Mayflower Pilgrim John Howland made his will at Plymouth on 29 May 1672 and died the following year on 23 Feb. 1673. An inventory of his estate was taken 3 March 1673. His will and inventory were recorded in Plymouth Colony Wills and Inventories, Vol. III, Part I, pages 49-54. The text of his probate file is as follows:
The Last Will and Testament of mr John Howland of Plymouth late Deceased, exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth the fift Day of March Anno Dom 1672 on the oathes of mr Samuell ffuller and mr Willam Crow as followeth
Know all men to whom these prsents shall Come That I John howland senir of the Towne of New Plymouth in the Collonie of New Plymouth in New England in America, this twenty ninth Day of May one thousand six hundred seaventy and two being of whole mind, and in Good and prfect memory and Remembrance praised be God; being now Grown aged; haveing many Infeirmities of body upon mee; and not Knowing how soon God will call mee out of this world, Doe make and ordaine these prsents to be my Testament Containing herein my last Will in manor and forme following; Imp I Will and bequeath my body to the Dust and my soule to God that Gave it in hopes of a Joyfull Resurrection unto Glory; and as Concerning my temporall estate, I Dispose therof as followeth;
Item I Doe give and bequeath unto John Howland my eldest sonne besides what lands I have already given him, all my Right and Interest To that one hundred acrees of land graunted mee by the Court lying on the eastern side of Taunton River; between Teticutt and Taunton bounds and all the appurtenances and privilidges Therunto belonging, I belonge to him and his heires and assignes for ever; and if that Tract should faile, then to have all my Right title and Interest by and in that Last Court graunt to mee in any other place, To belonge to him his heires and assignes for ever;
Item I give and bequeath unto my son Jabez Howland all those my upland and Meddow That I now posesse at Satuckett and Paomett, and places adjacent, with all the appurtenances and privilidges, belonging therunto, and all my right title and Interest therin, To belonge to him his heires and assignes for ever,
Item I Give and bequeath unto my son Jabez Howland all that my one peece of land that I have lying on the southsyde of the Mill brooke, in the Towne of Plymouth aforsaid; be it more or lesse; and is on the Northsyde of a feild that is now Gyles Rickards senir To belonge to the said Jabez his heires and assignes for ever
Item I give and bequeath into Isacke Howland my youngest sonne all those my uplands and meddowes Devided and undivided with all the appurtenances and priviliges unto them belonging, lying and being in the Towne of Middlebery, and in a tract of Land Called the Majors Purchase neare Namassakett Ponds; which I have bought and purchased of Willam White of Marshfeild in the Collonie of New Plymouth; which may or shall appeer by any Deed or writing that is Given under the said Whites hand all such Deeds or writinges Together with the aformensioned prticulares To belonge to the said Isacke his heires and assignes for ever;
Item I give and bequeath unto my said son Isacke Howland the one halfe of my twelve acree lott of Meddow That I now have att Winnatucsett River within the Towne of Plymouth aforsaid To belonge to him the said Isacke Howland his heires and assignes for ever,
Item I Will and bequeath unto my Deare and loveing wife Elizabeth Howland the use and benifitt of my now Dwelling house in Rockey nooke in the Township of Plymouth aforsaid, with the outhousing lands, That is uplands uplands and meadow lands and all appurtenances and privilidges therunto belonging in the Towne of Plymouth and all other Lands housing and meddowes that I have in the said Towne of Plymouth excepting what meadow and upland I have before given To my sonnes Jabez and Isacke howland During her naturall life to Injoy make use of and Improve for her benifitt and Comfort
Item I Give and bequeath unto my son Joseph Howland after the Decease of my loveing wife Elizabeth Howland my aforsaid Dwelling house att Rockey nooke together with all the outhousing uplands and Meddowes appurtenances and privilidges belonging therunto; and all other housing uplands and meddowes appurtenances and privilidges That I have within the aforsaid Towne of New Plymouth excepting what lands and meadowes I have before Given To my two sonnes Jabez and Isacke; To belong to him the said Joseph howland To him and his heires and assignes for ever
Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Desire Gorum twenty shillings
Item I Give and bequeath To my Daughter Hope Chipman twenty shillings
Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth Dickenson twenty shillings
Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Lydia Browne twenty shillings
Item I Give & bequeath to my Daughter Hannah Bosworth twenty shillings
Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Ruth Cushman twenty shillings
Item I Give to my Grandchild Elizabeth Howland The Daughter of my son John Howland twenty shillings
Item my will is That these legacyes Given to my Daughters, be payed by my exequitrix in such species as shee thinketh meet; Item I will and bequeath unto my loveing wife Elizabeth Howland, my Debts and legacyes being first payed, my whole estate: viz: lands houses goods Chattles; or any thinge else that belongeth or appertaineth unto mee, undisposed of be it either in Plymouth Duxburrow or Middlbery or any other place whatsoever; I Doe freely and absolutly give and bequeath it all to my Deare and loveing wife Elizabeth Howland whom I Doe by these prsents, make ordaine and Constitute to be the sole exequitrix of this my Last will and Testament to see the same truely and faithfully prformed according to the tenour therof; In witnes wherof the said John Howland senir have heerunto sett my hand and seale the aforsaid twenty ninth Day of May, one thousand six hundred seaventy and two 1672
Signed and sealed in the John Howland presence of Samuell ffuller And a seale Willam Crow.
