In Garret:Indian Corne onthrashed by Estimation 24 bushells003:12:= Indian Corne more 12 bushells001:18:= ": 12 bushells of Rye 11: 8s: a pannell & pillion 15s003:03:= ": in a Cart rope 8s: in blasted wheate 10s: 4 bushell of mault 18s001:16:= ": one bushell & halfe of mault000:06:9 In Cellar:,,: old barrells & other old Lumber as hogsheads000:10:= ,,: an old Cart wheels & part of a bed & other things as yoake clevice & other irons about the Cart003:00:= ,,: one pr of iron traces & whipiles a clevice a plow share Cutter & Coller with 5 fforkes001:02:= ,,: 2 bills due from John Parepoint018:15:= ,,: in debts due from several men012:14:9 ,,: in Cart nailes001:11:6 ,,: in boards provided for shingling the barn lento002:02:= ,,: in shingles 11000m at 16s008:16:= ,,: in nailes & clapboard003:00:= ,,: in money to be received for to releive his widow in case of necessity now in the hands of Thomas Cheny by advice to bee ready upon all demands020:12:= ,,: 37 Acres of woodland given to Joseph Cheny by Will040:00:= ,,: in Corne upon the Ground Indian & English008:00:= ,,: in grass upon the Ground fresh & salt003:00:= ,,: 8 Acres of wood Land Given to John Cheny008:00:= ,,: 20 Acres in John Cheneys possession as by will060:00:= ,,: in two parcells of meddow given by will unto John Cheney016:00:= 886:11:4
William Parke: Thomas Weld:
Edw: Dennison.

Pioneer life was replete with rough, hard toil for all; even the officials and brain-workers were not exempt from servile labors. Yet in many cases robust health compensated in part for the hardships, and the men were usually vigorous and thrifty. But the lot of the women was severe, and many of them bent under the cares of motherhood and homemaking. Medical practice was very stupid in that period; and it is not astonishing that public opinion on the subject of sickness was very erroneous, often absurd, sometimes cruel.

Even the pastors, animated by the most benevolent motives, frequently applied their religious opinions to the sick in ways which appear at once grotesque and sad to us in this age of widespread knowledge of hygiene. The following item from the Roxbury church record shows how an overworn and nervously prostrated mother in the community was looked upon by those who truly loved her, but who completely misunderstood her case.

"1673, 24. 3m. Margaret Cheany widow having been long bound by Satan under a melancholick distemper, (above 10 or 11 yeares) wch made her wholy neglect her Calling & live mopishly, this day gave thanks to God for loosing her chain, & confessing & bewailing her sinful yielding to temptation."

She thus appears to have recovered from that "nervous prostration" (as we should call it to-day) six years after her husband's death. During that time her eldest son, Thomas, had left his Cambridge farm to the care of others, and lived with her on the Roxbury homestead. A few years later the good widow married a second husband, a Mr. "Burge" or "Burges," whose Christian name has not been found in any record, associated with her, so that we have no means of identifying him. Their wedded bliss could not have endured long, for in a deed of some property in the latter part of the year 1679, she was described as a "widow." Here we have the deed of the Boston property referred to in Mr. Cheney's will.

"MARGARET BURDGE of Roxbury in New England, widow, Relict of William Cheeny sometime of sd. Roxbury Dece st. Thomas Hastings of Watertown & Margaret his wife, Thomas Wight and Mehitable his wife, and Joseph Cheeny of Medfield the son and daughters of the aforenamed William Cheeny, for and in consideration of the Sume of thirty pounds current money of New England unto the sd Margaret Burdge for her necessary use well and truely paid" &c. convey to Samuel Shrimpton of Boston, merchant, "a Parcell of Land in Boston fronting upon a Laine leading from the Broad street (neer the Town house) unto the Town dock, and is bounded upon the sd Laine Easterly measuring in breadth ffourteen foote more or less, and upon the land of the widow Armitage Northerly, the Land of John Usher westerly, and Land of John Parker or his successors Southerly, or howsoever otherwise bounded, measuring in length or

