Last Will and Testament of Philip Liscum (written in 1736)  

[Source: Suffolk County, Mass. Probate Case # 7922]

In the Name of God Amen.  The Twentieth Day of January in the Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred thirty six, I Philip Liscum of Stoughton in the County of Suffolk in New England Yeoman being something weak of Body & peaceably under the decay of Nature, but of perfect Mind & Memory thanks be given to God.  Therefore calling to mind the mortality of my Body, and knowing that it is approved for Men once to dye, Do make & ordain this my Last Will and Testament.  That is to Say, Principally and first of all, I give & recommend my soul unto the hands of God that gave it, hoping thro’ the Merits Death and pussion of my Saviour Jesus Chrust to have full & free pardon and forgiveness of all my Sins and to Inherit Everlasting Life; and my Body I commit to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors hereafter named nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the Mighty Power of God, and as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me, in I give demise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form.  That is to say First I will that all those Debts & Duties as I Do owe in Right or Conscience to any manner of Person or persons whatsoever shall be well & truly contented & paid or ordained to be paid in convenient time after my decease, by my executors hereafter named.  Item, I give & bequeath unto Charity my deary beloved wife the whole & sole use & Improvements of the Dwelling House during the whole Term of her Natural Life, as also two good cows to be kept on my Place both Winter & Summer by my Son Benjamin Liscum or whoever shall enjoy my Homeplace, for her own use and benefit and always to be kept as well as his or their own, during her Natural Life, and also Twenty Pounds in good passing Bills of Publick Credit, or cureant Money of New England, to be paid her every Year yearly from & after the Day of my decease by my Son Benjamin Liscum, or those that shall Enjoy my Estate as aboves^d during her Natural Life, and also sufficient firewood both Winter & Summer brought to the forpart House cut ready for her fire during her Natural Life and also all my Household stuff or Goods to her own use, and to sole Dispose forever with the free Ingress Egress & Regress unto and from said House at any and all Times during her Natural Life.  Item, I give & bequeath to my well beloved son John Liscum all my Real Estate lying on y^e Westerly side of the Town Way Leading from Mr Fenno’s Farm, towards Bear Swamp, to him & his Heirs & assigns forever always & forever.  Excepting my Cedar Swamp lying in Masshaupaug Swamp so called and also apiece of Land that I bought of Mr Evans, and a piece of Meadow that I bought of Thomas Jordan, lying in Monks Meadow so called – Item I give & bequeath to my beloved son Philip Liscum his Heirs and assigns forever all that piece or parcel of Land that I gave him by Deed of gift formerly whereon my son Noyce now lives and also Thirty Pounds in good Bills of Publick Credit or Curr^t Money of New England to be paid to him by my son Benjamin Liscum at three payments [---] Ten pounds at a payment yearly, beginning one Year after my decease – Item I give & bequeath to my three beloved Daughters now living Namely Charity, Elizabeth & Kathatrine forty pounds a piece to be paid to them by my Executor in good Bills of Publick Credit or Curr^t Money of New England within one year after my decease, they having received the greater part of their Portions already.  Item I give & bequeath to my beloved Daughter Grace Keney deced, or to my Son in Law Jonathan Keny five shillings to be paid by my Executors within one year after my decease she or they having received their full Portion already.  Item I give & bequeath to my beloved Daughter Naomi Noyce deced or to my Son in Law John Noyce five shillings to be paid by my Executor within one Year after my decease: she or they having received their full Portions already.  Item I give & bequeath to my belove Son Benj^a Liscum all my Homestead or Real Estate lying on the Easterly side of the aforementioned Way only Excepting & Reserving the Dwelling House for the use & Improvement of my Wife as aforeherein exprest and after the decease of his Hon^d Mother, the House to be his, all to him his Heirs & assigns forever, and also all the stock of Creatures together with all my utensils & Implements for Husbandry left on or at my Place and it is my Will & full Intent that if my Son Benjamin who is now Single should dye & leave no Child or Children, that then all ye Estate both Real & Personal that I have herein given to my Son Benjamin shall be Equally divided between my two Sons Namely John & Philip & their Heirs, they doing & performing all that he is to do & perform for my now beloved wife as afore exprest and it is also my Will that if by the [--]wise disposing will & pleasure of God that the said Estate should so fall into their hands, that then they shall pay unto each of their Sisters then Living if they or either of them should be then Widows Fifty Pounds in good Bills of Publick Credit or Curr^t Money of New England Said – Fifty pounds to be paid to them or either of them yearly & every year in Ten Pound payments until Fifty pounds be paid to each of them, if Living, the first payment to be within One year after the Estate [---] To come into their hands or possession, all they to be faithfully performed and fulfilled by my two Sons John Liscum & Philip Liscum; both of whom I likewise constitute make & ordain my only & sole Executor of this my Last Will & Testament, and I Do hereby utterly Disallow Revoke & disannul all & every other former Testaments Wills & Legacies Bequests & Executors by me in any way before this Time named Willed & bequeathed Ratifying & confirming the & no others to be my Last Will & Testam^t  In witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & Seal the Day and Year abovewritten.         

                                                                                                                                    Philip Liscum and a Seal

Signed Sealed published – pronounced & declared by the said Philip Liscum as his Last Will and Testam^t in ye presence of us the subscribers viz.

George Talbott

Charles Wentworth

Elhanon Lyon

Exam^d And^w Belcher Reg^r

The foregoing Will being presented for Probate by the Execut^r therein named.  George Talbott, Charles Wentworth & Elhanon Lyon made Oath that they saw Philip Liscum the Subscriber to this Instrument Sign and Seal & heard him publish & declare the same to be his Last Will & Testam^t and that when he so did he was sound disposing mind & memory according to three Deponts best discerning and that they set to their hands as Witnesses thereof in the said Testators presence

                                                                                                            J. Willard

Boston July 5^th 1743                                                                     Att^r And^w Belcher Reg^r

INVENTORY

[Source: Suffolk County, Mass. Probate Case # 7922 - Record Book entry]

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