HOPKINS, Abigail

Abigail married MERRICK, William 23 May 1667, Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. William (son of MERRICK, William and TRACY, Rebecca) was born 15 Sep 1643, Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts; died 30 Oct 1732, Harwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet]

1. MERRICK, Rebecca was born 28 Nov 1668; died Yes, date unknown.
2. MERRICK, William was born 1 Aug 1670; died Yes, date unknown.
3. MERRICK, Stephen was born 26 Mar 1673; died Yes, date unknown.
4. MERRICK, Benjamin was born Abt 1674; died Yes, date unknown.
5. MERRICK, Nathaniel was born Abt 1675, Eastham, Barstable County, Massachusetts; died 13 Nov 1743, Harwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts.
6. MERRICK, Hannah was born Abt 1677; died Yes, date unknown.
7. MERRICK, John was born Abt 1678; died Yes, date unknown.
8. MERRICK, Joshua was born Abt 1680; died Yes, date unknown.
9. MERRICK, Ruth was born Abt 1684; died Yes, date unknown.
10. MERRICK, Samuel was born Abt 1686; died Yes, date unknown.

Notes:

Giles Hopkins was the elsest son of Mr. Stephen Hopkins of Plymouth. He was born in England, and came over with his father's family in the Mayflower in 1620, and with the other members of his father's family. They survived the first winter's sickness, which swept off so many of that company. Little is known of his boyhood days. He appears to have been of a retiring disposition, only forward when duty impelled. When, in 1637, the Pequots, a tribe of brave Indians inhabiting the eastern part of Connecticut, commenced war with the English in that region, and Plymouth Colony concluded to send a company to assist in the overthrow of the Indians, he, with his father and younger brother Caleb, vounteered to go out in the company in the defence of his Connecticut neighbors, but happily for the company, before ready to go forth, the troops under Captain Mason had "vanquished" the enemy, and the company was not needed. The next year, Mr. Stephen Hopkins having been allowed by the Old Colony Court "to erect a house at Mattacheese " now Yarmouth, "to cut hay there" and "to winter his cattle," it is supposed his son Giles went down there and had charge of his cattle. At any rate, he was at Yarmouth in 1639, and with Hugh Tilley and Nicholas Sympkins, "deposed" to the last will and testament of Peter Warden, the elder, deceased, and also courted and married Catherine Whelden, daughter of Gabriel Whelden, who was licensed to build at Mattacheese the year preceding. The house he occupied, while a resident of Yarmouth, stood a little to the northwest on the declivity or knoll, and the site was pointed out to the writer by the late Mr. Otis to have been the first house built below Sandwich, and certainly it must have been, if it were the one built by Stephen Hopkins by order of Plymouth court. Mr. Otis, in his account of Andrew Hallett, Jr., says it was sold by Giles Hopkins in 1642 to Mr. Hallett. It would seem that Mr. Hopkins was not a resident of Yarmouth in 1643, as his name does not appear in the list of those able to bear arms that year in the township, but evidence is quite conclusive that he was a resident June 6, 1644. At that date his father made his will, and several times speaks of Giles being at Yarmouth in charge of the cattle. It is probable he was not enrolled on account of being physically unable to do military duty. In what year he removed to Nausett or Eastham, is not known. He was there in 1650, occupying the position of surveyor of highways, which he subsequently occupied several years. For some reason, now inexplicable, his father, by will, made Caleb, his younger son by second wife, the "heir apparent," and consequently the whole of the real estate, which was large, passed into the hands of Caleb at his death. Caleb Hopkins, soon after his father's death in July, 1644, gave up a very large tract of land to Giles, his only surviving brother, lying in what is now Brewster. Upon the death of Caleb, who was a seaman, and who died single at Barbadoes before 1657, Giles came into possession of large tracts. In 1659, Mr. Hopkins had land granted him in Eastham. In 1662, with Lieut. Joseph Rogers and Josiah Cooke, he had liberty allowed him by the Colony court to look out for land for his accommodation between Bridgewater and Bay Line. In 1672, with Jonathan Sparrow