"Probate Records. Vol. X, 1723 to 1729. Recorded in Vol. XII, Page 27-8.
Marsh, John. Invt £209-10-00. Taken 1st August, 1727, by John Skinner and Hezekiah Goodwin. Will dated 1726.
The last will and testament of John Marsh, Sen., of Hartford, in the County of Hartford and Colony of Connecticut, in New England:
As God hath given the earth to the children of man, divideing it to every one severally as He will, and doth induldge to them ye liberty of disposeing their worldly estate in a testimentary way to such as are to succeed them in the injoyment thereof, and their doing this seasonably and in a just and prudent manner being a likely means to prevent after trouble and contention about it, therefore I, who am old and now languishing under these delays of nature which forbode a speedy desolution of it, do, with submission to the will of God, make the following disposition of that part of the earth which through His goodness is continued in my possession:
Imp, My will is yt all my just debts and funeral expenses be first paid without fraud or delay.
Item. I give to each of my daughters now living, besides what they have already received, £10, to be paid within a year after my decease, either out of my lands at inventory price, or in current pay, at the election of my executors. Yet with this proviso, that they bear their several proportions of the debts and charges before mentioned.
Item. I give to the children of my daughter lately deceased £10 over and above what she hath received in her lifetime, to be divided equally among them and paid as the abovesd. sum and upon the same condition.
Item. I give to my son-in-law, Joseph Pratt, 5 shillings.
Item. I give the rest of my sd. estate, that is to say, all my lands not otherwise disposed of, whether divided or undivided, to my sons, to be equally divided between them, excepting that I give 40 shillings more to my eldest son than to either of his brothers.
Lastly, I do appoint and constitute my sons executors.
JOHN X MARSH, LS.
Witness: Samuel Green, Hezekiah Goodwin, John Day.
Court Record, Page 162—27 August, 1727: Will proven, ordered recorded and kept on file.
Page 174—8 January, 1727-8: Capt John Marsh, Lt. Nathaniel Marsh, Capt. Joseph Marsh and Jonathan Marsh, sons, heirs and executors of the last will and testament of John Marsh, late of Hartford decd., now exhibited an agreement under their hands and seals for a settlement of sd. estate to and amongst the sd. heirs, and before this Court acknowledged the same to be their free act and deed, which agreement is by this Court accepted and ordered to be recorded and kept on file. Signed and sealed.
Dist File (no date): Estate of John Marsh late of Lebanon, Nathaniel and Jonathan Marsh of Hartford, are held and firmly bound to pay unto Joseph Talcott, Judge of the Court of Probate, £80-10-00, the conditions being: As John Marsh decd. bequeathed to his four daughters, to Sarah £10, to Hannah £10, to Ann £10, to the children of Hepzibah decd. £10, and to his son-in-law John [Joseph, per correction at Manwaring 3:xvi] Pratt 5 shillings, if these legacies are truly paid, then this obligation to be void.
Witness: Hezekiah Wyllys, Samuel Talcott.
Note: It is probable that the broken page record related to this case."
