- Will of HENRY SHERMAN of Dedham, County Essex, ENGLAND
In the name of God, Amen, the one and twentieth day of August in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred and tenne, I Henry Sherman and elder of Dedham in the County of Essex, Cloothier, being in good remembrance (the Lord be praysed) do make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament in manner and form as followeth; first I give and bequeath my soule unto Almighty God who infused it into my mortal and corrupt body and hath washed and purged it from all the defilements of sinne orignall and actual with the whole punishment therefore due unto me in and by the precious Blood of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and my body to be buried at the discretion of myne Executor.
Item: I give and bequeath unto Susan my wife all that my house wherein I now dwell and the land with the Oadhouse and all the appurtenances thereunto now belonging holding of the Manner of Dedham Hall by estimate 20 acres more or less which I had the surrender of my father, I give them to her during her natural life, and my will and meaning is that my wife shall keep the said houses in good lawful and sufficient reparacons as conveniently as she may during all her said terme and that she make no strippe nor waste upon the pmises and that she leave at the end of her terme in the dwellinghouse the pannes and leads and in the Oadhouse the leads to them and to eyther of them fastened and belonging and yff my sd wife shall not keep the sd houses in reepacons as aforesd and shall make strippe and waste upon the sd houses and lands at any tyme above and beyond the valewe of 20s, then my will and meaning is that my son Henry Shearman shall enter upon said houses and lands within two monthes after such edfault made and then and from thenceforth shall pay during her life to the sd Susan yearly the full summe of L16 of lawful money of England at four several times and quarters of the year the accompt for the year and every quarter thereof being made for the first day of the sd Henry Shearman his entrance into and upon the prmses as aforesd and that by even and equal porcons the whole sum being divided into 4 parts. Provided that at the full end of every quarter also the sd Henry (or his assigns) shall bring the sd money as aforesd to the then dwelling house of the sd Susan and for everie default thereof whensoever it shall happen to bee shall forfeite to the sd Susan 20s.
Item: After my wives decease I give and bequeath all the aforesaid houses and land with their appurtenances with my two taynters unto my son Henry Shearman and his heirs forever.
Item: I give and bequeath unto Henry Shearman my sonne the joyned bedstead and the bed on it as it now standeth in the guest chamber and the cubboards in the same chamber and the long table in the Hall with the six jonyed stooles, to have them after my wife's decease and until then my will and mind is that my wife shall have the use and occupancy of them and after to leave them in ye house to my sonne Henry as aforesd bequeathed and to his heirs.
Item: I give to Susan my wife six of the best of my silver spoones and to Henry my son six other silver spoones of the best next to them before to my wife bequeathed.
Item: I give and bequeath to Susan my wife the summe of three score pounds in lawful English money.
Item: I give more to Susan my wife my tapestrie coverlett, my best silver salt, 8 of my best milch kine, the bedstead in the parlor on which I used to lye with the beds on it and all things thereunto belonging with the cubboard in the same parlour and 2 chest in the same place, the one a Danske chest and the other a joyned chest with a little cofer 2 needlewroought cushions in the hall and one silver cup.
Item: I give and bequeath to my sd wife fower seames of rye that is to say 2 seames presently after my death to be delivered and 2 seems more within fower monthes after both by myne Executors.
Item: My will and meaning is that my wife shall have perceivee and take everie yeare during her life six loads of wood in and upon the lands at this time to me belonging and in my occupacon-- Provided that she taketh indifferently upon one part as upon another to whomsoever bequeathed and as the wood shall be of most fitt growth for that purpose with ingrease and eggresse into all and every parcel of sd lands to fell and carrie the sd six loads of wood as afore bequeathed; also I give unto Susan my wife halfe my hoggs with the halfe of all my household stuffe whatsoever before unbequeathed as halfe of the linnen and draperie, halfe of the brasse pewter and dayrie vessells brewing vessels and other things fitt and needful for house keeping. All the residue of household stuffe and cattells not bequeathed my mynde and will is shalbe equally divided among all my children.
Item: I give and bequeath unto Nathaniel Shearman my sonne the house wherein now William King now dwelleth with the lands thereto belonging called Scotts by estimation 5 acres more or less with the appurtenances to him and his heirs forever upon condicon that he shall pay unto my son Daniel Shearman or his heires the sum of L10 or lawful English money within 2 yeares after my decease.
Item: I give unto Nathaniel Sherman my sonne my broad loome which is now in the occupation of John Orvis of Lawford with the furniture thereto belonging.
Item: I give and bequeath unto John Shearman and Ezekiel Shearman my sonnes all those my lands which were late Doctor Shearman's called the Heckells and Goldings Acres to bee equally divided betwixt them by myne Executors, to them and to their heires forever.