and Thomas Mayo of Eastham, he purchased Sampson's Neck in what is now Orleans, then called by Indians "Weesquamseutt." The tract was a valuable one. It embraced the territory between Higgins's river on the north, and Potonumecot river on the south. He seems to have been a very quiet man, caring but little for public positions. He was in 1654 drawn into a lawsuit by the noted William Leveridge, who had defamed him. Mr. Hopkin s claimed damages to the amount of �50. Mr. Leveridge was ordered to pay �2 and some shillings for the offence. "The will of Giles Hopkins bears date Jan. 19, 1682; the codicil March 5, 16 88-9. The former was witnessed by Jonathan Sparrow and Samuel Knowles, and the latter by Mark Snow and Jonathan Sparrow, and was presented for probate April 22, 1690, Stephen Hopkins, son, executor. There are no daughters mentioned. Sons mentioned are: Stephen, Caleb, Joshua and William. The widow was alive at the date of the codicil, and Mr. Hopkins had become unfit for labor and held out inducements to his son Stephen to supply his wants. It seems quite certain that his farm was in that part of Eastham now Orleans, and some part of it joined Towncove." On 9 Oct. 1639 Giles married Catherine Whelden, daughter ofGabriel Whelden, in Plymouth, MA. She was born in 1618 and died after 5, Mar 1689.
They had the following children:
i. Mary (1640-1700)
ii. Stephen (1642-1718)
iii. John (Died as Infant) (1643-ca1643)
iv. Abigail (1644-1691)
v. Deborah (1648-1727)
vi. Caleb (1650-<1728)
vii. Ruth (1653-)
viii. Joshua (1657-~1734)
ix. WIlliam (1660-1718)
x. Elizabeth (Died as Infant) (1664-1664)
-----
Will of Gyles Hopkins
To all Christian people to whome these presents shall com know ye that I Giles Hopkins of Eastham being sick and weak of Body and yet of perfit memory do declare this as my Last will and Testament on this ninteenth day of January in ye year of our Lord 1682. I bequeath my Body to ye grave in decent burial when this Temporal Life of mine shall have an end and my soul to God that gave it in hopes of a blessed Resurection at ye Last day 2ly my will is that my son Stephen Hopkins shall possess and Injoy all my Upland and meadow Lying and being at Satuckit, that is to say all my upland and meadow on ye southerly side of ye bounds of ye Towne of eastham, that is to say all my Right and title Intrest and claime to all those Lands from ye head of Names cakit to ye southermost part of ye long pond where mannomoyet cart way goes over to Satuckit and from thence to ye head of manomoyet river and so as our Line shall run over to ye south sea all ye Lands between thos bounds and ye westermost bounds of ye purchesers at satuckit river all these Lands I give Unto my son Stephen Hopkins and to his heirs forever: and half my stock of cattill for and in consideration of ye above sd Land and half stock of cattel my will is that after my decease my son Stephen Hopkins shall take ye care and oversight and maintaine my son William Hopkins during his natural Life in a comfortable decent manner. 3ly my will is that all my Lands at Palmet both purchesed and unpurchesed both meadows and upland and all my Lands at Pochet and my third part of Samsons neck and what other Lands shall fall unto me as a purcheser from ye fore mentioned Bounds of my son Stephen Hopkinses Lands and potanomacot all these fore specified Lands I give unto my sons Caleb and Joshua Hopkins to be equaly devided between them: further my will is that if either of my sons Joshua or Caleb Hopkins dye having no Issew that then these Lands which I have given them to be equally devided between them fall to him that surviveth. 4ly. I give unto my wife Catorne Hopkins and to my son William Hopkins the improvment of too acres of meadow Lying at ye head of Rock Harbor during my wifes Life and ye one half of that too acres I give Unto my son William during his Life and after ye decease of and after ye decease of my wife and son William I do give this above sd too acres of meadow to my son Joshua Hopkins and his heirs forever: as also after my decease I give Unto my son Joshua Hopkinsa parcel of meadow Lying a t ye mouth of Rock Harbor according to yebounds thereof specified in ye Towne Records of Land s: it I give unto myson Caleb Hopkins a parcel of meadow Lying at Little Nameskeket according to ye bounds thereof specified in ye Towne Book of Records of Lands.
