Person:Robert Gifford (4)

n 1683, William Gifford conveyed his tract of Dartmouth land to his sons Robert and Christopher Gifford. An agreement for the division of the property was dated March 1688, and relates that "whereas our Honoured Father William Gifford, of the town of Sandwich had a half share in the precincts of Dartmouth which [he] hath given to us" and "finding four parcells of upland and five parcells of meadow land already laid out," they agreed that Robert should have forty-five acres of land "where he now liveth," fifteen acres on the east side of the bog and thirteen acres of meadow at a place called Petchitshuetts. These three parcels were to be Robert's full part (Bristol County (Massachusetts) Deeds, Volume 1, Page 35).

By a deed of 20 April 1689, Robert Gifford sold the 13 acre parcel of land to Samuel Cornell of Dartmouth for 42 pounds. On 25 April 1689, he paid Samuel Cornell 12 pounds for four and a half acres of Dartmouth land (Bristol County (Massachusetts) Deeds, Volume 1, page 36). He bought another Dartmouth lot on 2 January 1699/1700 from Philip Taber for 12 pounds (Bristol County (Massachusetts) Deeds, Volume 1, Page 42).

Questions and controversies continued over the division of the half share of lands given to Robert and Christopher Gifford by their father. Captain John Otis of Barnstable, William Bassett of Sandwich and James Warren were appointed as arbitrators to the dispute. The Judgment of the arbitrators was accepted on 24 November 1701 (Bristol County (Massachusetts Deeds, Volume 1, Pages 73-75). An indenture dated 5 March 1716 between Robert and Christopher Gifford partitioned the three parcels where they had for many years been tenants in common (Bristol County (Massachusetts) Deeds, Volume 2, Pages 411-412). On 24 March 1716, a similar division for other common land was signed (Bristol County (Massachusetts) Deeds, Volume 2, Page 367).

Between 1704 and 1722, Robert Gifford bought and sold lands in Dartmouth. By deeds of 25 June 1722, 16 January 1729/30, 20 January 1729/30 and 3 February 1729/30, he deeded land to his sons Stephen, Simeon, Timothy, and Benjamin (Bristol County (Massachusetts) Deeds, Volume 3, Pages 342, 344, 379, 395, 405).

Robert Gifford of Dartmouth died testate after writing a will dated 25 March 1724. The will reads (transcribed from the Bristol County (Massachusetts) Probate Records, Volume 7, Page 28, on FHL Microfilm 0,461,883):

"In the Name of God, Amen: This Twenty fifth day of March in the year of our Lord 1724 and in the Tenth year of the Reign of our soverigne Lord George by the Grace of God of Grait Brittain&c. I Robert Gifford of Dartmouth in the County of Bristoll in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, Yeoman, being Desirous to settle my jouse in order and being of a Disposing mind and memory, Do make and ordaine this my Last will and Testament: I Commit my Soul into the hands of God that Gave it and my body to the Earth After my decease to be buried at the Discrestion of my Executor: and as to.... my worldly Estate I Dispose of the same in the following manner and form.

"Imp. I Give and Bequeath to Elizabeth my well beloved Wife fourty shillings a year yearly to be paid by my Executor During her Continuingh my widdow.

"Item - My will is that my Executor pay all my just debts & funerall charges out of my moveable Estate.

"Item - I give my son Jeremiah one Sedge flatt (?) lying in Dartmouth ... called and known by the Name of the Dye Lott to him & his heirs & assignes forever, and fourty Pounds in such money as shall Pay from man to many at the time of Payment or yt shall hereafterr in this Instruments order.

"Item - I Give to my son Benjamin besides what I have already given him the sum of Ten Pounds in the like manner as my son Jeremiah.

"Item - I give to my son Stephen the forth part of my Cedar Swamp in sd Dartmouth to be to him his heires and assignes forever: and Twenty pounds in money in the like manner as Jeremiah.

"Item - I give to my son Timothy one flatt (?) called one acre of Sedge flatt (?) laid out for me by Draught of Lands dated the first day of June 1714 signed by Benjamin Hammond & Benjamin Crane Sur..... on the same said acre as thene bounded be it more or less lying in said Dartmouth the same to him his heires and assignes forever: and fourty pounds money in the like manner as my son Jeremiah.

