I transcribed this will from the original. De-ciphering the old handwriting was a challenge, as well as figuring out what some of the items were. Just what was a "steelyard", a "hitchel", a "warping bar", a "clevis", a "trammel", or a "beetle" any way? (See footnotes.) Another part of the fun was thinking through the relationships, customs, and realities of life in 1797.
Was Nathaniel Sherman (my gggg-grandfather) showing undue favoritism to his daughter Hulda when he left her 70 pounds, versus just a few pounds to her married sisters? At first I thought so, but on reflection, I think not.
The society could be described as 'traditional, patri-lineal, agricultural', or in today's terms 'sexist'. Nathaniel left all his land, the only valuable part of his estate "to my four sons ... to be Equally Divided amongst them". His widow, evidently, had already been provided for, and to the married daughters, he gave comparatively little. They could count on their husbands. But to his unmarried daughter, Hulda, he gave a lot more. All in all, it was probably a thoughtful and appropriate division, given the realities of the era.
I marked illegible text with asterisks ***, and put my own words or emendations in [square brackets]. The summary and footnotes are also my own.
Sworn before me
Robert Walker Justice of P**
Test.
Jos. Walker Clerk
[I] Give
and bequeath to my
wife Jemimah Sherman six shillings more than was in the jointer or the
agreement before marriage.
Item: I Give to my four sones David Sherman, Nathaniel Sherman, Silas
N. Sherman, Everrit Sherman all my Lands and Buildings
to be Equally Divided amongst them * the Land that I have Give to them
by Deed shall be Reconed at Part of there Portion, Excepting the
Parlour of my house, which I give the use of to my Daughter Hulda
Sherman so long as she shall Remains unmaried.
To my Daughter Bulah Curtis, I give six shillings more than what she
has had all Ready.
To my Daughter Anne Beers, Nine Pound more than what she has all Ready
Rec'd.
To my Daughter Jerusha Reed, Eight Pound more than what she has all
Ready Rec'd.
To my Daughter Hulda Sherman, Seventy Pounds, Exclusive of that which
was given her before, that is to say one horse[house?], one cow[?], two
feather Beds, four Coverlids [coverlets], two Bed Quilts, four
Blankets, ten Pare of Sheets, Eight Pare of Pillow Cases, five table
Cloaths, Eighteen Napkins.
To my Daughter Phebe Matilda Saunders, Eight Pounds more than that she
has all Read[y] Rec'd.
To my Daughter Polly Clark, one Pound more than that she has Rec'd.
Debts and
Legaceys to be Paid
out of moveables, if not, a Nough Land must be sold by my Executors to
Pay it.
Nathan Sherman
And I Do hereby appoint, ordain, and constitute my two sons David
Sherman and Nathaniel Sherman Sole Executors of this my last Will and
Testament, Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my last
Will and Testament, in Confirmation wereof I have hereunto set my hand
this Twentieth of May 1797.
Signed, Sealed, Pronounced, Published, and
Declared by the above S'd [Signed] Nathaniel Sherman to be his last
Will and Testament in Presence of us, the Subscribers or Witnesses
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|Buildings as as inter lined before, S'd,
Philo Sherman
George BeardsleeNathaniel Sherman
Sworn before Robert Walker Judge of Probate
Here
followeth the
inventory of the Estate of Nathaniel Sherman, late of Huntington,
deceased, as exhibited to us, the Subscribers by the Executor on Sd
deceased, last Will and Testament and appraised by us at his request.