It. I give unto my wife my now dwelling House and halfe my Land and halfe my orchard that is by my house: by Land I mean half my Land that is about my house both fenced and Unfenced during my wifes natural Life, and then ye above sd housing and Lands to fall unto my son Joshua Hopkins; the other half of my Land and orchard I give to my son Joshua Hopkins after my death that is to say ye other half of my Lands Liying about my house.
It. I give unto my son Caleb Hopkins one pair of plow Irons.
It. I give Unto my son Joshua Hopkins one payer of plow Irons.
It. I give Unto my son Joshua Hopkins my carte and wheels.
It. I give unto my wife ye other half of my stock and moveables I say to my wife and my son William or what parse of ye moveables my wife shall see cause to bestow on my son William Hopkins.
It. I do appoint my son Stephen Hopkins to be my true and Lawful executor of this my Last will and testament to pay what is payable and Receivewhat is due. And to ye truth and verity hereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seal ye day and year above written.
Signed and sealed
in presence of us, ye mark of
Jonathan Sparrow.
Giles Hopkins (seal)
Samuel Knowles.
Jonathan Sparrow and Samuel Knowles witnesses to this will made oath in Court ye: 16 th: of April 1690 that they saw ye above sd Giles Hopkins signe seal and declare this to be his Last will and Testament.
Attest Joseph Lothrop. Clerk.
I ye above sd Giles Hopkins do declare where as by ye providence of God my Life has been prolonged unto me and by Reason of age and disabillity of Body Lam Incapatiated to provide for my owne support and my wifes, my will further is that my son Stephen Hopkins from this time and forward shall possess and Injoy all my stock and moveable estate provided he take effectual care for mine and my wifes Comfortable Support during our natural Lives witness my hand and seal this fifth day of march 1688/9.
Witness Mark Snow
Giles Hopkins (seal)
Jonath Sparrow
The within mentioned Mark Snow and Jonathan Sparrow made oath in Court April ye: 16 : 1690 that they saw Giles Hopkins within mentioned signe seal and declare ye latter part of this will within mentioned to be his Last will and Testament. Attest. Joseph Lothrop, Clerk.
Duly Compared with the original and entered April ye: 22 : 1690. Attest. Joseph Lothrop, Recorder.

Giles married WHELDON, Catherine 9 Oct 1639, Yarmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. Catherine (daughter of WHELDON, Gabriel) was born Abt 1618, England; died 5/05 Mar 1688/1689, Probably Eastham, Barstable County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Stephen was probably born in England about 1579 based on estimated date of first marriage. Stephen's first marriage occured by 1604 to Mary _____; she was buried at Hursley, Hampshire, England 9 May 1613. Stephen's second marriage was to Elizabeth Fisher in St. Mary Matfellon, Whitechapel, London, England on 19 February 1617/8. She died at Plymouth sometime in the early 1640s before her husband, who desired to be buried near her. He and was a Mayflower passenger in 1620. His occupation was tanner and merchant. Stephen Hopkins was one of only a few passengers on the Mayflower to have made a prior trip to America. He came in 1609 on the Sea Venture headed for Jamestown, Virginia. But instead, they were marooned on an island following a hurricane, and the 150 passengers were stranded for nine months. Hopkins led an uprising, challenging the governor's authority,and was sentenced to death. But he begged and moaned about the ruin of his wife and children, and so was pardoned out of sympathy. The company eventually managed to build a ship, and escaped the island. After spending several years in Jamestown, Hopkins returned to England sometime between 1613 and 1617. Stephen Hopkins brought with him on the Mayflower his wife Elizabeth, children Giles and Constance by his first marriage, and Damaris by his second marriage. A