In Their Own Words:
Wills

Will of Joseph Phelps, Jr.

In the name of God, Amen!

I, Joseph Phelps, of ye Town of Simsbury & County of Hartford and Colony of Connecticut, by reason of my age and infirmaties of body, and calling to mind ye mortality of my body, and knowing it is appointed unto all men once to dye, doe therefore see cause to make and ordain this my last Will and Testament -- yt is to say : principally and first of all I giu and recommend my soul into ye hands of God yt gave it, and my body to ye earth to be buried at ye discretion of my executors -- nothing doubting but at yt General Resurection I shall receive ye same again by ye mighty power of God. And as touching worldly goods wherewith it has pleased God to bless me withall, after my sick bed and funeral charges with all my other lawful debts shall be paid, I see cause to dispose of ye same in ye following manner:

I give unto my well beloved wife Mary one third part of my personal estate (except my negro man Tom) to be her own forever. Also I doe give unto my said wife ye use and improvement, so long as she shall remain my widow -- and also ye use of my negro man Tom ye time ye she shall be my widow. Also I doe give her my great Bible, her own and at her own disposal.

Item. -- As to my son Joseph, to whom I have lately given by a Deed of Gift, three tracks or parcels of land with what I have already before given him, I doe now reckon to him for ye as his portion or part of my estate.

Item. -- I give unto my son Amos, to his heirs and assigns forever, my Meadow Lots with ye upland adjoining thereto. The said Meadow lyeth joining to his own land. Also about seven acres of Land yt was laid was laid out to the by ye Committy, bounding south on Farmington, lying on ye hill a little south side from his house.

Also my lands in Farmington yt I bought of Daniel Andross and Joseph Woodford, lying a little south from his house.

Item.-- I doe also give unto my son David & to his heirs & assigns forever, all ye lands that I have on ye east side of ye mountain, near to Stephen Goodwin's lying on ye east side of ye highway. Also my lands on ye mountain north of ye sidling way (as it is called) bounding northerly on ye highway. Also that land that I bought of Samuel Pettibone, lying on ye hill east from Weatogue houses, bounding northerly on ye highway. Also my land on ye hill east from my house, bounding southerly on ye highway and westerly on lands of Samuel Norton, north side on lands of Capt. Cornish and east on Benjamin Mill's land. Also my Dwelling house & barn and home lot, with all my pasture land & marsh land & meadow land as it lyeth joining one t another & to my home lot. Also, I give to my son David my lot lying in Farmington which I bought of my son Joseph -- he allways allowing to my son Amos & to his successors forever a convenient pass-way upon ye north end thereof for my son Amos to goe with cattle and cart &c., to said Amos land as he or they shall have occasion.

Item.-- I also give unto my daughter Damaris & to her own disposal ye sum of eighty pounds money worth of ye old tenor according to ye appraisement of men to be paid out of my estate by my executors.

Item.-- I also give unto Samuel Humphreys, son of my daughter Hannah, deceased, ye sum of five pounds money of ye old tenor worth, to be paid by my executors out of my moveable estate by appraisement.

I also give unto my daughter Elizabeth & to her own disposal ye sum of eighty pounds money of ye old tenor worth, to be paid by my executors out of my moveable estate by appraisement.

Also I doe give unto my son David my negro man Tom, to come into his use and service after ye death of my wife, or if after my decease my wife shall marry, then my negro man Tom to come into ye service of my son David after my wife is married.

Further my will is to make, constitute and ordain my well beloved wife Mary, with my two younger sons Amos & David to be my executors of this my last will & Testament, & doe hereby utterly revoke, disalow & disanul all former wills before by me made, or executors before by me constituted, rattifying & confirming this & no other to be my last will & Testament. In witness where of I hereunto sett my hand & seal this twentyeth day of November Anno Domini 1744.

Joseph Phelps

In the presence of

Andrew Robe,
Jacob Case,
Aaron Priest.