Item: I give and bequeath unto John Shearman my sonne one field called Waylands by estimate seven acres more or lesse to him and his heires forever.
Item: I give and bequeath unto Ezekiel Shearman my sonne 3 acres of meadow lying in broad Meddowe holding of the Manor of Dedham Hall and 3 roads of meddowe holding in the Manors of Over Hall and Neather Hall of Dedham to him and his heires forever.
Item: I give and bequeath unto Edmond Shearman my sonne all my lands holding of Faytes and Wades called by the name of Garlicke feild and Ardley lands and Boremans acre or any other name to him and his heires forever. Provided that my futher mynde and will is concerning all and the severall lands to my sonnes John, Ezeckiel, and Edmund aforesaid bequeathed that if theis my three sonnes John, Ezekiel, and Edmund or anie of them shall lett sett over or sell their lands to them given as aforesaid that then they and every one of them shall lett sett over and sell their lands to them given as aforesd to Henry Shearman my sonne if he will at a reasonable rate and price as shall be thought by two men chosen by my cousin Edmund Galloway. Put and yff they or any of them shall otherwise than according to this my meaning will lett sett over to sell the lands aforesd, then my full will and mind is that they and everie one of them making default contrary to my will in this case shall pay unto my son Henry Shearman L5 of lawful English money everie one so offending L5 for himself as a legasie to the sd Henry by me given out of tho__ lands. And the sd legacies by them and everie of them to be paid as aforesd within one weeke after the letting and setting over or selling the sd lands contrary to this my will.
Item: My minde and will is that my 3 sonnes John Shearman, Ezekiel Shearman, and Edmund Shearman shall enter upon and enjoy their lands given them as aforesd pntly after my decease.
Item: My mind and will is that my 8 acres of land in the Hall field shall be sold within 2 years after my decease to the best advantage and the money received of the same and disposed as followeth.
Item: I first give to thereof unto Henry Fenne son of Simon Fenne L5 of lawful English money. All the residue of the money which shall remaine of the sale of the land I give equally to be divided amongst my childrens children to be paid within 4 months after the sale of the sd land. And the sd legacies so given unto the sd children to be paid unto their parents in lawful English money the sd parents laying security to my Executor for their discharge.
Item: I give and bequeath unto Mr. Rogers Preacher of Dedham the summe of L8 of lawful English money to be paid him by myne Executor within 4 years after my decease, that __ to say 40 shillings a year for 4 years.
Item: I give and bequeath to the increasing of the po___ stocke of the towne of Dedham 40 shillings of lawful English money to be paid by my Executor.
Item: I give and bequeath unto Henry Shearman my sonne my woods lying in Ardley that I bought of William Baldwin to him and his heires forever. Condiconally that my sd son Henry Shearman pay or cause to be paid unto my sonne Daniel Shearman or to his heires ye sum of L12 of Lawful English money within 6 months after my decease, and also 20s of like lawful English money to be paid by my son henry Shearman to Phebe Fenn my daughter within 6 months after my decease.
Item: I give and bequeath unto Daniel Shearman my sonne the sum of L20 of lawful English money to be paid by myne Executor within 6 months after my decease to him and to his heirs, the sd L20 as also the above bequeathed L12 to be paid him upon condition that he shall decharge my Executor of the sum of 5 and 20 pounds which he received to use of me and my son in law Symon Fenne deceased for which we stand bound to Mr. Boads as also that he discharge myne Executor of other L20 for which I stand bound with him.
Item: I give unto my daughters in law to each of them 10s. to be paid by my Executor.
Item: I give unto Anaa Pettifeild of William Pettifeild 40s of lawful English money to be paid by my Executor within one year after my decease.
Item: My will and mind is that my Executor shall pay unto Anne Shearman my Brother Doctor Shearman's daughter L5 of lawful English money which was the gift of her Grandfather and in discharge thereof at her full age of two and twenty years, it was once before paid unto her father's hands yet fearing that she would be voyd of it for want of provision of his part I will that it be paid as aforesaid.
Item: I give unto Mr. Dowse of Stratford 10s; to Mr. Richard Ravens Parson of Wattfeild Xs; to Mr. Sage Curate of Dedham XXs; to Calvin Humphrey son of Mr. Humphrey Scholemayster of Dedham Xs; and to Gilbert Hills my brother in law Xs; all the sd five legacies to be paid within six months after my decease.
Item: I give unto my brother Lawrence of Esthorpe my best cloake.
Item I give unto James Hasset the elder of Dedham 6s. 8d. within 3 months after my decease.