£ - [s - d]
[Personal Clothes]
One hat /12s, one London brown coat 1/2s, one do. vest /6s
2 - 0 - 0
One Claret Coat /9s, one butternut do. /4s, one striped
flannel vest /3s
0 -16 - 0
One Blue vest /1s, one Black vest /1s-6d, one red waistcoat
/1s
0 - 3 - 6
One pair of Blue Breaches /3s, one pair of Butternut do. /1s
0 - 4 - 0
One pair of woollin trowsers /2s-6d, one pair of blue striped
do. /3s
0 - 5 - 6
Two pairs of light striped trowsers, two woollin shirts
0 -10 - 6
One checked linning [linen] shirt 1s/6d,
one white do. 2s/6d
0 - 4 - 0
One pair of Black Stockings /9d, two pair of blue do. @ 1s/,
for pair 2s/
0 - 2 - 9
One pair mixed[?] Stockings 1s/6d, one pair of thread do. 1s/
0 - 2 - 6
One pair of Shoes 1s/3d, one pair of Shoe buckels 5s/, one
do. knee do. 6s/
0 -12 - 3
[Furniture]
One pair of Gold slive buttons 10s/ ,
one large table 10s/ , one stand 4s/6d
1 - 4 - 6
One looking Glass £1 - 10s, three Slot Backed chairs
9s/
1 -19 - 0
6 Best chairs @ 4s/6d per chair, one great Chair 7/6
1 -14 - 6
6 Coown[Crown] top Chairs 4s/ , 6 kitchen do. 5s/ , one old
great do. 1/6
0 -10 - 6
One white table 3s/ , one red do. 6s/ , one case of drawers
£2-0-0
2 - 9 - 0
[Weaving/Barrels]
One chest of drawers 10s/ , one loom £1-16-0, one warping barr 6s/
2 -12 - 0
3 reeds and geers [gears] £1-0-0, one quill
wheel and shuttles 8s/
1 - 8 - 0
one great wheel 6s/ , one clock real [reel] 4s/6d, four old
dry barrels 3s/
0 -13 - 6
one old dry hoggshead 2s/ , one old chest 3s/6d, one hitchel 12s/
0 -17 - 6
[Kitchen]
one case and 4 bottles 2s/ , fifteen # of old pewter @ 1s/2d
0 -19 - 6
seven # best pewter @ 1s/6d, one pair of flat iron 1s/6d, t**
sticks 1s/6d [this line partly torn]
0 -16 - 6
one pair of large hand irons 12s/ , one pair of small do.
1s/6
0 -13 - 6
One pair of tongs and pial [pail] 2s/6d, one gridiron 5s/ ,
one toast iron 1s/
0 - 8 - 6
One trammel 7s/ , one brass kettle
£1-7-0, one iron kettle 1s/
1 -15 - 0
One old brass kettle 10s/ , one skillet 1s/6d, one great coat
15s/
1 - 6 - 6
One old hat 1s/ , Eight earthen plates 2s/ , one cream
coulord[?] bowl /9d
0 - 3 - 9
nine Tea cups and saucers 2s/ , one cream cup /3d, one quart
pot 2s/
0 - 4 - 3
one pint pot 1s/ , four table spoons /8d, two Tea pots 1s/
0 - 7 - 9
Six knives and 8 forks 5s/ , one gallon bottle /9d, one 2
quart do. 2s/
0 -19 - 6
two old 2 quart bottles 1s/ , one Tea kettle 4s/6d, three
milk trays 4s/6d
0 -10 - 0
One bread tray and kneeding tray 3s/ , one churn 2s/6d, one
tin pail 4s/
0 - 9 - 6
[Bedroom]
two pails 2s/ , one bedstead and chord 7s/ , one do. 4s/ ,
one do. 5s/6d
0 -16 - 6
one west chamber bed Stead and cord 5s/6d, trundle bed stead
2s/6d
0 - 8 - 0
One best bed 42# bolster pillows and under bed
3 - 3 - 0
one bed 43# @ 1s/ per lb. one underbed one bed quilt 5s/
2 -11 - 0
one light check'd coverlid 1s/6d, one black checked do. 6s/
0 - 7 - 6
one old light coverlid 4s/ , one blue check'd do. 1s/6d,
eight sheets @ 5s/
2 - 5 - 6
[Pantry]
3 pair pillowcases @ 2s/ per pair, 160# cheese @ /5d per lb.
