Person:John Stratton (19)

Will of John Stratton² 1708

"In the name of God, Amen the fourth day of Novemb^r 1708. I John Straton of Watertown in the county of Midd^x within her Majesties Province of the Massachusets-Bay in New-England yeom: being weak in body, but of Sound & Desposeing memory, thanks be given unto god therefore, calling unto mind the mortallety of my body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, Do make & ordaine this my last will and testament, that is to saie, principally & first of all I give & commend my Soul into the hands of god that gave it; and for my body I comend it to the earth, to be buried in a christian-lik and-Decent manner, at the Discretion of my executors, assuredly hoping at the Gen^ll Resurrection I shall receive the same againe by the mighty power of god: And as for the worldly estate it hath pleased god to bless me with in this life, I give, devise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form.

Imp^r: I give and bequeath to my son John Straton & to his heires and assignes forever the mantion house barn & orchard that he now liveth in and halfe the land (that is to say) the whole of my homstall to be equally Divided between my Son Samuell Straton & sd: son John he sd John to have that and so eastward where he now dAvelleth, untill the one halfe be mad up. also I give to my sd Son John that lott called Clerks lott, my sd Son Samuel Straton to have free egrese & Regres—thro sd lands for ever.

Item I give and bequeath to my Son Joseph Straton & to his heires & assignes for ever my lott of wood-land lying neer to Liue^t Jn^o Bruers. and all my sheep, and fifteen pounds in cuntrey pay to be paid him by my executors within fower years after my Deces. by my executors, equally out of my estate.

Item: I give and bequeath to my son Samuell Straton and to his heires & assignes for ever the other halfe of my homstall together with my mantion house barn out houseing & orchards, and also that lot of land lying over the way against my sd: house called by the name of Brights lott, also all my wareing apparrell both woollen & linen, also my best fether bed, bed sted eurtaines & valient and al the beding therto belonging, together with all my husbandrey utencels and my oxen, and also fower chaires my great brass kittle & a tramill, one pair of andirons, spitt, fier-pan & tongs, also my will is that what provision I die seized of be returned to my sd: son at my Deces, also that my sd: Son Samuell & his heires & assignes to have for ever throw my son Johns land free egrese & Regrese with cattles, carts and what he may have occation for. also I give to my sd: son Sam^ll my Sword musquet & ammunition, livery cobard and the long table and wencecod chest.

Item: I give to my two own Daughters Eliz: & Rebecca: my little cobart & and the great box.

Item: I give and bequeath to my Daughter Elizebeth Chenry two pounds and ten shilling in contrey pay to be pd: her by my executors equally, and also one cow, (she having alredy had the greatest part of her portion out of my estate) wdthin fower years after my Deces to be pd.

Item: I give and bequeath to my Daughter Rebecca Seaverns fifty shilling in contrey paie to be pd her within fower years after my Deces, and also on cow, she haveing had the greatest part of her portion alredy.

Item: I give to my Grand Son John Straton my fowlling-peic.

Item: I give to my Daughter in law my son Josephs wife on paire of sheets & one of my best putter platters.

Item: I give and bequeath to my Daughter in law Sarah my son Samuels wife on pair of sheets and the next best of my puter platters.

Item: I give and bequeath to my Granddaughter Elizebeth. Cherny my wives bible.

Item: I give and bequeath to my Grandaughter Eliz: Severns my own Bible.

Item: I give and bequeath to my two Sons Samuell Straton & John Straton & to their heires and assignes for ever all the Rest and Residue of my out-lands wood lands, pasture land meadow land both marsh & fresh meadow together with my close of English grace, all to be equally divided between them, also my tow comb betwen them.

Item: My will is that all the Rest and Residue of my moveable estate excepting two bed steds namly one trundel bed sted and the bed sted in ye Rom where the comb stands I give to my son Samuell with what I have alredy given In consideration of his care that he hath had on me, and what I hope to Receive of him towards the support of my old age, all the Rest as aforesd to be equally Divided between my five Daughters, namly my son Johns wife, my son Joseph wife, my son Samuels wife my son Chenrey wife, and my Son Severnes wife, and I do nominat, appoint & constitute & ordaine my two sons John Straton & Samuell Straton my executors, to se this my last will & testament performed, and I do herby Revock may null & voide all former or other wils by me herto fore made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year abovesd.

his JOHN J S STRATON [seal] mark

Signed Sealed & published in the presence of. Jonas Bond, Samuell Thatcher, Manings Sawin"^[1]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} 3. John Stratton², in Stratton, Harriet Russell. A Book of Strattons : Being a Collection of Stratton Records from England and Scotland, and a Genealogical History of the Early Colonial Strattons in America, with Five Generations of Their Descendants. (New York, New York: Grafton Press, 1908, 1918).

   "3. John Stratton² (Samuel¹) is first mentioned in Watertown in 1652, though he is supposed to have come from England with his father. … John Stratton lived twelve years after the date of [his] will, outliving by two years his eldest son, whom he had named as one of his executors. He died March 16, 1720."

2. ↑ Wheeler, Raymond David. The Father of Samuel¹ Stratton of Watertown, Massachusetts. American Genealogist (D.L. Jacobus). (Apr 1993)
   86:68.

   "4. John (Stratton) bp. Carlton 14 Oct. 1632."

3. ↑ Historical Society of Watertown (Massachusetts). Watertown Records. (Watertown, Mass.: Press of Fred Barker, 1894-1939)
   2:66.

   "John Straton Deced, 16 of march, 1719/20."

4.   John Stratton, in Find A Grave.

   No image provided; no actual evidence of burial presented. Son Joseph lived in Marlborough, so it is possible that this John is buried there.