|
|
Facts and Events
Wealthian Loring was a sister of Deacon Thomas Loring. She m Thomas Richards (1590-1651). Their dau Alice m William Bradford. They moved to Dedham, Mass. "During his last illness Thomas Richards was at the house of his brother Loring in Hull, Mass."
From S1, p. 3:4 [paragraphs added for readability]
"I Wealthean Richards of Boston in New England, widow, being sickly and weak attended with many bodily infirmities, but thro' divine grace of good and perfect memory and understanding, knowing the uncertainty of this life and the certainty of my approaching change, and being desirous to settle that portion of my temporal estate which the good God of his bounty hath made me a steward of, now before my death; do make, ordain and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following. First and above all things I commend and commit my soul to Almighty God my Creator, trusting and most assuredly believing that when this earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved, my soul shall be brought into that habitation eternal in the heavens, thro' the precious death and merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer. My body I commit to the earth, from whence it was taken, to be buried in such decent manner as my Executors hereafter named shall see meet and convenient, hoping for and dying in the expectation of that joyful Resurrection of the great day when soul and body shall again be united and be forever with the Lord. And now for settling my temporal estate and such goods, chattels and debts as it hath pleased God far above my desert to betrust me with, I do order, give and dispose the same in manner and form as is hereafter expressed. And first I do renounce, revoke, frustrate and make void all testament or testaments, will or wills by me formerly made by word or writing, and appoint this my last will and testament and no other. Item. I will that all those just debts which I owe to any person or persons whatsoever be well and truly contented and paid in convenient time after my decease by my Executor hereafter named.
- I give and bequeath to my eldest son John Richards all that my dwelling house and land adjoining, situate in Boston aforesaid, with the privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging, to be to him, his heirs and assigns forever. And whereas my said son John hath formerly received of me to value of three hundred pounds in money, the profits whereof hath been to my use and is to be until my decease, as by instruments between us appears, I do give and bequeath the same after my decease to him thesaid John and his heirs forever.
- Whereas my son James Richards hath formerly received of me the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty pounds in money, the profits of which hath been to my use and is to be until my decease, as by instruments between us appears, I do give and bequeath the same, after my decease, to him the said James and his heirs forever.
- I will and bequeath unto Thomas Bradford five pounds in money. To Alice Bradford Threscore Pounds. To Hannah Bradford forty pounds. To Mercy Bradford Tenn pounds. To William Bradford Junr. Twenty pounds. To John Bradford Tenn pounds. To Samuel Bradford five pounds. To Melatiah Bradford Five pounds. To Mary Bradford five pounds. To Sarah Bradford five pounds, these tenn above last named being children of William Bradford of Plimouth Colony and my daughter Alice deceased.
- I will and bequeath to Samuel Hinckley twenty pounds. To Thomas Hinckley, Jun. Thirty pounds. To Susan Bacon ten pounds. To Hannah Glover five pounds. To Melatiah Crocker five pounds. To Bathsheba Hinckley five pounds. To Mehetable Hinckley five pounds. To Mary Wybornes five pounds. These eight last mentioned being children of Thomas Hinckley of Plymouth Colony and my daughter Mary deceased.
- I give and bequeath unto Ephraim Hunt Jun. five pounds. To Thomas Hunt five pounds. To John Hunt five pounds, sons to Ephraim Hunt Sen. of Waymouth, and my late daughter Anne.
- I will and bequeath unto the daughter of Mary Wiborne abovesaid five pounds, and to her son Tenn pounds. To the son of Hannah Glover five pounds. To John Bradford's two children five pounds each. To Samuel Hinckley's child five pounds. To Sarah Bacon's two children five pounds each. To my son Jame's six children Twenty shillings each to buy a ring apiece. To Thomas Hunt's two children five pounds each, more to Alice and Hannah Bradford five pounds each, to put them in mourning at my funeral.
- I will and bequeath unto the poore of Boston tenn pounds, to be disposed of at the discretion of my Executor hereafter named, and to the first church in Boston five pounds. To Harvard College five pounds.
- I give and bequeath unto Mrs. Sarah Leverett, relict of our late Honored Governor, five pounds, as an acknowledgment of her many kindnesses. To each of my overseers hereafter named five pounds; all which legacies and bequests above my will is shall be paid by my Executor within twelve months after my deceased in money, That is, to them that are of age or married, and to the rest as they may come to be of age or marry, or as they have need at the discretion of my Executor.
- My household stuff I dispose as followeth. To my son John I give my biggest silver tankard. To Mercy Bradford the worst of my three feather beds, one bolster, one coverlet, on pair of blankets, one pair sheets, one pillow and pillow case, the rest to Alice and Hannah Bradford, to be equally divided by my Executor. My wearing apparell to be equally divided between Alice and Hannah Bradford and Bathsheba Hinckley.
- It is further my will that in case my estate should fall short of what is hereby bequeathed as to the money part it shall be abated proportionably out of the bequests above, except what is given to my Overseers to the Poore and to the College, to the church and to Mary Wiborne, which is not to be lessened. It is my will and testament likewise that if Alice Bradford abovesaid do marry without my consent while I am living or without the consent of my Executor, she shall in such case lose the benefit of all the bequests above, which shall be divided among the rest of the legatees, at the discretion of my Executor hereafter named, anything in said will notwithstanding. And I do hereby make, ordain and appoint my loving son John Richards my sole Executor of this my last will and Testament, nothing doubting that he will be careful punctually to perform the same, hereby giving and bequeathing unto my Executor all the residue and remainder of my estate, personal and real, my debts and legacies above being first paid. And I do hereby appoint and ordaine Mr. Humphrey Davis and Mr. Anthony Stoddard Overseers of this my last will and testament, requesting them to accept that trouble and to inspect and direct as need may be to the true performance hereof. In witness to the premises I have to this my last will and testament set my hand and seal this third day of July, in the year of our Lord 1679.
References
- Morse, Abner. A Genealogical Register of the Descendants of Several Ancient Puritans. (Boston, MA: H.W. Dutton & Sons, 1861)
v3, p4.
"Madam Richards, having come into possession of a house and land at Weymouth, and an annuity of £35 for life secured to her by the willof her late husband, sold the same to her son John for £350, and before the close of 1651 she removed to Boston. Here she was evidently treated as one of the aristocracy, and died 1679."
- ↑ "Thomas Richards", in Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995).
"In 1653/4 Welthian Richards was threatened with the charge of witchcraft, having in the heat of passion threatened terrible things would happen to those she was angered at, they later falling victim to various unpleasant fates. Thomas Thacher, writing in her behalf to John Wilson and others from Weymouth 27 February 1653/4, indicated that she took Christian care of her children and that "God hath so blessed [them] that five or six of them have approved themselves to one church or other, and been readily entertained into their fellowship. Three of whom are now asleep in Jesus. Three survive. One more with us gives great hope of a thorough work on his heart" [WP 6:362]. Her case does not seem to have been brought forward."
Will dated 3 Jul 1679, probated 4 Nov 1679.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Surname of Loring and birth location of Axminster, Devon, England is based on the assumption that she is the brother of Thomas Loring of Hull because he is called "Brother Loring". It is not entirely clear if this is a religious relationship or genealogical one. (See NEHGR, p. 163:291-2, "Humphrey Blake and His Descendants".)
|
|
