Last
Will & Testament of Asa Sparks
Transcribed
by Michele Valenzano
Asa
Sparks of Sheffield
Last
Will & Testament of Asa Sparks
In
the name of God, amen.
I,
Asa Sparks of Sheffield in the county of Berkshire and Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, yeomen, infirm of body and conceiving myself
threatened with death, tho thro the mercy of God of sound mind
and memory desire to give up my spirit to God who gave it, and
my body to be at his disposal, believing the same will be raised
thro the power of Christ, at the General Resurrection, and concerning
the estate and property which God has given me, I do make and
declare and publish this my last will and testament, revoking
and annulling hereby all other and former wills and devises.
In
the first place i do give and devise to my dear and beloved wife,
Abigail Sparks, one third part of all my personal goods and estate
to her use and behoof forever and also the use and improvement
of one third part in quantity and quality of the house land and
tenement in said Sheffield, on which I now live, being the same
purchased from - William Mason, and containing one hundred and
fifty acres, for and during her natural life.
Item,
I give and devise to my beloved son William Sparks and sum of
fifty dollars. To my beloved son, Lemuel Sparks the sum of ten
dollars. To my beloved daughter Sabra Smith
wife of Merritt Smith the sum of one hundred dollars. To
matilda Chapin, wife of Moses Chapin,
who is also a beloved daughter, one hundred dollars. I furthermore
devise to my beloved sons Comfort Sparks and Talbot Sparks the
farm of land on Mount Washington which I purchased of William
Fellows containing about three hundred acres, excepting however
there from a small parcel thereof already bargained to be conveyed
to David Coon and Adam Tihre to have and to hold them, their heirs
and assigns forever, as tenants in common, also I devise to my
beloved son Joseph Sparks, the sum of five hundred dollars to
be paid to him by my executor hereinafter to be named in five
annual payments of one hundred dollars each. To my beloved daughter,
Luanna, wife of Fairchild Stevens and Clara, wife of John More,
I give and devise the sum of fifty dollars each. Also to my beloved
son Benjamin I give and devise the residue and remainder of all
my personal and real estate of what kind and nature corner which
is not herein before devised and particularly the following tracts
and parcels viz: one tract lying in Salisbury in the county of
Litchfield purchased from Calvin Loring and Jonathan Scovell supposed
to contain fifty five acres also the farm of land lying on Mount
Washington which I purchased of Joseph Webb supposed to contain
two hundred and fifty acres. Also the farm or homestead in said
Sheffield
whereon I now
live, excepting there from the use and improvement of one third
part thereof, already devised to my
wife Abigail Sparks, one tract of land containing about eighty
acres lying in Sheffield
and adjoining
the homestead, which I purchased the Commonwealth. Also on tract
or parcel of land lying on Mount
Washington
on the east line thereof, containing fifty acres and purchased
of Ezekieh Lamdan and Minor Owen. To have and to hold to him the
said Benjamin all the aforesaid tracts and parcels and all other
real estate whereof I am owner not herein particularly specified
to him, his heirs and assigns forever.
And
I hereby appoint my aforesaid son Benjamin to be the executor
of this my last will and testament. And it is my will that the
said executor shall pay all my just and physicians bill and funeral
charges, and also all the specific legacies before mentioned out
of the personal property have devised unto him. And in testimony
to this as my true will and last testament thereunto set my hand
and seal this fourth day of July and in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and thirteen.
(signed)
Asa Sparks
Signed,
sealed, published
& declared to be the testators last will and
testament in presence and hearing of three witnesses, viz. Atwater
Cook, Zacheus Cande, Wyllys Bartholomew
Pursuant
to a warrant to us directed by the Hon. William Walker, Esq. Judge
of the court of probate for the
County
of
Berkshire
.
We,
the subscribers having been first sworn as the said warrant directs,,
have appraised upon oath all the real estate whereof Asa Sparks
late of Sheffield
, deceased,
testate died seized within this Commonwealth, as follows, viz:
Lot
No. 1st being that farm of land called the homestead lying on
both sides of the highway with the buildings thereon standing
that is to say one newish dewlling house, one newish barn, one
old do. one corn house containing one
hundred and twentynine acres of land appraised in the whole at
two thousand eight hundred and eighty six dollars.
