Person:John Edenfield (3)

2 Dec 1720: The following is a transcript of the will of John Edinfield that is found in the Hall of Records, Dover, DE.

             "IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN the second day of December on thousand seven hundred and twenty I John Edinfield of Dover hundred in the County of Kent on Delaware Taylor (John was a tailor) being sick of body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to dye do make and ordain this last will and testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it and for my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner at the discretion of my executrix hereafter named nothing doubting but as the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the Mighty power of God and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life I give and devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form. 

IMPRIMIS after my just debt and funeral expenses paid I give and bequeath unto Rebecca my dearly beloved wife on third part of all my moveable goods estate chattels also I ordain and appoint my dearly beloved wife to be executrix of this my last will and testament I leave to my sons John and Jonas Edinfield twelve pence apiece

ITEM I give to my daughter Elenore Edinfield a third part of my estate good and chattels

ITEM It is my desire that after my decease and debs is paid my state be equally divided by Thomas French and John Bland as is afore mentioned

ITEM It is my desire that after my wife's decease her third part of my estate is to be delivered to my son Thomas Edinfield

http://edenfield.org/dbase/dbase01/aaa00001.htm#4

The information on John has been update as of (Sep 1999). It is now clear that Rebecca Wilson's maiden name was not French but Wilson. She also was married to Thomas Wilson Jr. before she married John Edenfield. Thomas Wilson Jr. was still living in 1702. The older children's mother could not have been Rebecca and this helps to explain why in John's will his estate was divided equally between Rebecca, Thomas, and Elinor.

ITEM It is my desire that my son Thomas shall live with his brother John Edinfield there till he is nineteen years of age and my daughter Elinor shall live with her sister Ann Harte till she is fifteen years of age and I do hearby utterly disallow and revoke and disannul all and every other former will testaments and legacies bequests and executors by me in any wise before this time named willed and bequeathed ratifying and confirming this to be my last will and testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written. Signed sealed and pronounced and declared in the presence of: Thomas Winsmore, Christopher Corkram (his mark), John Bland, John Edinfield (his mark).

26 Jan 1741: "Deposition. Christopher Cockram aged about 49 years legally sworn, saith that about 23 years ago he did live then on the plantation that had been Thomas Willson's being p[ar]t/o[f] a tr[act] of land called Great Pipe Elm, then in possession of John Edenfiel who intermarried Rebecca, widow & relict of Thomas Willson, & this deponent saith that about the time afsd there appended a difference about the bounds between Richard Nixon & the afs John Edenfield who said that as Richard Nixon had posset on his land, that he would press & have his quantity of land out of the land of William Winmore, who carried said John Edenfield unto a black oak standing near a swamp (SW from said tree, now dead, standing NW by N 21 ft from a white oak, this day marked by Samuel Galloway for Joshua Nickerson & George Hart & George Robisson parties concerned in order to perpetuate their bounds) & that said Wm Winsmore at the time, about 23 years ago, said in this deponent's hearing unto John Edenfield that the dead black oak before mentioned was the first bounded tree of his land & that he could not come any farther into his land & farther saith that said Wm Winsmore brought Benjamin Shurmer to survey the tr[act]s of land in dispute who begun to first butt at the black oak now dead, and further saith not. Before me Jno David. Attest. Jno Housman recorder." (KCDLR)

1. ↑ pg 487, in Calendar of Kent County Delaware Probate Records 1680-1800.

   Calendar of Kent County Delaware Probate Records 1680 - 1800
   page 487
   Edenfield, John.Admin. of, to Rachel Edenfield, widow. March 5, 1795. Arch. vol. A16, pages 18 & 21. Reg. of Wills, Liber N, folio 113. Note:—Arch. vol. A16, page 18 shows that Rachel Edenfield married Jonathan McNatt.