Essex County Massachusetts Probate Records 1675-1681

The “Governor and Company of Massachusetts Bay” established a judicial system in 1628, with a General Court in Boston and quarterly courts in major towns like Salem and Ipswich by 1635. These courts managed probate matters, and after Essex County's formation in 1643, individual probate courts were later established in 1692. These are the probate records from 1675 to 1681, sourced from various original documents, including detailed wills and estate settlements.

The wills are printed in full, with the exception only of that part of the preamble which states no material fact. Such omissions are indicated by an ellipsis. Each will is followed in chronological order by abstracts of all documents relating to the settlement of the estate, in which every essential particular is retained, so that the lawyer, genealogist and sociologist may be assured that nothing of value has been omitted. Names are spelled exactly as they appear in the original papers.

Volume 3: 1675-1681

List of Estates

A Surnames

Alexander, Thomas, Salem (1676), page 66
Allen, Richard, Haverhill (1678), page 256
Allen, William, Sr., Manchester (1679), page 324
Andrews, Robert (1676), page 47
Armitage, Joseph, Lynn (1680), page 367
Atkinson, Hugh (1675), page 19
Ayres, John, Brookfield (1676), page 50

B Surnames

Bailey, James, Rowley (1677), page 162
Ball, Henry, Salem (1679), page 312
Barber, William (Lynn?), (1677), page 143
Barker, James, Rowley (1678), page 246
Barnard, Thomas, Sr., Amesbury (1677), page 167
Barron, Peter, Marblehead (1675), page 24
Bartlett, Dennis (1678), page 241
Bartlett, John, Sr., Newbury (1679), page 287
Batchelder, Henry, Ipswich (1679), page 294
Batchelder, John, Salem (1675), page 41
Batchelder, Mark (Wenham?), (1675), page 42
Batt, Nicholas, Newbury (1678), page 187
Beckford, George, Marblehead (1678), page 236
Bishop, Margaret, Mrs., Ipswich (1681), page 411
Black, John, Sr. (1675), page 9
Blake, Deborah, Mrs. (1678), page 347
Blake, Israel (1678), page 348
Boardman, Margaret, Mjrs., Ipswich (1680), page 350
Bodie, Edward, Marblehead (1678), page 284
Bradbury, Anne, Salisbury (guardianship, 1677), page 167
Bradbury, Sarah, Salisbury (guardianship, 1677), page 167
Bradbury, William, Salisbury (1679), page 299
Bradbury, Wymond, Salisbury (1677), page 132
Bradbury, Wymond, Salisbury (guardianship, 1677), page 132
Brand, Thaddeus, Lynn (1677), page 156
Bravender, Alexander, Wenham (1678), page 285
Breed, John, Lynn (1678), page 254
Breed, John, Lynn (guardianship, 1679), page 340
Bridges, Obadiah, Ipswich (1677), page 186
Brimblecom, John, Marblehead (1678), page 283
Brocklebank, Samuel, Capt., Rowley (1676), page 91
Browne, Edmund, Newbury (1678), page 219
Browne, James (1676), page 62
Browne, James, Salem (1676), page 108
Browne, John, Jr., Salem (1677), page 158
Browne, John, Sr., Ipswich (1677), page 160
Browne, John, Salem (guardianship, 1679), page 341
Browning, Thomas, Salem (1675), page 1
Buswell, Isaac, Jr., Salisbury (1679), page 302
Button, Daniel (Haverhill?), (1677), page 124
Button, Matthias, Haverhill (1676), page 101

