r161 THE WILL AND INVENTORY OF JOHN BASS AND THE PETITIONAGAINST THE APPROVAL OF THE WILL.Tracribed From the Original Documents,BY GEORGE ERNEST BOWMAN.JOHN BASS made his will 25 June, 1716, and died at Braintree,Mass., 12 September, 1716, having survived his wife Ruth 2 Alden(John 1) nearly forty-two years. His will and inventory arerecorded in the Suffolk County Probate Records at Boston,* andthe original documents from which our copies were made, arestill in the files.- With the will and inventory is preserved apetition from the testator's son, John Bass, and his son-in-law,Ephraim Thayer, praying that the will be not allowed on accountof the undue influence of another son, John Bass, Jr., and hisfamily. This petition, signed by Joseph Bass only, was presented22 October, 1716. Since the will was allowed on that date andthe petition was not entered on the probate records and norecord of any appeal to a higher court can be found, it isevident that the dissatisfied heirs decided to drop the matter.In the name of God, amen. The Twenty fifth Day of June Anno: Domone thousand Seven Hundred & Sixteen, I, John Bass of Braintry,in the County of Suffolk, in New England, Wheel-wright, being ofperfect mince and Memory, thanks be given unto God therefor;calling to mind the Mortality of my body, and knowing that it isappointed for Men once to dye, Do make and ordaine this my Lastwill and Testa[ment] That is to Say, Principally, and first ofall, I give and recomen[dl my Soul into the Hands of God thatgave it, hoping through the* Vol. XIX, PP. 202, 203, 270.- Docket 3785.The Will and Inventory of John Bass. 203merits, Death & Passion of my Saviour JesustChrist to have fulland free Pardon and forgiveness of all my Sins, and to InheritEverlasting Everlasting life; and my body I commit to the Earthto be decently buried at the Discretion of my Executor hereafternamed; nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I ShallReceive the Same againe by the mighty Power of God. And now forthe Settleing the Temporal Estate wherewith It hath pleased Godto bless me far above my deserts, I do order, give, and disposethe Same in manner and forme foll[ow]ing: (That is to Say) FirstI Will that all those Debts & duties as I owe in Right orconscience to any Person or Persons whatsoever, shall be welland truly contented, and paid, or ordained to be paid inconvenient time, after my Decease, by my Executor Hereafternamed.Item, I Give and bequeath to my well beloved Son John Bass (whomI likewise constitute, make, and Ordaine my only & Sole Executorof this my last Will and Testament) that Piece of Land calledthe CalftPasture being about an acre, to him, his Heirs andassigns forever: Further I Give to my Said Son John Bass allother, my PasturetLand, PloughtLand, Meadow, Salt & Fresh, WoodLand and other Estate whatsoever, not hereafter in this my LastWill particularly mentioned, and disposed of, to be Improved byhim duri[ng] his Natural life, and after his Decease to his SonJohn Bass his Heirs and assigns forever, Excepting that the SaidJohn Bass Junr Should Dye without Legal Isue, in which case mywill is that it pass to the next Heir; also my Will is that theSaid John Bass Junr. should Improve Some part of the abovementioned Lands during his Father's life, at his Father'spleasure. And Further my will is that whatsoever I haveheretofore given to my Said Son John Bass, which hath been inhis Improvement, Shall be aftr his Decease Decease, for his SonSamuel & which I do herby confirm to the Said Samuel Bass, hisHeirs and Assigns forever, Only Reserving a Liberty to my SonJohn Bass aforesaid to Will any part of what I have thus givenhim & his Sons, Unto his Wife (in Case she outlives him) duringher Natural life, not Exceeding a Fourth part thereof.Item I Give and bequeath to my Son Samuel Bass all my Lands atStand-brook, in SalterstFarme being part of the foure ScoreAcres (so called) be it more or less: also half my Lands atRyetIsland, (the whole being Ten Acres) his part to be on theNorthern Side thereof: also a Strap of Land in the House Lot, inSalters Farme near Two Acres, lying between what he bought ofhis brother Joseph, and Coll: Quincey's Land, on the East Sideof the Cart-way. Also part of the PlaintLot204 The Will and Inventory of John Bass. (so called) so far as he hath fenced, being the Eastermost Endof the Said Lott, all which I give to him his Heirs and Assignsforever.As to my Son Joseph Bass, I have already given him, his fullpart or portion out of my Estate, to which I here add fiveShillings, to be paid by my Executor &cI[te]m I give and bequeath to my Two Daughters, Mary Copeland,and Sarah Thayer, each of tem, an acre (be it more or less) ofSalt Meadow (which is already in their Improvement) during theirNatural life, and after their Decease to my Son John Bass ifSurviving, (otherwise to his Son John) He, (and in case of hisDecease, his Son John) paying five Pounds money, to the Childrenof each of my Said Daughters, that is in all Ten Pounds, to bedistributed among them equally, Immediately after their Mother'sDecease or as