Will of Stephen Merrick, dated July 29, 1696 In the name of God, Amen. I Stephen Marick of Taunton, in the County of Bristol, in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, being of sound sence & memory & good health of body, but purposing to goe forth to walk in the present expedition on foot against the Indian enemy, do make this my last will and testament. My soul I commit to God hoping in his mercey thro' Christ Jesus, as to my outward estate I dispose of as followeth:-- Imps. To my only "Son" Isaac Marick haveing allready given & granted to him a considerable estate by deed, bearing date the 26 of December 1694 made unto Samuel Danforth & John Freeman Jun. [ ] in trust for that & other concerned in the said instrument expressed, which is signed by me Stephen Marick and Anna my present wife. Doe yet further give unto my sd son Isaac Marick my wearing cloathes, arms and all sorts of tools and tacklin proper, either for husbandry or any other trade & silver buttons, silver buckles & staffe with silver head. Secondly, As to my beding there being five feather beds, I give to my beloved wife Anna that bed which her father gave her particularly to be her own bed before his death, with all the furniture belonging thereto, viz: curtains, vallences, 2 pair of sheets with bolster & 2 pillows & pillow * *
To my daughter Mercey I give one bed & bedstead furnished compleatly as the aforesaid that is given to her mother.
To my daughter Mary, allso one bed, bedstead with furniture completed as those above mentioned.
To my daughter Sarah in like manner, one bed, bedstead & furniture as ye above expressed. My said daughters as they come of age to take their choice of the sd bedding as above given to them & the bed & furniture that is left (after they have made their choice) to be & belong to my son Isaac Marick. To each of my sd daughters I give one long table cloath & halfe dozen of napkins when they * * of age & more if my wife soe cause
Thirdly, As to all my land and priviledges lying within the Township of Norwich I give it to my three daughters & their heirs & assigns forever, in manner as followeth, viz:--the sd lands computed to consist of five parts.
I give four parts to my two daughters, Mercy and Mary to be equally divided between them, and all the remaining fifth part I give to my daughter Sarah. Allways provided that in case of necessity my beloved wife Anna shall & may sell any part or the whole of my lands in Norwich aforesaid and in such case my said daughters proportionally to abate of what is given them in said lands.
Fourthly, My land on the east side of Quinipaug near Norwich, being 220 acres, I leave it wholly to my wifes dispose to sell it if their be need & make use of.
Fifthly, To my son Isaac Marick I give all my lands, rights, & interest in a plantation called New Passataqua in New Jersey to him & his heirs & assigns forever.
Sixly. To my cozen Joseph Wilbore his heirs and assigns forever, I give ten acres of land lyeing near Prospect Hill in Taunton, lyeing adjoyning to lands given to John Wilbore by Joseph Wilbore deceased, in his last will and testament.
Seventhly. I give my cattell, sheep, swine, horses, both in Taunton and at Norwich, household stuff and moveables with all debts due to me both here and at Norwich to my beloved wife Anna during her life for the support of herself and familie and after her decease what remains unspent to be equaily divided among my four children (excepting what is above expressed to be given to any of them and what exceptions are "are" now to be added),
Eightly. To John Smith my prentice boy, I give the sum of five pounds besides what is mentioned in his indenture.
Ninthly. What is yett comeing to me from the estate of my Hon'rd father William Marick deceased, for the fulfilling of his bequest to me in his last will and testament, I give it to my daughter Mercy Marick be it more or less.
Tenthly. To the beloved Pastor Mr. Samuel Danforth I give the sum of five pounds. Eleventhly. My meaning & will is that my whole estate which I am now possessed of whether in my own right or in right of my wife (excepting what is above mentioned to be given to particular persons in this will) after my wife's decease be and belong to my said four children, Mercy, Mary, Sarah and Isaac, to their heirs and assigns forever in equal parts. Lastly, I constitute and appoint my beloved wife Anna Marick and my son Isaac Marick to be my executors in this my last will and testament.
In witness whereof I, the said Stephen Marick have hereto set my hand and seal this twenty ninth day of July 1696 declaring what is contayned in this & the other side to be my last will and testament.
STEPHEN MARICK, [Seal.]
Signed, sealed and declared in the presence of us.
BENJA. CHURCH
Entered May ye 5 1705.
THOMAS LEONARD
MARY M. STAPLES her mark.
By JOHN CARY Register.
from "Abstracts of Bristol County, Massachusetts Probate Records 1687-1745" compiled by H.L. Peter Rounds, C.G. vol. 2, p. 32
Inventory of Estate of STEPHEN MARICK, dated 3 March 1704/5, presented by Anna Marick, his widow. Appraisers: Ezra Dean, Israel Thresher & Benjamin Dean [2:122]
vol. 2, p. 36
Inventory of Estate of ANNA MARICK, widow of Stephen Marick of Taunton, who died 4 March 1705, dated 4 September 1706, presented by Isace Merick son-in-law (Step-son?). Appraisers: Nathaniel Crossman & John Mason [2:167]