depth four and twenty foote more or less, bearing the aforesaid breadth throughout its whole depth; with all the Stones & bricks now upon the sd Land (the remaines of the Tenement or building late standing thereupon)." ... March 15, 1679/80. "Thomas Cheeny one of the Executors of the last will of William Cheeny" consented to the deed. It would be interesting to know how this Boston property was obtained. No deed of purchase is on record. July 2, 1668, Rev. John Wilson sold a part of his lot (which was on the North side of State street, between Washington and Devonshire) to Hezekiah Usher; and mentioned this lot of William Cheney's as forming part of the Eastern boundary. We thus locate the tract as a portion of a piece of land which Anthony Stoddard sold in 1644 to James Mattock and he to James Synderland [Sunderland]; and three days later John Parker bought the Southern portion of the tract, and Edward Goodwin was named as bounding Parker's piece on the North. How this last strip passed into the possession of William Cheney is a point on which there is at present no light. Not far from that time she removed to Boston; was dismissed from the Roxbury church to the "South Church, Boston," April 9, 1682, and received May 19, following, each clerk setting her down as the "widow Cheney"! And here occurred a transaction which was a mere "redtape" formality of that period, in connection with that removal, but which seems needless and ridiculous to us to-day. Thomas Cheney "became surety to the town of Boston that his mother Margaret Burge and her family would not become chargeable to the town," April 24, 1682. Such bonds had to be given in the case of well-known, even wealthy people. Only a few more years pass, and the widow's hand makes the letter "M" as her "mark" -- because she could not see clearly or handle the pen steadily, we will suppose -- in signing her will. Why she had her home in Boston in her last days, and with whom she resided, no one explains. Perhaps some child of her second husband made a home for her; or she may have had a brother or sister residing there. The witnesses to her will are persons entirely unconnected with her, so far as we know. Robert Sanderson was a wealthy goldsmith, and Elizabeth was his second wife. His son Benjamin refers in his will, in 1679, to "sister Mary Sinderlin," i.e. Synderland or Sunderland; which suggests the former owner of the house in Boston. But this is all we can say now. The "old South Church" had been her church home, but she was laid by her former husband at Roxbury July 3, 1686, with a suitable prayer offered, we may suppose, by the venerable "Apostle Eliot, for the church record has this entry: 1686 M. 5. d. 3. Aged Sist. Cheny buryed."

CHILDREN OF WILLIAM AND MARGARET CHENEY.

II. MARGARET,2 b. (???), m. in Roxbury, in April, 1650, Dea.
Thomas Hastings, one of the leading men of Watertown, both
in civil and religious affairs.
Thomas Hastings aged 29 years, with his wife Susanna, aged 25, embarked at Ipswich, Eng. April 10, 1634, in the Elizabeth, William Andrews, master. The 1st wife Susanna d. Feb. 2, 1650, and he m. 2d, Margaret Cheney. There is no record of children by the first wife, but the second wife bore the following: Children of Dea. Thomas and Margaret (Cheney) Hastings: (1) Thomas Hastings, b. July 1, 1652; (2) John Hastings, b. March 1, 1653-4; (3) William Hastings, b. Aug. 8, 1655; (4) Joseph Hastings, b. Sept. 12, 1657; (5) Benjamin Hastings, b. Aug. 9, 1659; (6) Nathaniel Hastings, b. Sept 25, 1661; (7) Hephzibah