they come of age; also I give to my Daughtersaforesaid, Each of 'em, Ten Pounds, to be paid by my Executor,in convenient time after my Decease, also all my House-holdmoveables to be equally divided between them.Item I Give to all my GrandtDaughters, that are the Children ofmy Two Deceased Daughters, viz Ruth, and Hannah, Ten Shillings,A-piece, to be paid to Each of them by my Executor; inconvenient Time after my Decease, to Such as are of age, and theRest as they come to age.Item I Give to my Grandson John Bass, that Spott of Ground onwhich he hath Erected his DwellingtHouse: And further, one halfof my Barn, and Yard thereto belonging; and the other half ofthe Barn & yard aforesd, I Give to his Brother Samuel Bass;these to be enjoyed by them, their Heirs & Assigns forever. andAnd I do hereby utterly disallow, Revoake and disannul all, andevery other former Testaments, Wills, and Legacies, Bequests andExecutm by me in any ways before this Time named Willed &bequeathed, Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be myLast Will and Testament, In Wittness whereof I have hereunto Setmy Hand &Seal, the Day & year above writtenSigned, Sealed, Published,Pronounced and Declared John Bass (Seal)by the Said John Bass, ashis last Will and TestamentIn the Presence of us the Subscribers,Susanna WebbJonathan WebbBenjamin WebbThe Will and Inventory of John Bass. 205Suffolk Ss By the Honble Samuel Sewall Esqr Judge of Probate &cThe aforegoing will being presented for probate by John Bass theExecutor therein named.Susanna Webb Jonathan Webb and Benjamin Webb personallyappearing made Oath that they Saw John Bass the Subscriber tothe withir Instrument Signe Seal and heard him publish andDeclare the Same to be his last Will and Testament and that whenhe so did he was of sound disposeing mind and Memory Accordingto their best discerning and that they Set to their names aswittnesses of the Execution thereof in the Said TestatorspresenceBoston Octobr: 22 d 1716 Samuel Sewa21Braintry November 21 : 1716an Inventorey of the Esteate of John Bass sener Late of Braintrydecst. s dto a Silver Cupp 3 or 00to a hetchell wheele adds two chees fasts 00 06 06two brass kitties & skilett 01 05 00one Iron pott spits tramill tongues & fire shovell & othersmall Iron things 00 05 00to Severall Smale thing as hammer ax & saw 00 06 00old Putter two platers two bassons & old puter pott 00 06 00Earthen ware one platter two muggs 00 00 z 26a long table form Cubberd box & needing trough: chore 01 10 00for old Lumber cheirs tubbs & pails Little table 01 04 00 for 3old barrels .4. wooden dishes & .9. trenchers 00 26 00 threeold cheests 00 26 00 a grate bible 00 26 00 a feather bead &bolster three coverleads beadstead & cord 27 05 00his wearing cloaths 24 00 00three shirts 3 napkins and a pilibear 01 06 00two old baggs 02 03 02an old Sword 00 00 s 00two Cows 28 00 00To Cash in the house 00 10 10The land in the Pasture aboute 10 acres & half in the stoneyfield 55 00 0024 acres of land in the Capt plaine 35 00 00one Lott in the . 600 . acres 23 00 0010 acres of upland in the farm at Ry Island 50 00 004 acres of land in the farm on the Island 10 00 002 acres & half of upland In the house lott 27 10 00Seven acres of Salt marsh 70 00 00206 The Will and Inventory of John Bass. one Share in the pine swamp 02 00 00Solomon vezey John .Cleverly Peter Adams A Bill dated Jany 24 .1696 . obliging Joseph Bass to } .3 0 0pay Three (ounds 5Febr. 11 th. 1716. John Bass the executor made oath that theforegoing is a true & perfect Inventory of the estate of hisFather John Bass lately deceased and that if more hereafterapear he will cause it to be addedCoram Samuel Sewall J. probate.PETITION OF THE HEIRS.Suffolk Ss: To the Honourable Samuel Sewall Esqr Judge ofprobate Sara:Joseph Bass and Ephraim Thayer and other the Children of JohnBass late of Braintry deced Humbly pray that the Will of theirsaid late ffather may not be proved. For the following reasonsI First because he was under great insanity of mind at makeingthe Sd Will and Benjamin Webb one of the Witnesses to ye sd Willhas declared thats Testator acted Childish when he Executed thesame. 22Y For that he was perswaded by his Son John Bass & wifeto cutt off his Son Joseph by making this new will and beingStricken in years was much awed by his grandson John Bass.3 For that the Testator in his life time Setled some part of hisEstate by Deed upon his Son John And by his present will hasgiven it to his Grandson Samuel Bass which Evidences that he wasnon Compos Mentis at the time of making ye said Will4ly For that he has given his Wife but one forth part of hisEstate when the Law of this province Sets forth one third to thewidow.5 For that there is a Legacy in the Said Will uncertain which isgiven to his Grandson John Basse's Son John when at the sametime there is no Such person in being nor any probability thatthere will be at present6 For that the Testator has given Legacys to the Daughters ofhis Children Ruth Webb and Hannah Adams both deced and hastotally Excluded their Sons. Boston Octor 22 d 1716 JosephBasse.