C Surnames

Carlton, Edward, Rowley (1678), page 277
Carter, Thomas, Salisbury (1676), page 97
Chadwell, Benjamin, Lynn (1679), page 307
Challis, Philip Watson, Amesbury (1681), page 418
Chapman, Edward, Ipswich (1678), page 222
Chapman, John, Ipswich (1678), page 211
Charles, Sarah, Mrs. (1677), page 143
Chaverly, Nicholas (guardianship, 1678), page 222
Clay, John, Marblehead (1677), page 182
Codner, Christopher (Marblehead?), (1679), page 313
Cogswell, Samuel (1675), page 14
Coker, Robert, Newbury (1681), page 403
Colburn, Henry (1676), page 76
Coldam, Thomas, Lynn (1675), page 10
Cole, Ann, Mrs., Salem (1680), page 373
Cole, George (1675), page 23
Cole, John, Marblehead (1677), page 121
Cole, Thomas, Salem (1679), page 314
Collins, John (Gloucester?), (1677), page 180
Collins, John, Lynn (1680), page 372
Collins, John, Sr., Gloucester (1675), page 2
Conant, Roger, Salem (1679), page 335
Condie, Samuel, Marblehead (1678), page 234
Condy, Ann, Mrs., Marblehead (1678), page 281
Cowes, Christopher (1677), page 155
Craniver, Richard, Salem (1677), page 182
Creasy, John (guardianship, 1675), page 35
Crumpton, Samuel (1675) , page 35
Cummings, Isaac, Sr., Topsfield (1677), page 135

D Surnames

Davis, Ephraim, Haverhill (1679), page 333
Davis, James, Sr., Haverhill (1680), page 375
Davis, John, Newbury (1676), page 90
Day, John, Gloucester (1680), page 370
Devir, William (1675), page 35
Dike, Anthony, Salem (1679), page 344
Dispaw, Henry, Sr., Lynn (1677), page 139
Dodge, Edith, Mrs., Beverly (1677-8), page 198
Dorton, Robert (1678), page 230
Dow, Thomas, Haverhill (1676), page 94

E Surnames

Ewing, Patrick (Rowley?), (1679), page 332

F Surnames

Fellows, William, Ipswich (1677), page 128
Flint, Thomas, Salem (1680), page 370
Flint, William, Salem (1680), page 394
Ford, James, Ipswich (1677), page 155
Foster, Renold, Sr., Ipswich (1681), page 419
Fowler, Philip, Sr., Ipswich (1679), page 328
Fox, Nicholas, Marblehead (1677), page 181
French, Thomas, Sr., Ipswich (1680), page 379
Frink, John, Ipswich (1675), page 20
Fuller, John (1676), page 104

G Surnames

Gage, Jonathan, Bradford (1675), page 1
Gage, Samuel, Haverhill (1676), page 85
Gage, Sarah, Mrs., Bradford (1681), page 412
Gallison, Vinson (1679), page 318
Gardner, George, Salem (1679), page 326
Giddings, George, Ipswich (1676), page 63
Giles, Bridget, Salem (1680), page 398
Giles, Samuel (Haverhill?), (1678), page 257
Gillow, John, Lynn (1679), page 312
Godfry, John (1675), page 20
Goodale, Isaac, Salem (1679), page 337
Goodale, Richard, Salisbury (1676), page 98
Greenslett, Thomas (1677), page 131

H Surnames

Hagget, Henry, Wenham (1678), page 209
Hamons, John, Gloucester (1678), page 200
Harding, Elizabeth (1654), page 120
Harding, Philip, Marblehead (1679), page 313
Hardy, Thomas, Sr., Merrimac (1678), page 213
Harris, John (1680), page 359
Hathorn, John, Lynn (1677), page 144
Hathorn, Eleazer (1680), page 370
Hathorn, William, Capt., Salem (1678), page 287
Hathorn, William, Salem (1681), page 422
Hawksworth, Thomas, Salisbury (1676), page 101
Herrick, Benjamin, Beverly (1677), page 127
Herrick, John, Beverly (1680), page 348
Hill, John, Salem (1680), page 401
Hollingworth, William, Salem (1677), page 191
Holmes, Robert, Newbury (1677), page 127
Hooper, William (1680), page 354
Howlet, Rebecca, Mrs., Newbury (1681), page 416
Howlet, Thomas, Ipswich (1678), page 250
Hubbard, Richard, Ipswich (1681), page 428
Humphries, John (1681), page 366
Hunn, Nathaniel (1679), page 315
Hutchinson, John (1676), page 106
Hyde, Isaac (1680), page 402

I Surnames

Ireson, Edward, Lynn (1676), page 71

J Surnames

Jacob, Richard, Ipswich (1676), page 84
Jarmin, Clement, Salisbury (1679), page 333
Jones, John (1675), page 9
John, Newbury (1677), page 193
John, Thomas, Manchester (1681, page 404)
Jordan, Francis, Ipswich (1678), page 244