Hastings, b. Jan. 31, 1663-4, m. Dea. Wm Bond; (8) Samuel Hastings, b. March 12, 1665-6. 2.
III. THOMAS,2 b. 3.
IV. WILLIAM,2 b.
V. JOHN,2 b. in Roxbury Sept. 29, 1639. He fitted for and entered Harvard College. So much is proved by the line at the top of a page in the ledger of the College steward,-- "John Cheeney is debitor,"-- in the fashion in which students' names were regularly written after they had passed their examinations. There was no other person of the name to have thus entered, except John son of John and Martha Cheney of Newbury, unless William Cheeney of Middletown, Conn., may have had a son bearing this name, of whom no memorial has come down; all probabilities point to the Roxbury youth as the Harvard student whose beginning of a course is thus chronicled about the year 1655, when Thomas2 Cheney was just making a home in Cambridge. However not a line further has been found in College annals to tell us the length of "John Cheeney" 's stay at Harvard, or the reason for his failing to be enrolled as a graduate. When his administrators refer to him they call him a "batcheler", which might only mean that he was unmarried, or might refer to his having taken the degree of bachelor of arts. We know nothing of his career; but his death was recorded as both sudden and sad. "Found dead in our river"; "it was apprehended by ye Jury that he slipd in accidentally as he was catching of Eales". As he had inherited property from his father there was something of an estate; and the family arranged and agreed in its settlement. "Administration to the Estate of John Cheney the Sonne of William Cheny a Batcheler Late of Roxbery" was granted to Humphrey Johnson of Hingham, 29th: 11th: 1671. He presented an Inventory which showed "20 acres of land at the Great Lottes wth house & orchard"; "One acre of Salt meadow and two of fresh", and "Eight acres of woodland"; together with a sword, some tools, a feather bed and bolster, wearing apparel, etc.; œ179. 18. 61. Joseph, as his youngest brother, laid claim at first to the estate; but yielded and took his share with the rest, on their giving him the feather bed and clothes. Hastings, Johnson and Wight, and Thomas, William and Joseph Cheney placed themselves on record in an agreement for division of the property. Hastings, b. Jan. 31, 1663-4, m. Dea. Wm Bond; (8) Samuel Hastings, b. March 12, 1665-6. 2. III. THOMAS,2 b. 3. IV. WILLIAM,2 b. V. JOHN,2 b. in Roxbury Sept. 29, 1639. He fitted for and entered Harvard College. So much is proved by the line at the top of a page in the ledger of the College steward,-- "John Cheeney is debitor,"-- in the fashion in which students' names were regularly written after they had passed their examinations. There was no other person of the name to have thus entered, except John son of John and Martha Cheney of Newbury, unless William Cheeney of Middletown, Conn., may have had a son bearing this name, of whom no memorial has come down; all probabilities point to the Roxbury youth as the Harvard student whose beginning of a course is thus chronicled about the year 1655, when Thomas2 Cheney was just making a home in Cambridge. However not a line further has been found in College annals to tell us the length of "John Cheeney" 's stay at Harvard, or the reason for his failing to be enrolled as a graduate. When his administrators refer to him they call him a "batcheler", which might only mean that he was unmarried, or might refer to his having taken the degree of bachelor of arts. We know nothing of his career; but his death was recorded as both sudden and sad. "Found dead in our river"; "it was apprehended by ye Jury that he slipd in accidentally as he was catching of Eales". As he had inherited property from his father there was something of an estate; and the family arranged and agreed in its settlement. "Administration to the Estate of John Cheney the Sonne of William Cheny a Batcheler Late of Roxbery" was granted to Humphrey Johnson of Hingham, 29th: 11th: 1671. He presented an Inventory which showed "20 acres of land at the Great Lottes wth house & orchard"; "One acre of Salt meadow and two of fresh", and "Eight acres of woodland"; together with a sword, some tools, a feather bed and bolster, wearing apparel, etc.; œ179. 18. 61. Joseph, as his youngest brother, laid claim at first to the estate; but yielded and took his share with the rest, on their giving him the feather bed and clothes. Hastings, Johnson and Wight, and Thomas, William and Joseph Cheney placed themselves on record in an agreement for division of the property. VI. MEHITABEL,2 b. in Roxbury June 1, baptized June 4, 1643, m.
Thomas Wight, Jr. of Medfield. Children: (1) Mehitabel Wight, b. June 12, 1663, (2) Thomas Wight, b. Oct. 27, 1665, (3) Marie Wight, b. Feb. 20, 1667, (4) Eleazer Wight, b. June 1, 1669, (5) Joshua Wight, b. July 25, 1681.
4. VII. JOSEPH,2 b. in Roxbury June 6, 1647.

DESCENDANTS OF WILLIAM OF ROXBURY.

SECOND GENERATION.

2. THOMAS,2 (William1) m. in Roxbury Jan. 11, 1655, Jane Atkinson, of whose birth and parentage no record has been found; she lived to a good old age, and died not far from the 29th of July, 1724.

