The Will of John Craggen, Sr.
(Husband of Sarah Dawes)
of Woburn
executed 30 May 1704
(Second Great Grandfaather of Ann Horton)
I, John Craggin of Woobourne in County Middx, in her Maj[es]t[y']s province of Massatusets Bay in New England Husbandman, being very aged & much decay[e]d in my strength, do make and publish this wrighting to be my last will and testament, hereby disalowing and declaring all former will[s] made by me at any time, I give my soul to god that gave it me, and my body to the earth to be desently buried in hopes of the glorious Resurection to Life again: thro[ug]h the Faith and merrits of Christ Jesus my lord and only Savio[u]r.
Major: I hereby make over all my housing and lands to my four sons in law, namely John Knight, stephen Fish, Frances Nurse and Tho[ma]s Skelton, they having given me by hand to provide for me and my wife while we live and to allow us a desent buryal when we dye, and therefore I say no more of it but that I do confirme all my housing and lands to my s[ai]d Sons in law to them their heirs and assignes for ever, they paying the twenty pound given to Johns widow & children.
It(e)m. I give unto Deborah Craggin my Son Johns Widow and his children twenty pounds, two cows at five pounds grant of the s[ai]d twenty I do give her in hand, and do order my Exec[uto]rs herein after named to allow and pay her five pounds more towards the bringing up of my s[ai]d Sons children, but to be delivered her at the descrascion of my Exec[uto]rs, so as that they be sure to reserve ten pounds for the s[ai]d children to be Equally distributed among them as they come of age, I have given my son John considerably in my lifetime and can give his no more now, also If Benjam[in] Craggin dye in his nonags, then I give my muskit to John Knight jun[io]r my Grandson.
It[e]m. My will is that my daughter Anna having promised to alow Equall part with my sons in lawe towards the maintenance of my Selfe and my wife She performing the same, I give her all my movable Estate Undisposed of Excepting one Cow which I give to my Exec[uto]rs & to Anna one fifth p[ar]t of my lands or the value therof, she performing as abous[ai]d.
It[e]m. My will is and I do give unto my daughter Elizabeth two shillings, she having her full portion already, but I desire my wife would remember to give her forty shillings worth of her cloths when she dyes.
It[e]m. my will is and I do hereby nominate and appoint my four sons in law namely John Knight, Stephen Fish, Frances Nurse and Tho[ma]s Skelton all Joynt Exec[uto]rs to this my will, ordering them to pay deborah cragin and my sons three children th[a]t twenty pound I have given them, of which those two Cows above-mentioned is to be receved as part, and Anna Craggin having her portion assigned her, my other daughters have had something formerly, and the rest now in full in the lands I have made over to their s[ai]d husbands and I give th[e]m no more this 30th day of May in the third year of her Maj[es]t[y']s Reigne Anno Domini seventeen Hundred and four.
The mark of
OM
John Cragen
Signed Sealed and published by John Craggin to be his last will and testament
before us
John Reed
Timothy Heyman
Sam[ue]l Converse, jun[io]r
Middlesex/Cambridge 29th of November 1708
Stephen Fish of Reding, Frances Nurse of Reding and Thomas Skelton of
Wobourne Three of the Execut[o]rs nominated in this written Last Will & Testament of John Cragen late of Wobourne, deceased, Exhibited this same for Probate declared that this is the will of Executorship this same is allowed
by Fran[ci]s Foxcroft Judge of Probate.