3 -12 - 8
one half bushel 1s/3d, one large tray /9d, two table clothes
3s/
0 - 5 - 0
6 napkins 7s/6d, two do. /9d, one old Saddle 10s/ , six bags
12s/
1 -10 - 3
one old bag /9d, two old sacks 8s/ , two milk pans 1s/
0 - 9 - 9
one tin tunnel /6d, one tin ladle
/3d, two tin platters 1s/6d
0 - 2 - 3
one tin kettle 1s/ , one brass skimmer 1s/6d, one sieve 1s/
0 - 3 - 6
one choping[?] knife 1s/6d, one half of a hone 1s/3d, five #
tallow 3s/7d
0 - 6 - 4
one iron hooped hogshead 12s/ , one do. part iron hoops best
12s/
1 - 4 - 0
one old hogshead iron bound 9s/ , three do. @6s/ per hogshead
1 - 7 - 0
one old do. part iron hoops 6s/ , two cider barrels 3s/ ,
beer keg[?] /9d
0 - 9 - 9
[Page Subtotal]
45- 8- 11
£ - s -
d
One half Barrel 2s/ , two powder tubs 6s/ , three fat tubs
3s/ , one soap barrel /9d
0 -11 - 9
one wooden tunnel 1s/ , 100# pork @ /6d per #, one cider
barrel 2s/
2 -13 - 0
one work tub 3s/ , one small tub 1s/ , two old hogsheads in
the yard 3s/
0 - 7 - 0
one flax-mill 9s/ , one grindstone 2s/6d, 105 feet maple
board 4s/6d
0 -16 - 0
[Livestock & Farm Tools]
one pair of oxen £18-0-0, one white backed cow
£5-10-0, one white faced do. £5-5-0
28 -15 - 0
one red cow £5-0-0, one red three year old £4-5-0
9 -10 - 0
one red white bellyed two year old heiffer £3-5-0, one
red do. £3-10-0
6 -15 - 0
two one year old heiffers £4-0-0, one white backed
yearling steer £2-0-0
6 - 0 - 0
one small yearling steer £1-15-0, one yearling bull
£1-13-0, one sled 9s/
3 -17 - 0
one Crackle[?] 4s/ , one ox chain 10s/ , one yoke 6s/ , one
pair hoof geers 9s/
1 - 9 - 0
two hoes 3s/ , one dung fork 3s/ , one pitch fork 1s/6d, one
rake 1s/ , one stub scythe 1s/6d
0 -10 - 0
one Cooper adds[adze] 2s/ , one post axe 1s/9d, three large
swine 450# @ /3½d
6 -15 - 0
three small swine 110# @ /3½d, one pair of steelyards 4s/6d
1 -16 - 7
one Clevis-pin 1s/6d, one ax 3s/6d, one
saw[?] 2s/ , one hand-saw 1s/ ,
0 - 8 - 0
one drawing knife 2s/ , one inch auger
/9d, one pair Collar *** & buckle 3s/
0 - 5 - 9
one pair of old horse trace 5s/ , one pitch fork *** 1s/3d,
one pair slurry[?] irons /9d
0 - 7 - 0
one pair of Beetle rings 3s/ ,
32¾ lb. old iron @ /2d per lb., one old scythe 3s/
0 -11 - 4
one twist auger 1s/6d, one colt £9-0-0, two Calves[?]
