Person:Ruth Hawkins (5)

Ruth Hopkins (nee Hawkins, widow of Nathaniel Wade and Zebedee Hopkins) died testate, having written a will on 23 November 1789 that was proved on 4 February 1790. The will (transcribed from Glocester (RI) Probate and Civil Records, 1731-1915, Volume 2, pages 122-126, on FHL Microfilm 0,941,847) reads:

"In the name of God Amen I Ruth Hopkins of Glocester in the County of Providence & State of Rhode Island & Plantations Widow Woman Being Advanced in years & in a Poor State of health at this time But of a Sound Mind & Memory at this time thanks be to almighty God for the Same & Knowing it is appointed for man once to Die I do here by make & ordain this to be my Last will & testament. And as touching such Worldly Estate as it hath Pleased God to bless me with in this Life I Give Bequeath & Dispose of in the following Form & manner as is herein further Expressed.

"Imprimus I Give & Bequeath Unto my well Beloved Son John Wade my Bed whereon I now Sleep together with the Bedstead and all the Furniture thereunto Belonging.

"Item I Give & Bequeath unto my well beloved Cousin Sarah Hawkins Daughter to Uriah Hawkins all my Iron ware of Every Kind.

"Item I Give unto my Grandaughter Deborah Potter one Worsted Duroy Gown the most Palest Blue one.

"Item I Give unto my Son Simon Wade one Silver Dollar or the Value thereof to be Paid him by my Executor out of my Estate after my Decease.

"Item I give unto my son Dudly Wade one Silver Dollar or the value thereof to be Paid him by my Executor out of my Estate after my Decease.

"Item my will is and I hereby order & Give the Remainder Part of my Estate not herein Before Given away, that after my Just Debts & funeral Charges are paid and the Legacies herein Before Mentioned that what then Remains of my Estate, that I have not herein Before Given away my Will is and I hereby order & Give the same to my Son John Wade and to the aforenamed Sarah Hawkins to be equally Divided Between them. And I hereby make & appoint my said Son John Wade to be my Sole Executor of this my Last will & testament & I hereby Revoke Disanull and Disallow all other & former will or wills by me at any time heretofore Made, Ratifying allowing & Confirming this and no other to be my Last will & testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & Seal this twenty third Day of November Anno Domini 1789.

"Signed Sealed & Published and Pronounced by the said Ruth Hopkins to be her Last will & testament in the Presence of us the Subscribers who in her Presence & in the Presence of each other Subscribed our names as Witnesses Levi Martin her Uriah Hawkins Ruth X Hopkins Zebee Hopkins" mark

The will was presented to the Glocester Town Council on 4 February 1790, who accepted and approved the will:

"Glocester February the 4th 1790. In Town Council this will Being Presented for Probate, and Levi Martin, Uriah Hawkins & Zebedee Hopkins Esqr. the Witnesses did on Solemn Engagement before this Council Declare that they saw Ruth Hopkins sign & Seal this Paper & heard her Declare it to be her Last will & testament, and they in her & each others Presence Subscribed their Names as Witnesses and She at that time appeared to be of Sound Mind & Memory. Wherefore it is Voted that this will be and is Proved & Approved And That it be Recorded

                                                    Pr. ordr R. Steere Cou. Clk.
                And Recorded Pr. R. Steere Cou. Clk."

The Town Council approved John Wade to be the executor of the will and administrator of the estate:

"Whereas Mrs. Ruth Hopkins of Glocester in the County of Providence & State of Rhode Island who Departed this Life on the 27th Day of December AD 1789. Which said Ruth was Relict of Zebedee Hopkins Late of said Glocester Deceased did in & by her Last Will & testament Name & appoint her son John Wade Sole Executor of her said Will & the said John having since Proved Said Will by & Before the Town Council of Said Glocester this fourth Day of February in the Year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and Ninety.

"These are therefore in the Name of the Governor & Company of the State of the State of Rhode Island to order and fully impower you the said John Wade to take into your Care Custody & Possession all & Singular the Personal Estate Rights & Credits of her the said Ruth Hopkins that Did Belong to her at the time of her Death & on the same to administer by Paying her Just Debts & acting in all matters & things Relaiting the aforesaid Premises as you by Law & the aforesaid Will are Required to do & be Ready at all times to Render a true & Just account of your Doings Relaiting the said Premises when Legally Called thereunto unto the Said Town Council or their Successors in said office when Legally Called thereunto.

"Given by order of the aforesaid Town Council the said fourth Day of February & Sealed with their Seal by their Order

                                                           Pr. R. Steere Cou. Clk.
   And Recorded Pr. me  R. Steere Cou. Clk."

An inventory of the personal estate of Ruth Hopkins was taken on 4 January 1790 by. The Inventory included:

"An Inventory of all and singular the Goods & Chattels Rights and Credits of Ruth Hopkins widow and Relict to Zebedee Hopkins Late of Glocester in the County of Providence & State of Rhode Island &c Deceased who Departed this Life on the Seventh Day of December AD 1789. And was Apprised on the fourth Day of January AD 1790 by us the Subscribers.

