By Muriel Bristol | October 10, 2024
Here is transcribed the last will of William Palmer, Esq., of Milton. Palmer had been during his life a Revolutionary soldier, post-war militia officer, state representative, justice-of-the-peace, and town selectman. (The appellation “Esqr,” i.e., Esquire, was due to his being or having been a justice-of-the-peace).
Will of Wm Palmer
In the name of GOD ~ Amen ~ I, William Palmer of Milton in the County of Strafford and State of New Hampshire ~ Esquire ~ Being very sick and weak in body, but of sound and disposing mind and memory, and calling to mind that its [it’s] appointed of GOD for all men once to die, do hereby make my last Will and Testament, and dispose of the goods and estate, wherewith it has pleased GOD to bless me in the manner following ~ to wit ~
1st I give and bequeath unto my daughter Betsy Wingate one good Cow, to be paid in one year from my decease by my executor hereinafter mentioned which in addition to what I have before given her is all I expect to give her of my estate ~
2d I give and bequeath to my son Daniel Palmer all the debts of every kind now due from him to me, which in addition to a lot of land which I have heretofore given him in Middleton, being numbered twelve, is all which I give him of my estate ~
3d I give and bequeath to my daughter Nancy Hayes one good bed with suitable beding [bedding] for the same, two tables, six dining chairs and six kitchen chairs, one bedstead and bed cord, one cow, and three sheep, to be paid by my executor hereinafter mentioned when the said Nancy moves away from my house which with one hundred and fifty dollars which I have heretofore given her I mean and will to be in full for her share in my estate ~
The first three bequests were made for the children of his first marriage to Susanna Twombly (1764-1790), while those that followed were made for the children of his second marriage to Deborah Ham (1766-1813).
4thly I give and bequeath unto my daughters Susannah and Rebecca Palmer all the property which fell to Rebecca Scates, out of her father Dodavah Ham’s estate, which she the said Rebecca Scates gave to my family by her last will to be equally divided between them the said Susannah and Rebecca ~ I also give and bequeath unto each of the said Susannah and Rebecca thirty dollars’ worth of bedding and household furniture to be paid by my executor herein after named as follows to wit Susannah to be paid in one year and Rebecca in two years from the time of my decease – which sums I mean and will to be paid in full for their shares in my estate ~
5thly I give and bequeath unto my son Nathaniel H. Palmer fifty acres of land in a third division lot number fifty eight in Milton, drawn to the original right of Capt John Downing. Also I give and bequeath unto the said Nathl two steers one year old and one heifer one year old which I now own and three sheep to be paid by my executors here after mentioned in one month from the time of my decease – which I mean and will to be in full for his share in my estate ~
6thly I give and bequeath unto my daughters Lydia Palmer and Deborah Palmer five dollars each to be paid by my executor herein after named on demand after my decease which sums I mean and will to be in full for their shares of my estate ~
7thly I give and bequeath unto my daughter[s] Achsah Palmer and Hannah Palmer thirty dollars each to be paid by my executor herein after named when they the said Achsah and Hannah arrive at the age of fourteen years each together with as much more as my executors think that they at that time may in Justice give them which sums I mean and will to be in full for theirs the said Achsah and Hannah’s shares of my estate ~
8thly I appoint John Ham of Gilmanton in the County of Strafford and State of Newhampshire, Esqr, to be guardian of the persons and property of my son Nathl H. Palmer and Achsah Palmer and Hannah Palmer my daughters all under fourteen years of age ~
And lastly as to all the residue and remainder of my goods, chattles and estate of every kind, name or nature whatsoever not before bequeathed in this will, I give and bequeath to my two sons Dodavah Palmer and William Palmer to be divided equally between them the said Dodavah and William whom I hereby appoint sole Executors of this my last will and testament, empowering them to collect all debts due to me and ordering to settle and pay all my Just debts and the legacies above mentioned hereby declaring this to be my last will and testament and revoking all former wills and testaments by me made ~
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this nineteenth day of April in the year of our LORD one thousand eight hundred and fifteen ~
Wm Palmer (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, published & declared by the said William Palmer to be his last Will and testament, in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses in the presence of the testator ~
Benjamin Scates, Isaac Hayes, Levi Jones
Recorded agreeably to the original ~ Examined by W.K. Atkinson, Regr
I, William Palmer of Milton in the County of Strafford and State of Newhampshire, Esqr, do this twenty first day of April in the year of our LORD one thousand eight hundred and fifteen make and publish this Codicil to my last Will and testament in manner following, that is to say ~ I hereby appoint Caleb Wingate of Milton in the County of Strafford and State of Newhampshire an Executor to this my last Will and testament with the said Dodavah and William Palmer before named as sole Executors of my will ~
And lastly it is my desire that this my present Codicil be annexed to and made a part of my last Will and testament, to all intents and purposes ~
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty first day of April, in the year of LORD one thousand eight hundred and fifteen ~
Wm Palmer (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, published & declared by the before named William Palmer as a Codicil to be annexed to his last Will and testament, in the presence of ~
Benjamin Scates, Isaac Hayes, Levi Jones
Recorded agreeably to the original ~ Examined by W.K. Atkinson, Regr
Strafford Ss ~ At a Court of probate holden at Dover in and for said County on the 26th day of April A.D. 1815 the foregoing instruments purporting to be the last Will and testament of William Palmer and a Codicil thereto annexed were presented for probate by the Executors therein named and all the subscribing witnesses personally appeared and made Oath that they saw the said William Palmer sign and seal and saw him publish, pronounce and declare the said instruments purporting to be his will to be his last will & testament [interlineation: to be his last will and testament] ~ that at the time of his so doing he was to the best of their discernment of sound and disposing mind & memory and that they at the same time subscribed their names as witnesses to the execution in the presence and at the request of said William Palmer and in the presence of each other. And at the same the same time the same witnesses appeared and made solemn Oath that they saw the said Instrument purporting to be the Codicil of the last Will and testament of the said William Palmer and saw the same subscribed by his express direction, that at the time of his so doing he was to the best of their discernment of sound mind and memory and that they at the same time subscribed their names as witnesses to the execution thereof in the presence and at the request of the said William Palmer and in the presence of each other ~ therefore I do allow and prove and approve the said instrument so purporting to be the last will and testament of said William Palmer to be his last will and testament, and so decree the same to be his last Will and testament ~ And I do also approve the said instrument purporting to be a Codicil thereto as the Codicil to the last will and testament of the said Palmer, and do decree the same a Codicil thereof ~
John Mooney ~ Judge of Probate
Recorded agreeably to the original ~ Examined by W.K. Atkinson, Regr (Strafford County Probate, 14:127).
References:
Wikipedia. (2021, September 8). Codicil (Will). Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codicil_(will)
Wikipedia. (2022, January 25). Seal (Contract Law). Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_(contract_law)
Milton Observer 