Thomas Cheney lived in Roxbury only a few years after his marriage; he was a member of a committee appointed by the town to inspect the bounds between Roxbury and Dorchester, Jan. 29, 1654/5; then he selected a spot on the south side of Charles River, within the limits of Cambridge at that time, but later included in Brighton, now in Boston, and made his home there. The deed of this earliest purchase is on record.

Richard Dana of Cambridge with Ann, his wife, for œ146, sold to "Thomas cheny of the same place, husbandman," "One messuage or tenemt, being the now Mansion place of mee the said Richard Dana, & being sittuate on the south side of Charles River within the bounds & limits of Cambridge abovesaid; conteyning one dwelling house with the lands adjoyneing, being by estimation about seventy accres, & is bounded with Roxbury High way on the South, & a High way anent Nathaniel Sparhawks land on the east, also on the North a Highway and ye. land of mr Edward Jackson & Thomas Browne on the West. Also a parcell of land neare the landing place at the River," .. also a parcel of marsh land about thirteen acres and liberty of a highway to it. April 26, 1659.

His second purchase of which we find record was made Dec. 20, 1665; it was a tract of 2 1/2 acres, bought of

On p. 15 of the First Book of Records we find "A Record of an Agreement between Thomas Cheney and Giles Payson, Tobias Davis. This wrighting testifieth a mutual agreement betwen Thomas Cheney and Deacon Giles Payson with the helpe and concurence of the select men and feoffese of the schoole of Roxbury concerning a highway leading throw the land of Giles Payson and so leading into the Land of the said Thomas Cheney at the Great lot. The agreement and conclusion of the foresaid diferdence with a great dale of love and condescendancy (is as followeth) the said Deacon Payson doth freely give throw his land, where the dirty barrs are where formerly proprietys use to goe in at one Rood broad next to Ralph Himenways fence beginning there one Rood wide one the Right hand of a Rock sone after you a come into the barrs and there being a small parcell of land one the right hand sone after you are in at the barrs this land the sd Cheney is to bye of the said Payson and to allow him after three pounds one acer and to pay it in mony. Furdermore the said Payson is to fence out one halfe of this hyeway beginning his part at the first entring in at the barrs and ... even to make and soficiently maintaine the same and the said Thomas Cheney is to make and maintaine the other halfe fence betwen the Highway and the land of the said Paysons and to ... the fence soficient and forever to maintaine it so and for the ... settlement of this way Ensigne Davis doth also agree to ... throw his land for the runing up this way to the land of the sd Cheneys the one making one halfe of the fence and the other the Other halfe of the fence and for ever to make soficient and for ever to maintaine the same to the faithful performance of the foresaid premises we have hereunto set our hands this 10:11 72. Witnes hereunto William Park Giles Payson Isaac Johnson Thomas Cheney Griffin Crafts Tobias Davis Ensigne Davis Giles Payson and Thomas Cheney hath acknowledged this agreement to be thare Act and Deed 21 :6. 1677 before me J. Dudley Assist" It was not many years before the return of the good man to his Cambridge estates. There he passed his declining days in comfort and peace, with much to make him happy, both in his own home and in those of his sons and daughters. At length he felt that he had not much time left, and he called in his neighbor, Thomas Oliver, who wrote moderately and spelled extravagantly, and dictated the following will. His hand trembled and his eyes blurred as he signed it.

The recorder of wills for Middlesex county marked on the back of the document "Thomas China (Cheney)."

THE WILL OF THOMAS2 CHENEY.