son Oceanus was born while the Mayflower was at sea. Stephen participated in the early exploring missions and was an "ambassador" along with Myles Standish for early Indian relations. Stephen Hopkins is mentioned in a letter written by William Bradford and Isaac Allerton on 8 September 1623, which was found in uncalendered papers at the Public Records Office in London. The letter was presented as evidence for the defense in the 1624 court case Stevens and Fell vs. the Little James. The letter is published in American Historical Review, 8 (1903): 294-301. The short section about Stephen Hopkins reads as follows (spelling modernized): About Hopkins and his men we are come to this issue. The men we retain in the general according to his resignation and equity of the thing. And about that recconing of 20 odd pounds, we have brought it to this pass, he is to have - 6 - " - payed by you there, and the rest to be quit; it is for nails and such other things as we have had of his brother here for the companies use, and upon promise of payment by us, we desire you will accordingly do it. Another little-known reference to Stephen Hopkins, which also alludes to his two servants (Edward Doty and Edward Leister), is found in the Minutes for the Council of New England, on 5 May 1623 (reprinted from Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society, April 1867, pp. 93-94) :Touching the difference between Mr. Hopkins and Mr. Peirce, Mr. Hopkins alleadgeth that he hath paid to Mr Peirce for Transportation of himself and two persons more, and Likewise for his goods, which Peirce acknowledgeth, but alleadgeth, that by reason of his unfortunate return, the rest of the passengers that went upon the Like Conditions have been contented to allow unto 40s a person towards his loss, and therefore desireth that Master Hopkyns may do the like, which Mr. Hopkins at length agreed unto, so as Mr. Peirce and his Associates will accept of �6 for 3 passengers out of �20 his adventure which he hath in their Joint Stock. And therefore they both pray that the Council will be pleased to write to the Associates to accept thereof, which they are pleased to do. In 1636, Hopkins was fined for the battery of John Tisdale, in 1637 he was found guilty of allowing men to drink on a Sunday at his house, and in 1638 hewas fi ned for not dealing fairly with an apprentice-girl, Dorothy Temple.He was also charged with s everal other minor crimes, including selling glass at too high a price, selling illegal intoxicants, and allowing men to get drunk at his house. However, this in no way indicated he was disloyal to the Colony--in fact he was Assistant governor from 1633 until 1636, and he volunteered to fight in the Pequot War of 1637. He made freeman in the "1633" list of Plymouth freemen. He signed his will. The inventory included "diverse books" valued at 12s.
OFFICES: Assistant, 1633-36 [PCR 1:5, 21,32, 36]. Volunteered for service in the Pequot War, 1637 [PCR 1:61].
ESTATE: In the 1623 Plymouth division ofland "Steven Hobkins" received six acres as a passenger on the Mayflower [PCR 12:4]. In the 1627 Plymouth division of cattle Stephen Hopkins, his wife Elizabeth Hopkins, Gyles Hopkins, Caleb Hopkins and Deborah Hopkins are the first five persons in the seventh company, and Damaris Hopkins is the thirteenth person in the eighth company [PCR 12:11, 12]. In the Plymouth tax list of 25 March 1634 Stephen Hopkins was assessed �1 7s., and in the list of 27 March 1634 �1 10s. [PCR 1:9, 27]. "Steven Hopkins" was one of the Purchasers [PCR 2:177]. On 1 July 1633 "Mr. Hopkins" was ordered to mow where he had mowed the year before [PCR 1:15], followed by similar orders on 14 March 1635/6 and 20 March 1636/7 [PCR 1:41, 57]. On 5 February 1637/8 "Mr. Stephen Hopkins requesteth a grant of lands towards the Six Mile Brook" [PCR 1:76]. On 7 August 1638 "[l]iberty is granted to Mr. Steephen Hopkins to erect a house at Mattacheese, and cut hay there