"Item - I give to my son Simeon whome I do constitute Sole Executor of this my Last will and Testament all my homestead and housing upon the same and all my Land and meadow in a Place called the high Neck in said Dartmouth to him his heires and assignes forever: Upon condition of his Paying those sums of money above Expressed in manner following that is to say: To my wife Elezebeth the yearly sum of fourty shillings and the other sums at Ten Pounds a year and that to be divided among the said Children abovesaid in Proportion to the sums each one is to have till all ye above said hundred and ten pounds be paid, and to begin his payment of one year after my Decease; also I give to my said son Simeon that Parcel of Land that I have not Disposed of Adjoyning to my son Benjamin homestead he paying one shilling a piece to my Grandchildren & Twenty shillings to my Grandaughter Experience (?) daughter to Benjamin also he to have two good feather beds & furniture and all the iron and brass utensils in the house.

"Finally, my will is that all other Estate that I shall dye ceased of & .... belongs to me which I have not before disposed of wether of Lands or moveables my will is that it be equally divided between my five sons and I do hereby Confirm this my Last will and Testament and hearby make void and any other will by me heretofore made.

"Signed Sealed Published & Declared by Robert Gifford Robert Gifford as his Last will and Testament in Presence of us Elisha Wing Icabod Nye Jabez Heller Timothy Ruggles"

The witnesses made an oath on 30 April 1730 in the Probate Court at Bristol that they had witnessed the signing of the will of Robert Gifford of Dartmouth, deceased, and that he was of a sound and disposing mind.

An inventory of the personal estate of Robert Gifford, late of Dartmouth deceased, was submitted to the Probate Court on 4 April 1730 by John Akin, Phillip Allen and James Allen. The inventory list may be incomplete, has no summ totalled, and is difficult to read in parts. The items included:

• Three pieces of silver money .................................................. 0-16-10
• Other cash or Paper bills both of Credit and Copper Penneys.....................4-12-03
• Cash by hand ..................................................................33-04-00
• Wearing Apparel ...............................................................33-04-00
• One Peible .................................................................... 1-15-00
• Two feather beds and furniture to the same ................................ ...44-00-00
• Pewter and Tin ................................................................ 4-15-04
• Glass bottles and other Glasses ............................................... 0-08-04
• One Brass Kettle and Celmettle skillets ....................................... 6-10-00
• One Iron pott and one Iron Kettle ............................................. 1-06-00
• One Grid Iron ................................................................. 0-07-00
• Two Tramels of S.... and Tongs 16/0 ........................................... 1-03-00
• One Warming Pan ............................................................... 1-05-00
• Two Chests and a P... ......................................................... 1-15-00
• Three pound of coarse Wool .................................................... 0-02-00
• Two Baggs ..................................................................... 0-09-00
• One Frying Pan and Candlestick ................................................ 0-11-06
• One pair of old Wool Cards and old combs ...................................... 1-00-00
• Two Spinning Wheels ........................................................... 1-02-00
• One Churn and three Trays & one Cheese Lattemeal Trough (?) ................... 0-16-00
• Seven Chairs and one Tabel and bench .......................................... 1-06-00
• One Cheese tub & two meat Tubs together with old Lumber ....................... 4-06-00
• Base Iron & heatters 12/ 2 pair of old shears 2/6 ............................. 0-14-06
• Knives and forkes 6/0 200 old Pillions 7/0 ................................... 0-13-00
• Lethers and Skins and one old Bedstead ........................................ 0-16-00
• Plow irons and Ring & staples & one Chaine .................................... 2-00-00
• One Grindstone and Refuge Pine boards ......................................... 1-15-00
• half a barrel of Pork & half pound of Beef .................................... 5-10-00
• Chees 13/6 Two horse Kind & 21 sheep 54/ .................................... 54-00-00
• 4 Cows and U... other Cattel ................................................. 57-00-00
• one Looking glass & spice mortar & ???? ...................................... 0-11-00

The total above is at least 267 pounds.

Simeon Gifford, executor of the restate of his father, Robert Gifford, presented the inventory to the Probate Court on 30 April 1730 and it was accepted by the Court on that day.