                                                                                             L-s-d

"Item to wearing apparel: to one slick Worsted Gown ............... 00-08-0 To one worsted Pettecoat 10/ & to one Quilted Pettecoat 10/ .... 01-00-0 To one Black & Blue worsted gown 7/ & one Linnen Gown

 to one Dressed Gown 10/  .................................................... 01-04-0

To one Double gown 9/ to one cloak 15/ to three Pettecoats 9/ .. 01-13-0 To four old Pettecoats and one old Quilt & one old cloak and

  one old Gown 7/ to three old Hoop gowns 4/  ........................ 00-11-0

To four flannel Shifts 6/ to to Eleven Linnen Shifts 1L 0s ........... 01-06-0 To ten Pair of Blue Woollen Stockings 16/ and one Pair of Linnen

  Ditto 2/ and two Pair garters 4/ ............................................ 01-02-0

To one Pair of Leggins to two Pair of Linnen Mittings & one

  Pair of worsted Gloves & two Pair of Worsted Mittens ............ 00-05-0

To two old Woollen aprons & three old Pockets ....................... 00-03-0 To one Linnen Pettecoat & four Loose Gowns 7/ to Six

  Checked Linnen aprons 14/  ...............................................  01-01-0

To nine Checked Handkerchieffs 1/ to two Silk handkerchiefs 6/6 . 01-04-6 To three old Linnen handkerchiefs 1/ to two Small Woollen Blankets 5/ .. 00-06-6 To one Feather Bed & a Bed Bolster and two Pillows ................ 03-10-0 To one Pair of Pillow Cases & two Linnen sheets 14/

  to one old bed Stead & Cord 5/ ............................................. 00-19-0

To two Blankets and a Coverled L1.16 ..................................... 01-16-0 To one tow Coverled one Woollen coverled one old Woollen

  Blanket and a Piece Ditto ...................................................  00-18-0

To one Pair of new Linnen Sheets 10/ & Six Sheets some worn 1.4/ .. 01-14-0 To five Pairs of Pillow Cases Some worn 7/ three old

 table Cloths and three old towels 5/  .....................................  00-12-0

To two new table Cloths 6/ and five new towels 5/ ..................... 00-11-0 To Six flannel Sheets L1.6/ to Eighteen yards & three fourths of New Linnen and tow Cloth ....................................... 02-04-9 To one Linnen Birdseye Bag & a Piece of New Flannel Cloth 2/ . 00-02-0 To Some New Shreads of Cloth & Some old Ditto & Some Linnen

  yarn and woollen Ditto ........................................................  00-02-0

To one old Side Saddle 18/ to one old Iron Pot one Bake

 Kittle & Cover and one tea Kittle ...........................................  01-11-0

Three Pewter Porringers two Pint Basons two three Pint Basons &

 quart Bason & half a Dozen Pewter Plates two Platters & Nine Pewter Spoons ...  01-00-0

To one Large Iron trammel 4/6. to a Basket with some

  old iron in it & old knives ....................................................  00-06-0

To one Clothes Basket and two Small handled Baskets

  1/6 to one old Candle Stick /4 ............................................  00-01-10

To one Candle Stand 3/. & Candle Boards with it to one old Pail

  & Cedar Chamber Pot & a Cedar Rannel Pot 1/6. to a Sugar
  Box & near a Pound of Sugar 1/2 ......................................... 00-05-9

To two Round Glass Bottles & two earthen Jugs & Earthen Pan

 & Earthen Porringers and one White earthen Small Mug and
 a small Earthen Bowl old Earthern Platter and about two
 Quts of Molasses & Some Wooden trenchers & a Wooden
 Salt Seller and a Skiming Dish & old horn Comb & a Pair
 Calve Skin Lamps ..............................................................  00-05-6

                                                                                       L  25-03-3

The foot Brought over from Page the first .............................. 25-03-3 To near one & a half lb. of Butter /9 to three Dozen Candles 1/ .. 00-01-9 To four White Chairs 8/ and one Grait Chair 3/ to one old Chest 3/

 & a trunk 1/6 ......................................................................  00-15-6

To one old Square table 3/ to one old testament & two Sermon

 books & knitting needles /10 ...............................................  00-03-10

To one Note of hand against William Brown Son of Hosannah Dated

  in Glocester July the 17th 1783 for the Sum of twenty one Silver
Dollars Payable on Demand with Interest Untill Paid ...............  06-06-0

To one Note of hand Dated in Glocester March the 13th AD 1788 for the Sum of two Pounds & four Shillings & one Penny Payable on Demand with Interest untill Paid Signed by Henry Wheeler... 02-04-1 To one Note of hand against Esek Smith now Living in Situate

 or Foster Dated in Glocester May the 25th AD 1785 for L1.1s/
 Payable on Demand with Interest Untill Paid .........................  01-01-0

To four Shillings & three Pence in Silver & Coper Money in a Purse .. 00-04-3 To one Steel thimble & the Money Purse /6 ............................ 00-00-6

                                                                                            36-00-2
                          Samuel Steere
                           Stephen Irons, Appraisers.

"Glocester February the 4trh 1790. In Town Council Voted that this Inventory be Accepted & Recorded Pr. Order R. Steere Cou. Clk.

   And Recorded Pr. Richard Steere Cou. Clk."

1. ↑ Providence - Births, in Arnold, James N. Vital Record of Rhode Island, 1636–1850: First series, births, marriages and deaths. A family register for the people. (Narragansett Hist. Publ. Co., 1891)
   222.

   HAWKINS, Ruth, of William, Jr., and Elizabeth, [born] March 14, 1710-1.

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 (i)Glocester, Rhode Island, Probate and Civil Records, 1731-1915(/i)
   Volume 2, pages 122-126, on FHL Microfilm 0,941,847.

   Ruth Hopkins (nee Hawkins, widow of Nathaniel Wade and Zebedee Hopkins) died testate, having written a will on 23 November 1789 that was proved on 4 February 1790