1stly I give my well beloved wife Dorothy Johnson the Improvement of as much
room in my dwelling House and as much cellar room under there as she shall
reasonably judge she shall have occasion for, during the time she abides my
widow in Andover, and during the same time my son Peter Johnson (to whom I have
given a valuable part of my Estate as hereas will appear) Shall annually provide
for, and in the proper Seasons of the years, deliver to her the following
Necessaries of life , ten bushels of good Indian corn, five bushels of good rie,
one hundred pounds is of good Porke, sixty pounds of good beef, two barrles of
good Cyder and one bushel of Malt, as many apples as she shall need for her own
eating, half bushel of dry beans, as many green beans, green peas and other
greens as in their respective seasons as shall be necessary for her own eating,
one bushel and an half of turnips, two bushels of Potatoes, twenty eight pounds
weight of sugar, two pounds of coffee, two gallons of Rum, one gallon Brandy.___
Ten pounds weight of good sheeps wooll, ten pounds weight of good cotton woolls,
fifteen pounds weight of good flasc from the Swingle, a suficiency of fire wood
cut fit for her fires and brought into her part of the house as she shall have
occasion for it.___ and shall keep two good milk cows for her both winter and
summer, one of which shall be her own Property and shall be taken out of my
stock for that purpose, and the one she is only to have the benefit of her milk,
and my said son Peter shall also keep a good suitable horse for my said wife to
ride upon to meetings, elsewhere as she shall see fit.____
2ly I give to my said wife all my Household good or Household moveable
effects (money excepted) and my clock tho fastened to the house shall be
esteem’d as article belonging to them, all which (cept as above excepted)
shall be her own property.____
3ly I give to my son Obadiah Johnson my largest Black Smith anvel, my least
Black Smith vise and three pounds lawful money which with what I have heretofore
given him compleats his portion of my Estate.____
4ly I give to my son Jacob Johnson a peice of plowing and mowing Land laying
in Andover aforesaid containing by Estimation Seven acres be the same more or
less which is bounded as followeth viz, at the Southerly corner to the stake and
stones, being also a bound of Isaac Mace’s Land Thence Northerly joining to my
said Son Jacob land forty rods to a stake and stones; Thence Eastwardly to a
Stake and Stones, landing by the great ditch which parts my land from land
formerly belonging to my uncle John Johnson dec; thence southerly joining to
said ditch ten rods to a stake and stones, which is a bound of the afores Isaac
Mace’s land. Thence joining to said Isaac Mace’s land to the bound first
mentioned; ___ Reserving to myself and to my son Peter Johnson and his Heirs,
the Liberty of passing and repassing through westerly part of said peice of
land, not only Personally, but with Teams and loose cattles as occasion may
require to and from my pasture laying on Shawshin River near the said Isaac
Mace’s dwelling House ___ I also give him my said Son Jacob Johnson a peice of
woodland laying in Town of Andover, containing by estimation ten acres be the
same more or less the easterly side whereof lays joining on the westerly side of
my said son Jacobs own land, southeasterly on land belonging to the afore named
Isaac Mace, southwesterly on land of Andrew Richardson’s, James Holts and on
land formerly belonging to Thomas Abbot, and northerly on the Road leaving along
by my dwelling House to Tewksbury. ____
5ly I give to my daughter Deborah the wife of Nathan Baly twelve shillings
lawful money and the Reason I give her no more is because I have given her her
portion of my estate already. ____
6ly I give to my daughter Hannah the wife of Timothy Holt the sum of four
pounds lawful money, which with what I have heretofore given her completes her
portion of my estate. ____
7ly I give to my son Peter Johnson all my lands, dwelling House and barn and
all other buildings of every denomination whatever that I have in Andover,
except what of my land I have given in this Testament to my son Jacob as above
appears ___ I also give to my said son Peter all my money that I may leave at my
Decease also what money may then be due to me by Book, Bond, and Notes of hand.
Likewise I give to him my said Son Peter, all my Stock of cattle, horses, sheep
and swine and all the provision of every kind that at my decease shall appear to
be my property, like the same be deposed in what place or places (??).
8ly It is my will that my son Jacob shall in Consideration of ye land he will
be Intitled to by value of this Testament, pay towards the discharge of my Just
Debts the sum of twenty pounds lawful money in proper season after my decease.
___
9ly It is also my will that my son Peter shall in consideration of the lands
buildings and other Estate which he will be intitled to by virtue of this
Testament, bear the Expence of my Funeral pay all my Just Debts (except what I
have above directed my son Jacob shall pay) and shall deliver to my said wife
one good milk cow our of my stock for her own property, let her have the benefit
of another good milk cow and keep both of them Winter and Summer for her, and
seasonably supply her with all the necessaries and conveniences of Life as
particularly in the foregoing part of this Instrument and shall also pay the
Legacies I have in this Instrument given to my son Obadiah and to my Daughters
Deborah and Hannah , in a reasonable time after my decease.
Lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my aforesaid sons Jacob and Peter
Johnson Executors of this my Last Will and Testament allowing this and no other
to be so. In Witness whereof I have here unto let my hand and Seal the Sixth Day
of March in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and Seventy Seven.
___________
Obadiah Johnson
Signed Sealed and declared by the William Clark
I Obadiah Johnson of Andover in the
County of Essex and State of Massachusetts Bay in New England yeoman being so
far advanced years as renders it evident I am near the period of my life I have
therefore thought it best to discharge my Mind of Worldly concerns as far as the
Social Duties of Life can admit of to the end I may spend the remainder of my
Days in preparation for that future State into which my age informs me I am
hastening, For which purpose I have taken this opportunity while I am favoured
with the due exorcise of my Reason, to make this my Last Will and Testament
hereby Conscientiously disposing of my Temporal Interest to and among my wife
and children in the following manner.
Said Obadiah Johnson to be his last
Will and Testament in presence of
Timothy Ballard
Joseph Frye
