Early Records of the Town of Providence, Will Book #2, Providence, Field, Edward,
Snow and Farnham, pub., 1904

THE WILL AND PROBATE OF JOHN INMAN

    At a meeting of Ye Towne Councill of Providence, Tuesday, August ye 26th, 1712: by adjournment from August ye 14th, 1712. This day Mary Inman, late wife & widow of the late deceased John Inman of this Towne of Providence who departed this life August ye 6th, 1712:

    Presented to the Council the last will & Testament of her sd deceased husband John Inman beareing date the Thirtieth day of March in ye yeare one Thousand seven hundred & two: And also then presented the Inventory of her sd husband his Estate, the which sd will & Inventory were then by the Councill Examined; The will proved & the Inventory Allowed; The two witnesses Samuel Wilkinson & Ephraim Pray (who were liveing) made oath as witnesses to ye sd will; but ye third witness (viz) Richard Arnold, was dead before (sometime), Mary Inman the widdow of sd deceased John Inman, alsoe made oath to sd will that it was he, said husband, his last will, so farr forth as she knew.

    Valentine Whitman, Edward Inman, & Samuell Wilkinson, who tooke & made ye aforesd Inventory did all before the Councill upon their solemne Engagement declare that it was a true Inventory of the moveable Estate of ye sd deceased John Inman of all as was brought to their view: The aforenamed widdow Mary Inman, also did on her Solemne Engagement declare that the sd Inventorey did containe all & whole the Moveable Estate of her sd deceased husband, as shee kniw of & if at any time more shuld come to her Knowledge it should be added to sd Inventory: The sd Inventory was made the 22nd day of August, 1712.

    The Record of Ye above said Will is as Followeth:

    I John Inman of Providence in the Coloney of Roade Island and Providence Plantations; being sick & weake of Body; but of sound and perfect memory & sencible understanding thankes be to God; And not knowing how soone it may please God to take me out of this Troublesom life; I am Willing to do something for ye settling of that smalle Estate I have to dispose of ; and therefore do make this my last Will and Testament: as ffolloweth.

    First, my desire & will is that after my death, my body may be decsently buried at ye descresion of my Executrix hereafter named. And for the disposition of my Moveable Estate, my will is hereafter Written.

    Item, I Give to my Eldest Daughter Mary Bartlett, Tenn Shillings, to be paid by my Executrix; I haveing given her, my sd Daughter, which shee hath received here to Fore Considerable according to my ability.

    Item, I give to my six daughters, that is Deborah, Sarah, Anne, Naomi, Joanna, & Tabitha, Twenty Shillings a piece, to be paid by my said Executrix, as they shall severally come to ye age of Twenty one yeares, or at ye day of their Marriage.

    Item, I give to my Eldest son, John Inman, all my Tract of land, both upland and Meaddow, Called by the name of My upland Meaddow & adjoyning to the River, where my Mill formerly stood, being Foure Score acres, (be it more or less); Also I give unto my said son John the halfe part of my Right of Land on the West side the Seven mile line: the said Foure Score acres of land & halfe Right on ye West side ye seven mile line I give to my said son John Inman to him his heirs and Assignes for Ever, Only, his Mother, Mary Inman shall have the disposal & benefit of said land & Meadow untill (he) my said son attaine to the age of Twenty one yeares.

    Item, I give to Mary my Wife all my in Closed land, both upland, meaddow Ground & Orchard, adjoyning to my house where I now live, with said house to be For her benefitt and at her dispose for terme of her Naturall life; & also my Meaddow at the little River which I had of my father Edward Inman, to be to my said wife, until my son Valentine Come to ye age of twenty one yeares.

     Item, I give to my son Valentine Inman, all my (said) Right both upland & Meadow at the little River, being Thirty acres (more or less) to be to my sd son Valintine him his Heirs & Assignes Forever.

    Item, I give to my said Son Valentine; after his Mothers decease, all my homestead, & land adjoyneing to my house, and orchard on which I now live, with all the Privelidges & Appurtenances thereunto belonging, to be after his mothers decease to him my sd son Valentine his Heirs & Assignes For Ever.

    Item, I make Mary my Wife my full & sole Executrix of this my last Will and give her all my moveable Estate, Except what is given in legacyes as aforesaid, to be at her dispose as shee shall see cause, and to give to my Children at her descrecion.

    Item, I give to my said son Valentine the other halfe of Right of lands on ye West side of the seven mile, to be joynt partners with his brother John; and also my Will is, that my Right in Common, or undivided lands on ye West side the seven mile line shall bee Equally devided betweene my sd two Sons John and Vallentine: And lastly, I desire my Friends, Samuel Wilkinson & Richard Arnold to be overseers of this my last Will & Testament; desireing them to be aiding & assisting to my wife in Executing this my Will: In witness hereof I have set my hand & Seale, this Thirtieth day of March in the yeare one Thousand seven hundred & two:

Signed Sealed & declared in the presence of us:
his
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mark

John Inman
Saml Wilkinson
Ephraim Pray                                                  Recorded August ye 30th 1712:
Richard Arnold                                                  by Tho: Olney Clerk


Submitted by Gregory A. Inman