Will and Probate for Ephraim Adams
Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, April 10, 179712763
In the Name of God Amen. The twenty seventh day of December Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and ninety six, I, Ephraim Adams of New Ipswich in the County of Hillsoboro and state of New Hampshire calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appropropriate for all men once to die, do make and ? this my last will and testament that is to say principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God who gavie it, and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a decent christian burial at the discretion of my executor nothing doubting but at the general ? I shall receive the same by the mighty powers of God and ? that thhat worldy estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life. I give demise, and dispose of the same in the following manner.
? My will is that all my just debts be paid by my executor hereafter ?
Item, I give and bequeath unto Rebecca my dearly belofed Wife, her heirs and assigns one third part of my personal estate; also the free use and improvement of one third part of my real estate during her natural life.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my eldest son Ephraim Adams Junr. his heirs and assigne, seventeen pounds, two shillings, & four pence, which sum together with what he has already received is his full share of my Estate.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas Adams, his heirs and assigns thirty five pounds,three shillings and four pence as his full share of my estate with what he has already received.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my son Stephen Adams his heirs and assigns eighty three pounds as his full share of my estate and as a full dischare of all the demands he may have against my estate which bequest is upon this condition that he call upon my executor for it within two years after my decease.
Item, I give and bequeath unto the children of my late son Daniel Adams twenty pounds, two shillings & four pence to be equally divided amongst them who shall be living at my decease.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Lydia Wheeler her heirs and assigns eleven pounds, three shillings and six pence which sum together with what she has heretofore received is considered as her portion of my estate.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my son Ebenezer Adams his heir and assigns thirteen pounds to shillings & seven pence as his full portion of my estate together with what he has already received.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Rebecca Adams her heirs and assigns fifty nine pounds eight shillings & three pence being her share of my estate.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Betsey Adams her heirs and assings fifty nine pounds eight shillings & three pence being her share of my estate.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my son James Adams his heirs and assings twenty one pounds nine shillings and five pence as his share of my estate in addition to what he has received.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my son Quincy Adams his heirs and assigns all the rest and residue of my Estate both real and personal not in this will disposed of otherwise wherever the same is situate. He the said Quincy paying the debts and legacies herein mentioned in the following manner, viz, all sums of money mentioned as legacies to be considered at the rate of six shillings and eight pence per ounce and the legacies to become payable within one year after my decease, excepting ten pounds on each legacy which is to become payable at my wife's decease. Stephen Adams' legacy however is not subjet to this last exception but the whole to be considered as due in one year after my decease.
My will further is that so long as either of my daughters remains single or unmarried, my executor provide them with suitable & convenient house room.
And I do hereby appoint & constitute my son Quincy Adams aforesaid sole executor of this my Last Will & Testament and I do enjoin it upon him to give his mother her choice either to take her third as herein mentioned or to fulfill to her the condition of a bond he has signed respecting her support and I do hereby revoke and ? all former Wills, bequest & executors heretofore named & bequeathed in any manner whatsoever, delcaring this and no other to be my last will & testament.
Signed, sealed, published & pronounced & delieverd by the said Ephraim Adams as his last Will & Testament the day above written in presence of Eprhaim Hartwll, Solomon Brooks, Timothy Farrar.
Ephraim Adams
Hillsborough Co. April 10th 1797. The foregoing insturment purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Ephraim Adams deceased was presented for Probate by Quincy Adams the Executor therein named and Timothy Farrar and Solomon Brooks two of the witnesses whos names are thereto subscribed being then present made solemn oath that they saw the Testator sign, seal and heard him declare the said instrument to be his last Will &Testament, that he was then to the best of their judgment of sound and disposing mind and that they subscribed their names together as witnesses to the execution thereof in the presence of said Testator & at his request.
Ebenezer ? Judge of Probate