Lot
No. 2nd.
called the Woodworth Lot which was owned in common by the said
testator and Benjamin Sparks said testator's son which we have
severed and divided to the said Benjamin we have set the house
and one acre of land to the estate of the said testator that part
of the lot lying south of said house and one acre of land, the
lot belonging to the estate of the said testator contains eleven
acres appraised at one hundred and ninety eight dollars.
Lot
No. 3rd, being a piece of land adjoining the homestead at the
southwest corner thereof containing nineteen acres and forty rods
of land appraised at sixty eight dollars and fifty cents.
Lot
No. 4th, is a lot of land lying in
the town of Mount
Washington
known by Lot No. 11 containing two hundred and forty acres of
land appraised at six hundred seven dollars and fifty cents.
Lot
No. 5th, is a lot of land lying in
said town of Mount
Washington
known by Lot No. 10 containing one hundred and sixty acres of
land and appraised at four hundred dollars amounting in the whole
to four thousand one hundred and sixty dollars.
Hav
ing done this we proceeded to set off to the children of Daniel
Sparks late of said Sheffield
deceased
son of said testator as follows, viz: to Abigail Schutt, wife
of Chester Schutt one forty eight
part which
is eighty six dollars and sixty six cents in lands. One piece
of land off from the westerly part of the homestead described
and bounded as follows, to wit: beginning at a heep of stones
lying in the north line of the highway leading from said Sheffield
to Mount Washington and on the west line of widow Hannah Austin's
wood land from thence runing North 6deg 30" east750 links
to a chestnut tree and stones then south 80 deg east to a heep
of stones on said widow Austin's North line then North 14 deg
east 20 chains to a heep of stones on the north line of the homestead
then north 78 deg west 226 links to a heep of stones being the
northeast corner bounds of land hereafter set to Mariah Sparks,
then south 14 deg west 2350 llinks to a heep of stones in the
north line of the above mentioned highway then along said ling
of highway to the first bounds containing five acres and twenty
rods of land at sixty five dollars and sixty seven cents. We also
set to the said Abigail Schutt one more piece of land lying in
the town of Mount Washington off from lot known by the name of
Lot No. 10 at the north end of said lot described and bounded
as follows to wit: beginning at the north east corner of said
lot and southeast corner of lot No. 11 being a hemlock tree marked
then along the south line of Lot No. 11 n. 83 deg 15" west
2460 links to a heep of stones which is the northwest corner of
said lot No. 10 then along the west line of said Lot No. 10 south
2 deg west 205 links to a heep of stones then south 83 deg east
2460 links to a heep of stones then north 4 deg 30" east
205 links to the first bounds ontaining five acres of land set
at twentyone dollars which makes her full share of said estate.
We
set to Mariah Sparks
one forty eight
part of said
testators estate in lands described and bounded as follows. To
wit: the first piece is off from the westerly part of said testator's
homestead beginning at the southwest corner of Abigail Schutt's
share of the homestead a heep of stones in the north line of highway
from thence runing north 14 deg east 2350 links to a heep of stones
said Abigails northwest corner then north 78 deg west 280 links
to a heep of stones then south 14 deg west 2250 links to a heep
of stones in the north line of the aforementioned highway then
along the said north line of highway to the first mentioned bounds
containing six acres of land set at sixty five dollars and sixty
seven cents. We also set to the said Mariah a piece of land off
from the lot called lot No. 10 lying and being in the town of
Mount Washington described and bounded as follows, to wit: beginning
at a heep of stones being the southeast corner of land heretofore
set to Abigail Schutt then North 83 deg 15" west in the line
of said Abigail's land 2460 links to a heep of stones lying on
the west line of said lot No 10 then south 2 deg west 205 links
to a heep of stones then south 83 deg 15" east 2460 links
to a heep of stones on the east line of said lot No. 10 then N.
