Thomas Jones of Gloucester, Essex Co., MA, will dated 7 August 1671

from "History and Genealogy of the Ancestors and Descendants of Captain Israel Jones who removed from Enfield to Barkhamsted, Conn. in the Year 1759" 
which cites the source as Essex Co. Probate Records. File 15228.


Will of Thomas Jones.
  I, Thomas Joanes, of Gloucester, in the county of Essex, in New England, being (by God's providence) cast upon my Bed of Sickness and Weaknesse and not knowing how 
neare the time of my departure may be at hand yet knowing that all men are borne to dye & depart out of this world doe therefore make known & declare this my last will 
and Testament in manner & forme following: ffirst I doe Commit & Commend my Soule unto the hands of God the Father of Spirits and my body to the Grave to be decently buried 
by my surviving Friends. And for my Goodes ffirst it is my will & I doe give and bequeath unto my deare & loving wife all the Goods & Cattell with the halfe of the Ground 
meadow & upland where I now live (on this side of the River commonly called Ammassquam) with halfe the House also standinng upon the sayd land the same to injoy during her 
naturall Life after my decease.
  Item. I give and bequeath unto my sonne Benjamin Jones & to his Heires the other halfe of the House & Land where now I live on this Side of the River abovesayd the same to 
injoy & possesse after my decease, as also the other halfe of the sayd House & Land after the decease of his sayd mother, viz: The whole Living to have & injoy in his owne proper 
Right after the decease of his mother if shee surviveth myselfe. As also all my Tackling for the Teame, yoakes & Chaynes plough & plough Irons with all other Tooles & Implements 
which are mine for the Carrying on of such workes & Improvements as we have Vsually been occupied in or about. The sayd Tooles & Implements for worke. It is my will & meaning that 
my Sayd Sonne shall have & injoy as well as the halfe of the house & Land above sayd presently upon my decease.
  Item  I give & bequeath unto my Sonne Thomas Joanes my Land with the orchyard the sayd Land Containing about three Acres more or lesse & beinng Situate on the other side of the 
River abovesayd, viz: on the Southeast side of the River right over agaynst my House where I now Live and Six Acres of Land upon the Lower Necke where Goodman Harraden Liveth and 
my Will & meaning is that my Sonne Thomas shall have & injoy the Sayd Lands presently upon my decease, only it is my will & I doe hereby declare that my wife shall have the thirds 
of the Sayd Land during her naturall Life.
  Item. I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Winslow of Salisbury one Shilling.
  Item. I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Ruth Haward of Salem one pound ten shillings to be paid inn Goods or Cattell as they goe between man & man, viz: at the Common price.
  Item. I give unto my daughter Remember Jones twenty shillings to be payd in Goods or Cattell at the Common price.
  Item. I give & bequeath to my Sonne Thomas Jones five Pounds to be payd in Goods or Cattell at the common price by my Sonne Benjamin after the decease of my wife.
  Item. I give & bequeath unto my Sonne Samuel Jones one shilling.
  Item. I give & bequeath unto my Sonne North Jones twenty shillings at the decease of my wife to be payd by my Sonne Benjamin if he comes in his owne person to demand the same.
  Item. I give & bequeath to my Daughter Remember one Iron Pot after my decease.
  Item. I give & bequeath unto my grandchild John Jackson one Ewe Sheepe at my decease.
  Item. I give to my Sonne Thomas my Longest Muskett & to my Sonne Benjamin the other Muskett. And for my Household Goodes & Cattell it is my will & meaning that my Wife shall have & injoy 
them as her proper Right after my decease only to pay all Such Debts (as doe appear that I owe to any man) out of them, except such Legacys above sayd which I have appoynted unto my Sonne 
Benjamin to pay. And to the end that this my will may be duely & truely performed I doe Constitute appoynt & ordayne my deare & lovinng wife sole executrix & doe intreat & desier my well 
beloved and Respected Friends Mr John Emerson Mr. Walker & Philip Staynwood Senior to be the oversers.
     
   In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seale the Seventh day of this present month of August Anno Dom one thousand six hundred annd seaventy one 
                                                   (Above will signed by mark).

  In the presence of John Emerson: Henry Walker: Philip Staynwood.

  Walker & Staynwood appeared at the Court of Ipswich, on Sept. 26, 1671, and made oath to the signature.

  Inventory of the estae of THOMAS JONES, late of Gloucester, deceased, (August) the 26th, 1671; taken Sept. 15, 1671; total £147. House & land £60. Widow testifies to its accuracy.