I Thomas Chany of Cambridge, in the County of Middlesex in newengland, being throuth the favour and patience of god towards me at this time sound in judgment and memory: I do By these preasents constitute ordaine and declare, my last will and testement as foloweth (viz.) my presious and immortal soul I do desire to comitt humbly and beleivingly into the hand of god father, son and holy ghost, desiring to rest aloan on jesus Christ for life and salvation, my body I do comitt to the dust from which it was taken their to rest in hope of a happy resserection at the last day and to be desently buried at the discretion of my children and christian freinds, and that estate which god hath given me I do dispose of as followeth (viz) my just debts and pheunerall expenses being first discharged: my will is that my beloved wife jane Chany, shall have my dwelling house and barne and sider mill, orchard and all the land adjoyning to it: and ten acres of my marsh and all my swamp meddow and the upland adjoining to it accept such a parte as is hearafter mentioned, and also my household stuff and tools for husbandry, and all my stock, accept such a parte as is hear after other wise disposed of) in her hand and to be used by and under her mandgement for her maintenance and the bringing up my Children untill my son Benjamin Chany be full too and twenty years of adge, and when my son Benjamin shall be too and twenty years ould my will is that my too sons Joseph and Benjmin shall pay unto their sd mother, for her maintanance fourteen pounds a yeare yearly the one half in mony the other half as mony, this during her lifoin an estate of widdohood, my will is that my son Joseph shall pay to her six pounds a yeare, and my son Benjamin shall pay to her eight pounds a yeare, yearly, in maner as aforesaid but if my wife shall marrie againe, then my will is that my too sons afore sd shall pay unto their sd mother, forty shillings a yeare in mony yearly during her lif, also I do give to my wife on horse and one Cow for her oune: (Item) I do give to my son Thomas Chany to what he hath formerly had, one five acre lott lieing in Roxbury comonly Called Boalyis lott, he setting of with my executors four pounds in mony which I borrowed of him, and likwise paying to them forty shillings in mony, that if he shall be [ ] to discount sd four pounds in mony and to pay to my executors sd forty shillings on that account, then I do give to my sd son Thomas only forti shillings to be paid to him in or as mony and the aforesaid five acre lott I do leave in the hands of my executors to dispose of to pay debts as they shall have occasion, (item) I do give to my son William Chany forty shillings

to be paid to him in or as mony: (Item) I do give to my son Joseph four and twenty acres of upland and six acres of meddow at my swampe off the west ende of it, sd tract of upland to be taken off the west side of my land liing their, and six acres of the hither or south ende of my marsh -- and farther my will is that when my son Benjamin shall be to and twenty years of adge, then my son Joseph shall have and injoy all my upland at weady hill, accept twelve acres on the east side liing by the land of Icobad Brown and also so much more of my swamp meddow as shall amount to one half of it including the six acres formerly given him being the west side of it that is to say one half of my swamp and meddow bouth cleared and uncleared also too acres more of my marsh joyning to the aforesaid [ ... ] six acres [ ... ] also the west half of the orchyarde by the dwelling house for the tearme of six years, also I do give to my son Joseph a libertie to make his sider at the sider mill frely for the tearme of six years. (Item) I do give unto my son Benjamin when he shall be full too and twenty years of adge my dwelling house and barne and sider mill, orchyard and all my land adjoyning theirunto, also twelve acres of upland at weady hill joyning to the land of Ichabod Brown, and the west half of my swamp meddow cleared and uncleared, and half of my marsh not before disposed of, also my will is that my son Benjamin shall have good libertie to pass over the marsh of my son Joseph at all times as he have occasion without denial or molestation, and I do give to my son Benjamin all my unsalls for husbandry (item) I do give to my son Nicolas ffishington one small parcell of land which his new house stands upon as it is bounded out and also eight pounds more to be paid to him in or as mony (item) i do give to my son James turner ten pound which shall be accounted part of the fifty pound which I promised him when he married my daughter (item) i do give to my son John Holbrook a lott within the bounds of Cambridge to [...] more or less called ffrancisis lott and more ten pounds to be paid to him in or as mony (item) i do give to my daughter jane Chany forty pound to be paid to her in or as mony (item,) I do give to my daughter hanah Chany forty pounds to be paid to her in or as mony (item) i do give to my grandchild Hezaciah Turner if he live with my wife or my son Benjamin untill he be one and twenty yeare of adge) forty pounds in or as mony to be paid to him within too years after he cometh to be one and twenty years of adge, accept my executors shall see good to put him to a trade if so then my will is that he shall have but twenty pound paid to him in time and maner as afore sd: also my will is that my son Joseph shall pay thurty pounds of the lagacies given in this my will, and that my son Benjamin shall pay the remainder of the said lagacies, also my will is that my sons shall have six years after my decease to pay the lagacies given in this my will, moreover my will is that my wife shall have libertie to take what room in the house she shall neade for her oun use, also what room in the saller she shall have occasion for to improve for her oun use without molestation during her life in a st of widdowhood, also I do give to my wife al my houshold stuff, for her use and to give and dispose of as she pleaseth, also my will is that my son Benjamin shall keep for my wife one horse and one cow for her use during her widdowhood, the rest of my House not before disposed of I do leave in the hand of my executors to pay debts or help pay lagacies as they shall se occasion and I do hearby ordaine and appoynt my beloved wife jane Chany to be my executor and my son Nicolas ffishington to be my executor with her to execute this my will, in acknowledgment of this to be my last will and testament I do hereunto sett my hande and seale this twenty third day of october in the yeare of our lord one thousand six hundred and ninety three and in the fourth year of the reygne of king William and queen Mary