4 deg 30" east 205 links to the first bounds containing five
acres of land set at twenty one dollars which makes said Mariah's
full share twenty one dollars. We set to the Angeline Sparks one
forty eight part of said testators estate in lands described and
bounded as follows, to wit: the first piece bgins at the southwest
corner of land heretofore set to Mariah Sparks which corner is
a heep of stones on the north line of the highway leading from
Sheffield to Mount Washington from thence runing North 14 eg east
2150 links to the northwest corner of said Mariah's land and then
North 78 deg west 308 links to a heep of stones on the town line
between Sheffield and the Town of Mount Washington then south
14 deg west in said town line 2115 links to a heep of stones in
the north line of said highway then along said highway to the
first bounds containing six acres and eighty rods of land set
at sixty five dollars and sixty seven cents. We set also to the
said Angeline one other piece of land lying in the Town of Mount
Washington described and bounded as follows, to wit: beginning
at the southwest corner bounds of land heretofore set to Mariah
Sparks being a heep of stones on the east line of Lot No. 10 from
thence running North 83 deg 15" west 2460 links to a heep
of stones said Mariah's southwest bounds then south 2 deg west
205 links to a heep of stones on the west line of said lot then
south 83 deg 15" east 2460 links to a heep of stones on the
east line of said lot then North 4 deg 30" east 205 links
to the first bounds containing five acres of land set at twenty
one dollars. Which makes said Angeline's full share of said testator's
estate. The foregoing share set to the children and legal representatives
of said Daniel Sparks deceased are set to them and to their heirs
forever under the subjection of dower right to the said testator's
widow Mrs. Abigail Sparks. We then proceeded to set off the children
and legal representatives of Abigail deceased late wife of David
Chapin late of Salisbury in the state of Connecticut deceased
and daughter of said testator, to wit: to Martin C Chapin first
to him and his heirs one twenty fourth part of said testator's
estate in lands to be subject to the right of dower to the widow
of said testator Mrs. Abigail Sparks described and bounded as
follows, to wit: beginning at the southwest corner of that part
of he homesead lying on the east side of the highway from thence
runing south 83 deg east 650 links then south 7 deg west 85 links
to the north west corner of widow Hannah Austin's land then along
the north line of said widows land south 83 deg east 3330 links
to a stake marked on the west bank of casnoph brook then along
the west bank of said brook northerly one chain and sixty links
to a stake marked then westerly to a heep of stones in the east
line of highway then southerly in the line of highway 406 links
to the first mentioned corner containing twelve acres and three
rodes of land set at one hundred thirty dollars thirty five cents.One
other piece of land set to the said Martin C lying in Mount Washington
described and bounded as follows, to wit: beginning at the south
east corner bounds of land heretofore set to Angeline Sparks in
the east line of Lot No. 10 then north 83 deg 15" west 2460
links to a heep of stones in the west line of said lot No. 10
then south 83 deg 15 east 2360 links to a heep of stones on said
east line then north 4 deg 30" east 457 links to the first
mentioned corner contain eleven acres of land set at forty two
dollars which makes said Martin C Chapin's full share of said
estate. We then set to Abigail Chapin also twenty fourth part
of said testator's estate in lands under the same incumberance
as the foregoing share to the first piece of land begins at the
northwest corner bounds of Martin C. Chapin said bounds is in
the west line of that part of the homestead lying on the east
side of the highway from thence easterly along the north line
of said Martin's land to the brook then along the west bank of
the brook 2 chains to a stake marked, then N 75 deg west 3860
links to the aforesaid highway then along the east line of said
highway southerly 370 links to the first mentioned bounds containing
eleven acres and twenty one rods of land set at one hundred thirty
one dollars thirty five cents, also aone other piece of land lying
in the Town of Mount Washington described and bounded as follows,
to wit: beginning at the southeast corner of land we have set
to Martin C Chapin then North 83 deg 15" west 2460 links
to a heep of stones, the southwest corner of said Martin C.'s
then south 2 deg west 504 to a heep of stones on the west line
of lot No. 10 then south 81 deg 03" east 2460 links to a
heep of stones, then north 4 deg 30 east 6 chains to the first
mentioned bounds containing thirteen acres of land set at forty
two dollars which makes the said Abigail Chapin's full share of
said testator's estate.
Given
under our hands this 7th day of June 1820
John
Wars, Mr Andrews, Jesse Coe
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