| Notes |
- SOURCE: http://www.gdcooke.org/SS/default.aspx/page/org2-o/p5876.htm
Thomas Wilder left a will dated 22 April 1666 and proved 4 Mar 1666/7:
Theis presents wittneseth the Last will and testament of mee Thomas Willder of Lancaster in the Countie of Middlesex in new England husbandman, being weake in body, but of a good and sound memorie, And a Competent measure of natural understanding,
first I doe herby Comit my body to the dust And my soule to almightie god that gave it, And after my body orderly and decently buried,
first I herby Constitut and apoynt Ann my Loving wife and my sonn Thomas wilder my Executors, As also my Honoured [friend] Major Willard my dearest pastor master Joseph Rowlandson And Ralph AHoughton my overseers of this my Last will as aforesaid, to see this my said will truly and faithfully pformed, according to the true intent theirof,
first as touching those outward blessings the Lord in mercie hath betrusted me with, it is my earnest desire that the family and estate may be kept together soe long as it may be thought convenient by the Executors and overseers aforesaid or the major part of them, And soe to be disposed of according to their discresion as aforesaid, to gether with theis directions after mentoned:
first with Respect to be had to my wifes Comfortable being during her natural Life
2 that my sonn Thomas wilder to have a double portion, And Libertie to keep and improve his owne Estat Either in Catell, or of the Estate, which he now stands posesed of,
And the Rest of my Children namly John nathaniell Elizabeth and Ebenezer to Receive portions at such time as my aforesaid executors and overseers shall se they have need of it, And are capable of making improvement of it, whether it be in Lands or other Estae,
And as for my daughter marie, for as much as see hath allreadie Received a Competent portion and is already provided for, yet nothwsanding it is my desire shee should have sum what, according to the discretion of my Executors & overseers aforesaid, with Respect to be had to the blessing of upon the Estate, in Reference to all my Childrens portions aforesaid,
And if any of the aforesaid my overseers shall by the providence of god be taken away by death or otherwise that then forthwith the other two together with my Executors, shall chuse an other in his place, and so successively that the number aforesaid may be Continued to manage the betrust aforesaid Comited to them,
And in witness wherof I have herunto put my hand and seale this 22 of ii: mon: 1666
Thomas Wyellder
Witnesed by Simon Willard Joseph Rowlandson Ralph Houghton
The inventory, made 28 November 1667 by John Prescott and Richard Wheeler, totaled £405 18. 09d., sworn to at Boston, 4 Mar 1667/8 by the executors, Ann Wilder, widow, and Thomas Wilder, her son.
======================
SOURCE: The Book of The Wilders, 3rd Printing, 1998, The Line of Thomas Wilder, page 1
Cited source: Clemens, "Marriage Records Before 1699" (1928) and "Genealogy Magazine" (July 1930). However, she was not the daughter of Anthony and Margery Eames, as that Anna Eames married William Ford and lived with him to an old age. Some say Thomas married Anna Johnson of Boston, a sister to Elizabeth whose husband, Robert Mears, in his will, called Thomas Wilder of lancaster his brother.
Reading from another unverified source (http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/MAYFLOWER/2004-12/1103312750)
As printed in the Register vol. 17 (1863) p. 345, as part of Wyman's series
entitled "Abstracts of the Earliest Wills of Suffolk [County,
Massachusetts]".
Meeres, who signs with a mark, actually says:
"I doe also make my beloued brother, James Johnson, and Mr. Thomas Wilder,
Ouerseers of this my last will. 20 Feb. 1666."
The brother being referred to is James Johnson, NOT Wilder, which makes
sense if indeed Meeres' wife was Elizabeth (Johnson). That's more likely
the explanation, rather than Johnson is a "Brother" in the church sense.
Also, his unnamed wife is still alive and again it makes sense that he would
ask a relative of hers to act as a co-overseer, if he's not naming one of
his sons.
Note also the use of the honorific "Mr" with Wilder suggests to me that THIS
Wilder is NOT Thomas of Lancaster. After all, Meeres is in Boston and in
those days that's a day and a half planned trip into the city. Its likely
that Mr refers to another Wilder, most likely a minister or a distinguished
church member. Check James Savage (which is available on-line) for other
Wilders.
{Example: It took several decades for John Lake to move socially up the
ladder from tailor to merchant John Lake. At his death in 1677, he was
socially a "Mr." and named another merchant "Mr" as a co-overseer of his
will. One of the other overseers was a deacon from the Second Church of
Boston as Lake's then wife's nearest relation was her mother living out in
Concord.}
Robert M. Gerrity
YANKEE ANCESTRY
P. O. Box 2814
Acton, MA 01720
|
1618 - 1667 (49 years)
[2, 3] 