The Probate Records of Essex County, Massachusetts

Printed abstracts of the Essex County probate records, read in the archive.org full text. Used for the will of the widow Margaret Boreman of Ipswich, 8 Aug 1679 (3:350): “To my daughter Loe all my peuter and a pare of fine shetese and half a duson of napkines two cowes that are in thare handes and a black goune and a Red petticot only one pint pot Resarued.”

Used for the will of John Wheeler of Newbury, 28 Mar 1668, proved 11 Oct 1670 (2:200-201; vol. 2 at https://archive.org/details/cu31924092202823). Made “considering my old age & my owne weaknes”, it asks burial “in the burying place of Newbury”. It leaves his son Edward “of the Citty of Salisbury in the Realme of England” £10, out of which Edward was “to pay three pounds and ten shillings to the chamber of the Citty”; 40 shillings to his son William “in case he shall come ouer into this country”; 40 shillings each to sons Adam (of Salisbury, England) and Thomas; £4 each to daughters Elizabeth Button and Anne Chase; and sums to grandchildren. Each child’s share included “twenty shillings apiece … of this estate was giuen them by their mother”. His son Henry was sole executor, to have “all the rest of my goods & chattells vndisposed of” (2:201).

Used for the Varney, Proctor, Emerson, Fuller and Cogswell families of Ipswich (vol. 1 at https://archive.org/details/probaterecordsof01mass_0; vol. 2 at https://archive.org/details/probaterecordsof02mass_0):

• William Varney: administration granted 28 Mar 1654 to the widow Bridgett; inventory “1: 1: 1653” by George Gidding and John Cogswell, total 57li. 2s. 8d. “He left three sons and one daughter” (1:173).
• Thomas Emerson: will of 31 May 1653, with memoranda of 4 Jan 1660 and later; proved 10 May 1666; inventory of “Goodman Emesonne, Sr., deceased” dated “9: 3 m: 1666” (9 May 1666), total 251li. 3s., attested by the widow Elizabeth 25 Sept 1666 (2:34-37). Witnesses Robert Lord and Daniel Hovey.
• John Fuller: will proved 25 Sept 1666; inventory 29 June 1666, £344 5s; a second inventory “taken the last day of December, 1672, being after the marriage of the wido Fullar to her seckond husband” (2:57-59).
• John Cogswell: administration 29 Mar 1670 to the widow Elizabeth, “she to enjoy the whole estate during her life”; inventory 27 Dec 1669, £115 19s; his grandson Samuel “willing to dwell with his grandmother Cogswell” (2:180-181).
• John Proctor Sr.: will of 28 Aug 1672, proved 28 Nov 1672, and inventory of 11 Oct 1672, £1228 5s (2:315-316); the testimony of Sarah Story and Mary Fellows, 24 Sept 1672, on his wife’s clothing (2:316-317).

For the Rowlandsons (research/ellingwood/Ellingwood_Kin_Connections.md): “Brigitt, wife of Thomas Rowlison, late wife of Robert Mussey,” 1648 (vol. 1, p. 32).

Also vol. 3 pp. 175-177: the will and inventory of Thomas Low of Ipswich, 1677 (see will-thomas-low-1677).