@24s/ per piece
11 - 9 - 4
one plow 18s/ , one shovel 2s/6d, six swine £6-3-4
7 - 3 -10
[Real Estate]
The homestead lying North of the road, containing 49 acres - 1 Qu - 17 rods, @ £9-0-0 per
acre, the dwelling house standing thereon @ £40-0-0
484 - 4 - 1
[This line of text is torn, possibly: "**en acres
and ** at ** hill @£7-0-0 **"]
**5 -15 - *
David's homestead @ Baldwin plain containing 24 acres 1 Qu 5
rods, @ £8-0-0
194 -15 - 0
Nathaniel's land @ Baldwin plain, 22 acres - 1 Qu - 11 rods,
@ £7-0-0
156 - 8 - 9
14 acres 1 Quar. 19 rods at Shaganswamps[?], @ £7-0-0
100 -12 - 6
Barn lot South of the road, 3 acres 2 Qu 14 rods, @
£17-0-0 per acre, the Barn standing thereon £14-0-0
75 -11 - 0
Swamp lot 5 acres 3 Qu 34 rods, @ £5-15-0
34 - 0 - 0
Silas's homestead 25 acres @ £10-0-0, one half the
house standing thereon £35-0-0
285 - 0 - 0
Bassett Swamp 16 acres, @ £3-5-0
52 - 0 - 0
Nathaniel's 2 acres the Southwest part of the homestead, @
£15-0-0
30 - 0 - 0
[Grain & Hides]
one hide 13s/6d, three tanned sheep skins 4s/6d
0 -18 - 0
140 shocks of grain, 3 small loads of flax
39 - 6 - 4
2 Calf skins 10s/
0 -10 - 0
Begun August
and finished Oct. 2
AD 1797
Elisha Beardslee
Nathan Sherman
Inventory Summary
Category
Approx.
Total
Household: Clothes, Furniture, Kitchen,
Bedrooms
£ 46
Livestock (including Farm Tools of minimal
value)
£ 87
Real Estate
£ 1410
Grain & Hides
£ 40
TOTAL
£ 1583
Footnotes to Will & Inventory
£ - [s - d] - English money: 1 pound (£) = 20 shilling (s), 1 shilling (s) = 12 pence (d)
1s/6d - from here on the writer puts the slash between the shillings and pence. In the first several lines, he had put the slash between the pound and shillings. The usual way of writing 2 shillings and 3 pence, for example, was simply "2/3", verbally as "two and three". The writer here superscribed the 's' and the 'd' above (possibly as part of checking his sums). I wrote the denominations out, for example '2s/3d'.
slive buttons - sleeve buttons, cufflinks, "A coin, sleeve-button or a collar-button dropped in a bedroom will hide itself and be hard to find. A handkerchief in bed can't be found." - MARK TWAIN, Notebooks
warping barr - warping bar, part of a loom
quill - A spindle, or spool, as of reed or wood, upon which the thread for the woof is wound in a shuttle
hitchel - an instrument for combing flax
trammel - an iron hook used for handing kettles and other vessels over the fire
0 -16 - 6 - The writer's arithmetic seems to be wrong. The text clearly shows 2s + 7s + 4s + 5s/6d, which equals 18s/6d, not 16s/6d.
tunnel - a vessel with a broad mouth at one end, a pipe or tube at the other, for conveying liquor, fluids, etc., into casks, bottles, or other vessels; a funnel
hoof geers - hoof gear, "horse" shoes for an ox
stub - to remove stubs from; as, to stub land; to describe a scythe used for that purpose
steelyard - a balance scale, in which the body to be weighed is suspended from the shorter arm of a lever, which turns on a fulcrum, and a counterweight slides along the longer arm to produce equilibrium. Its place on this arm (which is notched or graduated) indicating the weight. Commonly used in the plural "steelyards"
Clevis - a U-shaped piece of iron, with a pin passing through holes in the two ends, as a means of connecting a plow or cart to a draft animal
drawing knife - a tool consisting of a blade with a handle at each end, using for scraping or shaving a surface
Beetle - a large, heavy mallet-like tool for driving wedges, pounding stones, etc.
acres Qu rods - land area measures, an acre is roughly 200 feet by 200 feet. Precisely an acre is 43,560 square feet in any shape. Qu. is an abbreviation for 'Quarter', i.e. a quarter-acre. 160 square rods equal one acre.
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