this year to winter his cattle, provided that it be not to withdraw him from the town of Plymouth" [PCR 1:93]. On 17 July 1637 "Steephen Hopkins of Plymouth, gent.," sold to George Boare of Scituate, yeoman, "all that his messuage, houses, tenements, outhouses lying and being at the Broken Wharfe towards the Eele River together with the six shares of lands there unto belonging containing six acres" [PCR 12:21]. On 30 November 1638" Mr. Steephen Hopkins" sold to Josias Cooke "all those his six acres of land lying on the south side of the Town Brook of Plymouth" [PCR 12:39]. On 8 June 1642 William Chase mortgaged to "Mr. Stephen Hopkins ... all that his house and lands in Yarmouth containing eight acres of upland and six acres more lying at the Stony Cove" [PCR 12:83]. On 1 June 1640 "Mr. Hopkins" was granted twelve acres of meadow [PCR 1:154, 166]. In his will, dated 6 June 1644 and proved 20 August 1644, Stephen Hopkins "of Plymouth ... weake yet in good and perfect memory" directed that he be buried "as near as conveniently may be to my wife, deceased," and bequeathed to "son Giles Hopkins" the great bull now in the hands of Mrs. Warren; to "Steven Hopkins my son Giles his son" 20s. in Mrs. Warren's hands; to "daughter Constanc[e] Snow, wife of Nicholas ... my mare"; to "daughter Deborah Hopkins" cows; to "daughter Damaris Hopkins" cows; to "daughter Ruth" cows; to "daughter Elizabeth" cows; to "four daughters Deborah, Damaris, Ruth and Elizabeth Hopkins" all the moveable goods; if any of the daughters die, their share to be divided equally among the survivors; to "son Caleb heir apparent" house and lands at Plymouth, one pair of oxen and hire of them and all the debts "now owing unto me"; daughters to have free recourse to use of the house in Plymouth while single; "son Caleb" executor; Caleb and Captain Standish joint supervisors [PCPR 1:1 :61]. The inventory of the estate of Stephen Hopkins was taken 17 July 1644 and was untotalled, with no real estate included [PCPR 1:1:62-63]. On 28 October 1644 "Caleb Hopkins son and heir unto Mr. Steephen Hopkins of Plymouth deceased" deeded to "Gyles Hopkins of Yarmouth, planter, one hundred acres of those lands taken up for the Purchasers of Satuckquett which said lands do accrue unto the said Steephen as a Purchaser".
Stephen died in Plymouth between 6 June 1644 (writing of will) and 17 July 1644 (proving of will).
Children with first wife include:
i ELIZABETH, bp. Hursley ,Hampshire, 13 May 1604 [TAG 73:170]; living on 12 May 1613 [TAG 73:165]; no further record.
ii CONSTANCE, bp. Hursley,Hampshire, 11 May 1606 [TAG 73:170]; m. Plymouth by 1627 NICHOLAS SNOW (in the 1627 Plymouth division of cattle "Nickolas Snow" and "Constance Snow" were the sixthand seventh persons i n the seventh company, which was headed by Stephen Hopkins [PCR 12:11]).
ii GILES, bp. Hursley, Hampshire, 30 January 1607/8 [TAG 73:170]; m. Plymouth 9 October 1639 Catherine Whelden [PCR1:134; TAG 48:5].
With second wife:
iii DAMARIS, b. say 1618; probably died at Plymouth before the birth of her sister of the same name.
iv OCEANUS, b. at sea on the Mayflower voyage between 16 September and 11 November 1620; died by 1627.
v CALEB, b. Plymouth say 1624; "became a seaman & died at Barbadoes" between 1644 and 1651 [Bradford 445].
vi DEBORAH, b. Plymouth say 1626; m. Plymouth 23 April 1646 as his first wife Andrew Ring [PCR 2:98; TAG 42:202-05], daughter of widow MARY RING.
vii DAMARIS, b. Plymouth say 1628; m. Plymouth shortly after 10 June 1646 Jacob Cooke [MD 2:27-8], son of FRANCIS COOKE. (Since this Damaris was still bearing children in the early 1670s, she cannot be the same as the Damaris who came on the Mayflower.)
viii RUTH, b. Plymouth say 1630;d. after 30 November 1644 and before spring 1651 [Bradford 445]; unm.
ix ELIZABETH, b. Plymouth say 1632; believed to have died by 6 October 1659 when her property was appraised "in case Elizabeth Hopkins do come no more" [MD 4:114-19]; unm.