Item: My will and meaning is that my two sons Henry and Samuel Shearman shall sell my 8 acres of land in the Hallfeild to the best advantage of my Children's children as afore bequeathed within 2 years after my decease, and my meaning is that the mayne profit which shall arise of the sd land during the sd 2 years shall be paid by them to my sd son Daniel and his heirs.
Item: My will and meaning is that the residue of all my goods unbequeathed; my debts and legacies being paid and my funeral charges being answerede both corne cattells and money and all other things whatsoever shalbe equally divided betwixt my children.
Item: My will and meaning is that George Cole the elder William Cole, Edmund Shearman and John Pye shall indifferently divide my goods unbequeathed betwixt by children.
Item: I do ordaine and make Susan my wife my sole Exectrix to see this my last Will and Testament performed, and I give unto her that part of the lease of the Rayes. Revoking all other wills formerly by me made, and futher I appoint my cousen Edmund Galloway Clerke the supervisor of this my will requiring his helpe in any controversie that any wais by occasion of this my last will and testament may arise betwixt my children or anie of them, and for his payne_ I will that he shall have 20s. of lawful English money to be paid by myne Executrix within one year after my decease. In wittnes whereof to these two sheetes of paper contayning my last will I have sett my hande and seale the day and yeare above written.
Henry Shearman
In the presence of John Pye and Henry Young and Thomas Guyan and marke of Henry young.
Probatum fuit spud Colchester etc Thomas Edwards, Octavo die mensis Sept. 1610, per Geo. Cole Susan rel decd. def et Exduodecimo die Sept 1610 apud Chelmsford- ad Henry Shearman filius. consistory Register 34 Hamer
F.D.S. 32
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| Notes |
- From the book, "Ancestral Lines - Third Edition", by Carl Boyer, 3rd. (p. 520-522):
"Henry Sherman, later styled the Elder, born about 1546, was buried at Dedham, Essex, England, 28 August 1610.
"Henry sherman & susan Lawrence[*] were maryed ye 14 of Junij 1568" in Moze, Essex. She was buried at Dedham 13 Sept. 1610.
He was a clothier. In the Easter term of 1597, Henry Sherman and Richard Upcher sued, in the Court of Common Pleas, Peter Butter of Colchester, clothier, on Thomas Butter of Dedham, clothier, and John Morfell of Dedham, clothier, on bonds made in Manyngtre 10 March 1592.
Thomas Lawrence of Esthorpe, yeoman, brother of Susan, and Henry Sherman were sued in the easter term of 1600 by Joan Carter, widow.
His will, dated 21 August 1610, was proved 8 Sept. 1610 [Consistory Court of London, Book Hamer No. 7, leaves 33-36]. Her will, dated 31 August 1610, was proved 12 Sept. 1610 [Ibid., leaf 13; NEHGR, 50:285, 417, and 68:149].
Children, baptized in Dedham where the date is given:
i. Phebe, bapt. 1 May 1570; m. Simon Fenn of Dedham, clothier who also had lands in Stratford and Bramford, Suffolk.
ii. Henry, bapt. 26 August 1571; m. Mary; issue.
iii. Samuel, bapt. 11 Jan. 1573; d. Ardleigh, Essex, 1615/6; m. Phillippa Ward.
iv. Anne, bapt. 7 August 1575? 9see T.T. Sherman}; m. (1) 8 Jan. 1595 Anthony Whiting of Dedham, clothier, m. (2) Thomas Wilson of Dedham, butcher.
v. Daniel, m. (1) 18 August 1601 Christian Chapman (nine children), m. (2) Sara Mitchell.
vi. Nathaniel, bapt. 19 June 1580; bur. 21 June 1580.
vii. Nathaniel, bapt. 11 July 1582; d. 1615; m. (1) Phebe, m. (2) Priscilla Anger.
viii. John, bapt. 17 August 1585; m. Grace Ravens [Hyde and Richardson, TAG, 61:79-82; Wood, TAG, 62:65-77]; John Sherman of Watertown, Mass. Bay, was their son.
ix. Ezekiel, bapt. 25 July 1587 [R.V. Sherman's Some Desc. of Philip Sherman, 14]; m. (1) Rachel Alefounder, m. (2) Anne (Stephens?).
x. Edmund, m. Dedham 15 May 1611 Judith Ang[i]er; immigrated 1632 to Watertown, Mass., then Wethersfield, New Haven and Colchester.
xi. Mary, bapt. 27 July 1592.
xii. Elizabeth, possibly youngest daughter, not mentioned in wills. "
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Abt 1547 - Bef 1610 (~ 63 years)