K Surnames

Kemball, Henry (1676), page 74
Kemball, Richard, Wenham (1676, page 72)
Kimball, Benjamin (guardianship, 1677), page 124
Kimball, Caleb (1675), page 38
Kimball, Joseph (guardianship, 1678), page 283
Kimball, Margaret, Mrs., Ipswich (1675-6), page 46
Kimball, Richard, Sr., Ipswich (1675), page 16
Kimball, Thomas (1676), page 65
King, Elizabeth, Mrs., Lynn (1678), page 237
King, Joseph (1676), page 66
Kingsbury, John, Rowley (1678), page 222
Kitchen, John, Salem (1676), page 78
Knight, John, Newbury (1678), page 199

L Surnames

Lake, William, Salem (1679), page 340
Lambert, Abigail (guardianship, 1681), page 425
Lambert, Michael (1676), page 106
Langdon, John (1677), page 197
Law, Prlscilla, Rowley (guardianship, 1677), page 124
Lea, Henry, Manchester (1675), page 12
Legroe, Matthew (1676), page 81
Littlehale, John (1675), page 22
Longhorne, Bethiah (guardianship, 1676), page 83
Lothrop, Thomas, Capt., Beverly (1675), page 25
Lovejoy, John, Andover (1680), page 399
Low, Thomas, Sr., Ipswich (1677), page 175
Lunt, John, Newbury (1679), page 298
Lynde, John (1677), page 164

M Surnames

Mackmallen, Allester, Salem (1679), page 319
Manning, Thomas, Ipswich (1675), page 15
Mansfield, Samuel, Lynn (1679), page 306
Marchant, Mary, Mrs., Ipswich (1680), page 357
Mashoone, John (1680), page 392
Massey, Jeffery, Sr., Salem (1677), page 149
Mighill, Nathaniel, Salem (1677), page 172
Millett, John, Gloucester (1679), page 318
Millett, Thomas (Gloucester?), (1675), page 20
Millett, Thomas, Sr., Gloucester (1676), page 83
Moody, Samuel, Newbury (1675), page 5
Morgan, Moses, Salem (1678), page 234
Morse, Anthony, Jr., Newbury (1678), page 218
Morse, Joseph, Newbury (1679), page 298
Moulton, James, Sr., Wenham (1680), page 355
Muzzey, Joseph, Newbury (1681), page 413

N Surnames

Neal, John, Salem (1679), page 342
Needham, Edmund, Lynn (1677), page 151
Newman, Antipas, Wenham (1677), page 133
Newman, Thomas, Sr. (1676), page 48
Norman, Arabella, Mrs. (1679), page 339
Norton, Freegrace (1676), page 52
Nowell, Philip (1675), page 39

O Surnames

Oliver, Thomas, Salem (1679), page 319
Oseph, Abel (1675), page 21

P Surnames

Paine, John (Ipswich?), (1677), page 177
Palmer, Henry, Haverhill (1680), page 382
Parker, Joseph, Andover (1678), page 278
Parker, Nathaniel, Newbury (1679), page 316
Parker, Thomas, Rev., Newbury (1677), page 133
Patch, Edmond, Ipswich (1680), page 395
Pearce, Abigail, Mrs., Ipswich (1680), page 385
Pearce, Mary, Ipswich (guardianship, 1680), page 393
Pearce, William (1678), page 241
Pearson, John, Sr. (1679), page 321
Peirce, Daniel, Sr., Newbury (1678), page 210
Peirce, Robert, Ipswich (1680), page 393
Peirce, Robert, Sr. (1679), page 291
Perley, Allen, Ipswich (1675), page 43
Pickton, Thomas, Salem (1677), page 185
Pickworth, Benjamin (1677), page 138
Pickworth, John (1677), page 138
Pickworth, Samuel (1676), page 67
Pike, Robert (1678), page 242
Piper, Nathaniel, Ipswich (1676), page 87
Pitcher, William (1676), page 80
Pitman, William (1676), page 67
Platts, Jonathan, Rowley (1680), page 390
Porter, John, Sr., Salem (1676), page 111
Potter, Nicholas, Salem (1677), page 194
Preston, Jacob, Salem (1679), page 341
Prince, Joseph, Salem (1678), page 212
Prince, Richard, Sr., Salem (1675), page 32
Pritchett, William, Topsfield (1676-7), page 118
Purchase, Thomas, Sr., Lynn (1678), page 231
Putnam, Samuel (1676), page 103

