Suffolk County Wills & Obits
submitted by Sherrill Stevens
WILL OF EDWARD STEVENS
WILL OF THOMAS STEPHENS
WILL OF ELLIS COOK
submitted by Sherrill Stevens
THE WILL OF EDWARD STEPHENS
In the name of God, Ahmen. I, Edward
Stephens of the village of Quogue, in the town of southampton,
County of Suffolk, and State of New York - being in health of
body, not yet unmindful of its approaching dispolution, and to
put my house in order for that event, do make and publish this my
last will and testement in manner and form following; that is to
say -
First, I give unto my wife Martha, and daughter Abigail, the use
and improvement of the one equal half of my dwelling house, well
of water and necessary appurtenances for the occupation thereof,
including my wife's right of dower therein-to hold to them and
the survivor of them during the natural life of such survivor- I
also give and bequeath unto my said wife and daughter all my
personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever.
Item, I give unto my son Thomas Stephens, the sum of one hundred
and fifty dollars, to be paid as after mentioned--
Item, I give and devise unto my son Malon, and to his heirs and
assigns forever the whole of my Quogue Neck and homestead as far
back as the north end of my son Edward's land, upon condition
that he pay to my daughter Martha seven dollars yearly during her
natural life; as also the one equal third part of all my debts
and incidental expenses attending the settlement of my estate.
Item, I give and devise unto my oldest son Edward, and to his
heirs and assigns forever the two equal undivided third parts of
all my land in Assup's Neck, upon condition that he pay to my son
Thomas, one hundred dollars, the one equal third part of all my
debts and incidental expenses in the settlement of my estate--as
also seven dollars annually to my daughter Martha during her
natural life.
Item, I give and devise unto my son Halsey, and to his heirs and
assigns forever, the one equal third part of all my land in the
Assups' Neck upon condition that he pay tomy son Thomas fifty
dollars, the one third of all my debts and incidental expenses in
the settlement of my estate--as also seven dollars annually to my
daughter MArtha during her natural life.
Item, I give and devise unto my sons Edward, Malon, and Halsey,
and to their heirs and assigns forever all the residue and
remainder of my real estate--and I hereby constitute and appoint
the said Edward and Halsey, executors of this my last will and
testament. In witness whereof (after the erasure of the words
"to my son Thomas fifty dollars and") I here unto set
my hand and seal this eleventh day of September, 1830.
Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Edward
Stephens, as his last will and testement in the presence of us,
who in his presence and at his request have subscribed our names
as witnesses.
Signed: Edward Stephens L.S.
John Gordon
_____Osborn Southampton, Suffolk.
It is therefore ordered that the said last Will and Testement
with the proofs be recorded.
I do certify that the foregoing is a true record of the last Will
and TEstement of Edward Stephens, late of the Town of Southampton
in the County of Suffolk, deceased, and the proofs and
examinations taken and had in the Surrogate's Court of the County
of Suffolk relative to the proof of the said last Will and
Testement, of the said Edward Stephens, deceased, as a will
whereby real estate is devised.
In testimony whereoff, I, Hugh Halsey
Surrogate of the said County, have hereunto subscribed my name
this 18th day of February, 1830.
Hugh Halsey, Surrogate
submitted by Sherrill Stevens
WILL OF THOMAS STEPHENS
"The following is the will of one
Thomas Stephens, one of my direct ancestors.
"He was generally known as Capt. Thomas Stephens, and was an
extensive landowner and man of importance. His homestead in
Southampton village, which he left to his son Thomas, was sold by
him to Micaiah Herrick.
"At the burying ground at Quogue is a tombstone bearing the
inscription, "Capt. Thomas Stephens, who died March 20,
1779, in the 74 year of his Age."
"His wife was Elizabeth Cook,
daughter of Ellis Cook one of the earliest settlers of
Southampton."
Thomas Stephens B. about 1650, died 1700.
--wife was Elizabeth Cook, daughter of Ellis Cook
Early Long Island Wills, Page 216.
By the Honorable Coll William Smith Judge of ye Prerogative Court
in ye County of Suffolk - To all to whom these presents shall
come Greeting. Know ye that whereas Thomas Stevens late of
S'hampton in ye County of Suffolk departed this life on ye 26th
day of November Anno Dom 1700 leaving no Executor and Elizabeth
Stevens the widow of ye sd deceased for certain causes her
hereunto moving hath prayed that the administration of ye goods
& chattels of ye said deceased may be granted to her ye widow
aboves to whom was granted the sd administration with full power
&c. on ye 11th day of Decr. Anno Dom 1700.
Notes: Captain Thomas Stephens lived on the east side of main
street of Southampton, on the present homestead of heirs of
Captain James Herrick. Some of his descendants are living in the
western part of the town.
RESEARCH
Notes from Genealogical Dictionary of New England, Volume IV -
Savage 1873
In addition to farming and livestock raising, Thomas Stephens
also owned a boat in which he went about the whaling business. He
was the owner of the boat and therefore entitled to the title of
Captain.
Howell Pp 181 - "In 1687 there were fourteen whaling
companies of twelve men each in the town of Southampton who
reported an estimate of the oil then in their possession, the
result probably of the catch of one season." Thomas Stephens
& Co had one of the larger having 264 bbls. James Cooper
& Co had 144 bbls.
submitted by Sherrill Stevens
WILL OF ELLIS COOK
Ellis Cook was one of
the early settlers, his name appearing on the list of 1644. In
1663 he made his will, having w. Martha d. of John Cooper of
Southampton and ch 2 John, 3 Ellis, 4 Martha, 5 Elizabeth and 6
Mary. His youngest son 7 Abial or Abiel was born soon after his
death. Ellis lived on the homestead of the late George Herrick.
While retaining this homestead he removed to and resided at Mecox
as early as 1659 and after his death (which occurred as I suppose
about 1663), in 1690 his widow and son Abiel unite in exchanging
the Southampton homestead for one in Mill Neck (as Watermill was
then called) belonging to Thomas Stephens, who had married 5
Elizabeth Oct 20, 1675......
Ellis Cook's Will as shown in Mormon Church Records:
Inventory of the Will of Ellis Cook, 2/26/1678/9
Page 207 - Ellis Cook, Southampton. Leaves to son John when
twenty-one, "if
Pp 81-82 "The Records of the Court of Sessions of Suffolk
County in the Province of New York, 1670-1688 (Thomas W. Cooper,
1993)
The Will of Ellis Cook
Ellis is buried in Mecox cemetery, Bridge Hampton, Long Island,
NY
His headstone reads:
"Here lyeth the body of Ellis Cook who departed this live
Nov. the 18th Ano. 17"
This page was last updated October 6, 2000.