Thomas Cheney (seal)
Signed and Sealed before
these witnessis
Thomas Oliver
Nathaniell Robins
Thomas Bellknap
Charlestowne Novembr 6th 1693.

By ye Honourable James Russell Esq. Mr Thomas Oliver, Nathanl Robbins & Thomas Belknap the wittnesses subscribed personally appearing made oath that they were present and saw ye subscriber Thomas China sign & seal and heard him publish and declare ye within to be his last will and Testament & that then when he so did he was of good understanding & of a disposing minde.

Jurat Coram
Samll. Phipps Regr. Jas. Russell.

The date of his death is not recorded.

The widow lived in Cambridge among her children and grandchildren, amply provided for; a part of the time her home was with her grandson, Hezekiah Turner. A business statement signed by her July 13, 1724, is her latest memorial; and a reference to July 29, 1724, in the probate papers of her son Benjamin.

.I... MARGARET,8 b. Nov. 26, 1656, m. in Cambridge, in 1673, Nicholas Fessenden, one of the most efficient and prosperous men of the young town. Born in England, he came hither to help his childless uncle, John Fessenden, who made him his heir. Nicholas Fessenden was a man of large sagacity, often in town office, greatly respected; he d. Feb. 24, 1718-9; his wife d. Dec. 10, 1717; both lie buried near the old church in Cambridge. Children: (1) Jane Fessenden, b. Oct. 25, 1674, d. July 24, 1676; (2) Hannah Fessenden, b. Aug. 27, 1676, d. Sept. 1676; (3) John Fessenden, b. Oct. 4, 1677; (4) Nicholas Fessenden, b. Jan. 12, 1680, grad. Harv. Coll. 1701, register of Probate, Master Gram. Sch. Cambridge; d. Oct. 5, 1719; (5) Thomas Fessenden, b. and d. 1682; (6) Thomas Fessenden, b. Aug. 12, 1684, res. Lexington(*); (7) Margaret Fessenden, b. Jan. 22, 1686; (8) Jane Fessenden, b. April 22, 1688, m. Jan. 10, 1711, Samuel Winship; (9) Mary Fessenden, b. Oct. 28, 1689, m. June 15, 1712, Joshua Parker; (10) Ebenezer Fessenden; (11) William Fessenden; (12) Joseph Fessenden, bapt. Jan. 17, 1696; (13) Anna Fessenden, bapt. Jan. 9, 1697; (14) Benjamin Fessenden, bapt. June 15, 1701, grad. Harv. Coll. 1718, ordained at Sandwich Sept. 12, 1722, d. Aug. 7, 1746, an eminent minister.
II. THOMAS,3 b. Dec. 25, 1658.
III. MEHITABEL,3 b. Feb. 20, 1660.
IV. JOHN,3 b. in 1662, d. in Cambridge Aug. 6, 1689, "aged 26". This young man seems to have begun life hopefully, and formed pleasant friendships. But a sad end came. One evening he was riding out with several young friends, one of whom was John Hancock (who soon after became minister at Lexington), when (*) The sixth child of Nicholas and Margaret (Cheney) Fessenden, Thomas, had, by wife Mary Locke, a dau. Elizabeth who mar. John Pierce, Jr. of Dorchester. Among the descendents of this Pierce-Fessenden line are the late Rev. John Pierce, D. D., of Brookline; Mr. William Blake Trask, of Dorchester, the distinguished genealogist; Mrs. Benjamin Pierce Cheney, of Boston; Col. Albert A. Pope, "the founder of the American Bicycle Industry"; Alexander Pope, the animal painter; and the compiler of this book.
V. WILLIAM,8 b. June 30, 1663.
VI. MARY,8 b. April 17, 1665, m. Sept. 24, 1684, John Holbrook, of Roxbury, b. in 1664, d. Sept. 26, 1735; she d. April 24, 1751.
VII. JANE,8 b. June 5, bapt. June 13, 1667, m. March 6, 1693, Thomas
Belknap, of Woburn.
VIII. JOSEPH,3 b. Feb. 16, bapt. Feb. 19, 1670.
IX. HANNAH,8 b. July 6, bapt. July 13, 1673.
X. BENJAMIN,8 b. Jan. 29, bapt. Jan. 30, 1675.
XI. EBENEZER,8 b. Nov. 2, bapt. Nov. 3, 1678, d. Nov. 17, 1689.