COMMENTS: Caleb Johnson's discovery [TAG73:161-71] of the family of Stephen Hopkins in Hursley, Hampshire, eliminates at last the suggestion that Stephen Hopkins was son of Stephen Hopkins, a clothier, of Wortley, Wooten Underedge, Gloucestershire [MF 6:3, citing "[t]he Wortley historian"]. Johnson's discovery also strengthens the argument that this was the same Stephen Hopkins who was the minister's clerk on the vessel Sea Venture which met with a hurricane in 1609 while on a voyage to Virginia [TAG 73:165-66]. One of one hundred and fifty survivors marooned on a Bermuda, he fomented a mutiny and was sentenced to death, but "so penitent he was and made so much moan, alleging the ruin of his wife and children in this his trespass," that his friends procured a pardon from the Governor [MF 6:3, citing William Strachey's account]. In his listing of Mayflower passengers Bradford included "Mr. Stephen Hopkins and Elizabeth his wife, and two children called Giles and Constanta, a daughter, both by a former wife. And two more by this wife called Damaris and Oceanus; the last was born at sea. And two servants called Edward Doty and Edward Lester" [Bradford 442]. Stephen Hopkins signed the Mayflower Compact. In his accounting of this family in 1651 Bradford reported that "Mr. Hopkins and his wife are now both dead, but they lived above twenty years in this place and had one son and four daughters born here. Their son became a seaman and died at Barbadoes, one daughter died here, and two are married; one of them hath two children, and one is yet to marry. So their increase which still survive are five. But his son Giles is married and hath four children. His daughter Constanta is also married and hath twelve children, all of them living, and one of them married" [Bradford 445]. In June 1621 Steven Hopkins and Edward Winslow were chosen by the governor to approach Massasoit, and Hopkins repeated this duty as emissary frequently thereafter [Young's Pilgrim Fathers 202, 204]. Despite his social standing and his early public service, Stephen Hopkins managed to run afoul of the authorities several times in the late 1630s. In June of 1636 while an Assistant, he was fined for battery of John Tisdale, whom he "dangerously wounded" [PCR 1:41 -42]. On 2 October 1637 he was fined for allowing drinking on the Lord's day and the playing of "shovell board" [PCR 1:68] and on 2 January 1637/8 he was "presented for suffering excessive drinking in his house" [PCR 1:75]. On 5 June 1638 he was "presented for selling beer for 2d. the quart, not worth 1d. a quart" [PCR 1:87]; for this and other similar infractions he was on 4 September 1638 fined �5 [PCR 1:97]. He dealt harshly with his pregnant servant Dorothy Temple and only the intercession of John Holmes freed him from being held in contempt of court [PCR 1:111-13]. In December 1639 he was presented for selling a looking glass for 16d. when a similar glass could be bought in the Bay for 9d. [PCR 1:137].
BIBLIOGRAPHIC NOTE: In 1992 John D. Austin published an excellent and extensive account of Stephen Hopkins and his descendants as the sixth volume in the Five Generations Project of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants [cited herein as MF 6]. In 1998 Caleb Johnson published his discovery of the baptismal place of the children of Stephen Hopkins by his first wife [TAG 73:161-71].

