caldwell, 2 lotts of land in Middletown on ye east side the Great River, about 30 acres, bought of Jonas Holmes and Nathaniel Hubbard. I hereby bequeath to my son George and my son John all my wearing apparell of every sort, each a half part. It is my will that my wife Rebeckah shall have the remainder of all my land to use and improve during her natural life or widowhood (excepting one piece bott of David Smith on ye east side of the Great River in Hartford, about 6 1-2 acres, which I give to my three sons, Nathaniel, John and Benjamin Stilman, to them and their heirs). And after her decease or marriage, ye lands aforesd. to be to my 3 sons also. I appoint my wife Rebeckah and my sons Nathaniel Stilman and John Stilman executors.

GEORGE STILMAN, LS.

Witness: John Austin, Mary Austin, Abigail Hooker.

Court Record, Page 208—18 December, 1728: Will now exhibited by Rebeckah Stilman, Nathaniel Stilman and John Stilman, executors named in the will. Proven. Invt. exhibited."