CHILDREN.

THE WILL OF JOSEPH CHENEY OF MEDFIELD.

In the Name of God Amen on the Fifteenth day of September 1704. I Joseph Cheany of Medfield in N: Engld. Husbandman, being very Sick and weak of Body, but of perfect mind and memory, and calling to mind that it is appointed for all men once to dye. Do make and constitute this my last Will and Testament. And first of all and principally I do reccommend my Soul into the hands of Jesus Christ my Redeemer, and my body to the Earth, to be buried in decent manner, at the discretion of my Exectrs And as for Such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I do will, bequeath, demise and dispose of, in Such manner as followeth. Item I do will and bequeath unto my well beloved Daughter Margaret Bullard Such things as she hath already received, Vizt: Two Cows, a Bed and Beding, household Stuff and wearing Apparel, all Amounting to the value of Twenty three pounds, four shills. which the sd. Margaret Bullard shall have forever, for her whole share in my Estate. Item I do will & order That all my just Debts and funeral charges be paid out of my Estate, and to that end I do will and impower my Executrs. to make Sale of Four Acres of Meadow in Dedham bounds, lying on Stop River, and to give a firme Title of the Same forever, for to pay Debts. I do also will That one Cow be pd. to Mehittabel Hinsdell. Item I do will & bequeath unto Mehittabel Cheany, my Dear and loveing Wife, One Third part of all my houses and Lands, during the Terme of her life, and One Third part of all my personal Estate, to be at her dispose forever. And as for my other Estate, both real and personal Estate, I do will and bequeath the same unto the rest of all my Well beloved Sons and Daughters, to be equally divided to them and to their lawful Representatives, if any of them shall be dead, excepting my Daughter the said Margaret Bullard, who hath already received her portion, provided also that my eldest Son Josiah Cheany shall have two shares or a double portion and also my daughter Mehittabel Morse haveing already received fourteen pounds, shall receive fourteen pounds less then her Single Share. And as for my Wifes Dower or Thirds in the houses and Lands, at the Expiration of her Term it shall be alike divided as aforesd The said division of my whole Estate shall not be made until my son Ephraim Cheany shall come to the Age of Twenty one years, but my whole Estate both personal and real Estate shall be in the Improvemt. of my Exectrs herein named, for

the bringing up and education of such of my children as are under age, until such time as the sd. Ephraim Cheany shall be at the said age; And also what building and enlargemt: in building upon the Land that belongs to my Estate before the time of the sd. division, as my said Son Josiah Cheany shall make, he shall have them for his own. And I do make and appoint my loveing and dear Wife the sd Mehittabel Cheany, and my Son the said Josiah Cheany, to be Executors of this my last Will and Testament. And I do revoke and disallow all other, and former Wills and Testaments, Eexecs. Legacies and bequests made by me, Ratifying this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I the said Joseph Cheany have hereunto set my hand & seal the day and year above written. Joseph Cheany [seal] Eleazer Wheelock John Thurston Henry Adams. CHILDREN OF JOSEPH.2