Stephen — MARY. died Bef 1617, England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Gabriel Wheldon, the immigrant ancestor, was born in England; where and when are presently mysteries. He may have come from Arnold, Nottinghamshire, since on 21 October 1653 he and his son John sold lands there to their New England neighbor William Crofts of Lynn, Massachusetts Bay Colony. The identity of his first wife is unknown. She and Gabriel had several children (order uncertain):
i Ralph b. m. ------ ------
ii Henry b. m. ------ -----
iii John b. m. Mary Holland
iv Catherine b.c. 1609 m. Giles Hopkins
v Ruth b. m. Richard Taylor
Although like his parentage the particulars of his immigration are unknown, he had arrived in the Plymouth Colony by 1638. On 3 September of that year he was licensed by the colonial authorities to move to Mattacheese, later named Yarmouth (now in Barnstable County, Massachusetts). He settled there about 1639 with a family of grown children. On 17 June 1641, he was involved in a lawsuit over a skiff that he owned in partnership with William Lumpkin and Hugh Tilly. The court ordered them to pay fifteen shillings for Gabriel's damages "in the want thereof" to fish and to transport his corn (from Yarmouth across Cape Cod Bay to Plymouth). He was involved in another suit over his daughter's marriage, although the exact nature of it is uncertain. The court record reads: "In the case betweene Gabriell Whelding and Richard Taylor, about his daughter Ruth, the said Gabriell pmiseth his free assent and consent to theire marriage." They may have been planning on marrying without Gabriel's consent. He appears not to have served in many civic posts. In 1642, he was elected Surveyor of Highways, and was reelected to the same office on 1 June 1647. Before 14 May 1648, he sold his lands in Yarmouth to Edward Sturgis. It appears that he removed to Lynn, Essex County, and then to Malden, Middlesex County, just outside Boston. The last record of him is apparently the sale of his lands in Nottinghamshire to William Crofts mentioned above. He died in Malden sometime between 11 February 1653/4, when his will is dated, and 4 April 1654, when it was proved. At the time of his death, his wife was Margaret -------. It seems that she was his second wife, and not the mother of his children.
The Will of Gabriel Wheldon:
"In the name of God & in obedience to his command (according to my bourden) I Gabriell Whelding of ye toune & church of Maldon being weake & sick in body but (shewing mercy) of good judgment & right remembrance for ye putting of my house in order: do make my last will & Testament in this forme, & manner following.
First of all I doe humbly & heartily Give my soule to God my faithfull creator & redeemer to be perfectly sainctified & everlastingly saved, by him to ye praise of his glorious Grace.
Secondly I give my body to be laid asleepe in ye bed of ye grave, in ye common burying place for ye Inhabitants of their toune, untill it be raisd, by ye sound of ye last trumpet of ye Arch angell in ye great day of ye generall Judgment.
Thirdly I give ye Summe of tenne Shillings (as small Testimony of my true love) to ye church of Maldon, to be payed into ye hands of ye Deacons, wthin a month, after my disease.
Fourthly and lastly I doe give all my estate (in Maldon) consisting of house frame, lands Cattle & corne, (together with what money is due unto mee from William Croft of Linne) to Margaret Whelding, my wife, whom I doe Appoint, and constitute, my sole Administratrix & executrix for the disposing therof, According to God who gave, ye same unto me.
In witnes wherof I putt heereunto, my hand, the day & yeare above mentioned." Gabriel's estate was inventoried shortly after his death, and contained the following items:
"Imprs An house lott prised at [�]4.00.00, An house frame at [�]5.00.00, A debt from William Crofts [�]2.03.00, Three Cowes & one Calfe [�]14.00.00, One heifer and one yearling, One Sow with three sucking pigges, [Boards?] a Chest & a Cubbard, Linnen, A rugge a Coverlett & a blanketts, Wearing Cloathes, Eight bushells of Indian Corn, A Bed-tikebolsters & pillowes, A Kettell two skilletts & hangers, A Pott a fryingpan & wooden platters with table, Wheate, Cotton , A wheele a chayre & a stoole, Two barrells an handsaw Iron howes."
The total value was a rather modest �40.11.08; it is interesting to notethe respective value s of his home and land, and that of the cows.
His children were apparently displeased with the distribution, because in 1655 his sons Henry and John brought suit for their portions.