Q Surnames

Quilter, Mark, Ipswich (1678), page 259
Quinby, Robert, Amesbury (1677), page 170

R Surnames

Redding, Annis, Mrs., Ipswich (1681), page 417
Rich, Obadiah, Salem (1677), page 197
Richards, Richard (1678), page 233
Richardson, Nicholas (1677), page 133
Richardson, Richard (1681), page 426
Ring, Isaac, Ipswich (guardianship, 1677), page 133
Roberts, John, Manchester (1677), page 166
Roberts, Robert, Ipswich (1678), page 257
Robinson, Eleanor, Mrs., Salem (1676), page 82
Robinson, William, Salem (1678), page 285
Rogers, Margaret, Mrs. (1676), page 50
Rogers, Martha, Ipswich (guardianship, 1677), page 175
Rogers, Mary, Mrs., Rowley (1679), page 289
Rogers, Nathaniel (guardianship, 1679), page 299
Rogers, Nathaniel, Ipswich (1680), page 384
Rogers, Susanna, Mrs., Newbury (1677), page 155
Rolle, Daniel (1676), page 57
Roper, Walter, Ipswich (1680), page 388
Ropes, George, Salem (1675), page 36
Roundy, Philip, Salem (1678), page 235
Rowell, Jacob, Andover (guardianship, 1676), page 101
Rowell, Thomas, Andover (1681), page 430

S Surnames

Sanden, Margaret, Mrs., Marblehead (1675), page 13
Sawyer, Ezekiel, Rowley (1676), page 118
Sherratt, Hugh, Haverhill (1678), page 257
Sibley, Richard (1676), page 77
Silsby, John (1676), page 78
Simons, Samuel, Lynn (1676), page 50
Skerry, Ephraim, Salem (1676), page 105
Skillin, Thomas, Salem (1676-7), page 119
Small, Joseph, Salem (1676), page 68
Small, Thomas, Salem (1676), page 51
Smith, John, Salem (1680), page 368
Smith, Thomas, Newbury (1676), page 58
Snelling, William, Salem (1678), page 286
Somerby, Daniel, Newbury (1676), page 57
Soolart, Abigail, Wenham (guardianship, 1679), page 298
Soolart, Bethiah, Wenham (guardianship, 1679), page 298
Soolart, John, Wenham (1678), page 221
Soolart, Joseph, Wenham (1679), page 294
Southwick, John, Salgm (1680), page 365
Southwick, Samuel, Salem (guardianship, 1677), page 138
Spofford, John, Sr., Rowley (1678), page 257
Spooner, Elizabeth, Salem (1677), page 141
Standish, James (1679), page 293
Starr, Robert, Salem (1679), page 309
Stevens, Samuel, Newbury (1675), page 19
Stevens, Samuel (1676), page 58
Stickney, Amos, Newbury (1678), page 242
Sutton, William, Newbury (1680), page 371
Swan, Ann, Mrs., Rowley (1678), page 253
Swan, Richard, Rowley (1678), page 225
Symonds, Samuel, Ipswich (1678), page 263
Symonds, William, Ipswich (1679), page 302

T Surnames

Thissell, Jeffrey (Beverly?), (1676), page 69
Thomas, William, Newbury (1680), page 351
Thompson, Simon, Ipswich (1676), page 59
Titcomb, William, Sr., Newbury (1676), page 88
Tompkins, John, Salem (1681), page 426
Towne, Edmond, Topsfield (1678), page 238
Trask, Osmund, Beverly (1677), page 124
Treble, John (1675), page 22
Turner, John, Salem (1680), page 399
Turvill, Thomas, Newbury (1677), page 137

V Surnames

Veren, Hilliard, Jr., Salem (1680), page 362
Vinton, Edward (1678), page 277
Voden, Moses (1681), page 430

W Surnames

Waiman, Stephein (1675), page 36
Walden, Edward, Wenham (1679), page 325
Walden, Nathaniel (guardianship, 1680), page 357
Waller, Christopher, Salem (1676), page 111
War, Abraham (1677), page 174
Ward, Joshua, Salem (1680), page 394
Ward, Joshua, Jr., Salem (1680), page 395
Warner, Faith, Mrs., Ipswich (1680), page 360
Waters, Richard, Salem (1677), page 183
Wharton, Edward, Salem (1678), page 201
Wheelwright, John, Rev., Salisbury (1679), page 345
White, John (1677), page 139
White, Paul, Newbury (1679), page 329
White, Thomas (1675), page 10
Whiting, Samuel, Sr., Lynn (1680), page 352
Whitridge, John, Salem (1676), page 83
Whittee, Elias, Salem (1675), page 9
Whittier, John, Newbury (1679), page 310
Whittier, John (guardianship, 1679), page 339
Wildes, John, Jr., Topsfield (1677), page 165
Wildes, Jonathan (1676), page 80
Wilford, Gilbert, Haverhill (1676), page 93
Wilkes, Robert, Salem (1677), page 179
Williams, Jane, Mrs. (1681), page 406
Wilson, Robert, Salem (1681), page 431
Winslow, Anne, Mrs., Salisbury (1677), page 132
Witt, John, Sr., Lynn (1676), page 54
Wolfe, Peter, Beverly (1675), page 37
Woodberry, William, Salem (1677), page 140
Woodbridge, Thomas, Newbury (1681), page 424
Woodham, John, Ipswich (1678), page 240
Worcester, Samuel, Bradford (1681), page 406
Wright, John, Newbury (1679), page 332

Introduction

The charter of “The Governor and Company of Massachusetts Bay in New England,” granted March 4, 1628-9, provided that a “Greate and Generall Court” should be held four times each year. This court, sitting in Boston, exercised the entire judicial powers of the Colony until March 3, 1635-6, when quarterly courts were ordered to be kept in several of the larger towns, and Salem and Ipswich were the towns selected within what is now the county of Essex. These courts also exercised probate jurisdiction and proved wills and granted administrations, although probate business for a long time after was brought before the Great and General Court, from time to time, seemingly as a matter of personal convenience. The colony was divided into shires or counties in 1643, and each county had its own courts. Haverhill, Amesbury and Salisbury, lying north of the Merrimac river and which now are included within the limits of Essex County, were then placed in old Norfolk County and so remained until Feb. 4, 1679-80, when new boundary lines were established. The probate records of the southern jurisdiction of old Norfolk County which relate to these three towns are therefore here included. Essex County probate business sometimes was taken to Suffolk County. This was especially the case during the administration of Governor Andros, when, for the centralization of business for the obtaining of fees, all save a few unimportant estates were probated in Boston. Under the new charter probate courts were established in each county by an order in council adopted June 18, 1692, and Bartholomew Gedney was appointed the first judge in this county. This court has had a continuous existence to the present day.

After the Quarterly courts were instituted the probate records were entered by the clerk in the same books of record which contained the civil and criminal business. This continued until 1671, when the probate matter was first recorded in separate volumes. The original papers accompanying the records of the Quarterly courts of Essex County contain many of the early probate papers, but many early wills are preserved in the custody of the Probate court, where they are docketed in an alphabetical order first arranged about 1885, each estate having its separate docket number. Copies of all the wills in the Quarterly courts files are also preserved in three volumes in the probate registry.

In assembling the material for the following pages an effort has been made to include probate records from every available original source, viz:—

• Records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony (Shurtleff), Boston, 1864, 6 vols.
• Massachusetts Archives.
• Records and files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County and old Norfolk County.
• Old Norfolk County Deeds.
• Ipswich Deeds.
• Ipswich Town Records.
• Suffolk County Probate Records.
• Records and Docket of the Probate Court of Essex County.

It must not be assumed that all estates were administered by the courts in the early days. From the records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony for the session of October 18, 1649, it appears that

“whereas it is found by often experience that some men dying and making wills, the said wills are concealed, and not prooved and recorded, and others dying intestate, no administration is sought for nor granted … it is ordered … if any nominated executors, knowing hereof … shall not within thirty days after the decease of the partye, … make probate of any will … they shall be liable to be sued, and shall be bound to pay all such debts as the deceased partye owed … and shall forfeite to the common weale so many somes of five pounds as shall happen to be moneths betweene the next Courte … after the death of the deceased partye and the prooving of such will.”

Source