A trew Inventory of all the goods Cattles and Chattles and Lands of Mr John Howland lately Deceased taken and aprised by Elder Thomas Cushman Serjeant Tinkham and Willam Crow the third of March Anno Dom 1672 and exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth the fift of March 1672/73 on the oathe of mrs Elizabeth Howland widdow as followeth
In the outward or fier Rome L s d
Impr I muskett 1 long Gun 1 Cutlas 1 belt, att 02 10 00
Item 1 Chimney Iron barr 2 paire of pot hangers 00 09 00
Item 1 fier shovell 1 paire of tonges 1 paire of Cob irons 00 07 00
Item 1 frying pan 1 smoothing box and Irons 00 05 06
Item 1 adds 2 axes 1 mortising axe 1 hoe 00 11 06
Item 3 augers 1 pikaxe 00 05 00
Item 1 hammer 1 paire of Pincers 1 Drawing knife 1 spliting kniffe 00 02 00
Item 2 Cow bells 1 old Chaine, and Divers peeces of old Iron Aules & a box 00 05 00
Item 2 presshookes 1 paire of sheep sheers 2 sickles 00 04 00
Item 1 pruning Instrument 1 peece of steele 00 02 00
Item 2 staples 1 peec of a Chaine 00 01 06
Item 2 staples 4 peeces of a chaine 00 01 06
Item 1 Dagger three knives 2 paire of sissers 1 paire of stilliyards 00 06 00
Item 1 padlock 1 thwart saw 3 wedges 1 ploughshare 00 10 00
Item 3 Iron potts 1 paire of pothookes 1 Iron kettle 01 06 00
Item 2 brasse kittles 1 warming pan 01 15 00
Item 1 skimer 1 ladle 1 sawsse pan 1 brasse skillet 00 04 06
Item 6 pewter platters 3 bason 3 smale pewter thinges 01 07 00
Item a quart pot 1 candlesticke 1 beer bowle 00 05 00
Item 3 porringers 1 Dram cupp 1 Tunell 00 03 00
Item 2 salt sellers 2 chamber potts 7 spoones 00 10 00
Item 1 Iron candlesticke 1 latten pott 1 Ironsockettd 00 02 00
Item 1 shove Iron 2 washers 2 old sickles and old Iron 00 02 00
Item 4 earthen potts 1 pan and 1 Jugg and earthen ware 00 02 00
Item 1 hatchell 00 05 00
Item 1 great bible and Annotations on the 5 bookes of Moses 01 00 00
Item mr Tindalls workes mr Wilsons workes 7 more bookes 01 00 00
Item 3 wheeles 1 cherne 1 straning Dish 00 13 00
Item 3 cheesfatts 11 trayes 1 kimnell 00 05 06
Item 3 pailes six tubbs 1 ladle 1 cheese ladder 00 14 06
Item trenchers Roleing pins and some smale things 00 02 00
Item 3 Chaires stooles old barrells 3 Cushens 00 07 00
Items 3 beer vessells 00 04 00
16 06 00
In the Inward Rome or bedchamber his wearing appaarell
Item 3 hatts 00 16 00
Item 3 great coates 02 00 00
Item 1 suite of cloth 03 00 00
Item 1 serge suite 01 10 00
Item 1 homespon suite and wastcoate 00 15 00
Item 1 suite 00 12 00
Item old clothes 00 06 00
Item 2 red wastcoates 01 05 00
Item 6 paire of Stockens 01 00 00
Item 1 Jackett and one paire of Mittens 00 13 06
Item 1 holland shirt 00 12 00
Item 4 shirts 00 18 00
Item 4 holland capps 4 Dowlis capps and 4 other capps 00 10 00
Item 2 silke Neckclothes 00 07 06
Item 1 paire of bootes 2 paire of shooes 01 00 00
15 11 00
In the said Rome
Item 4 remnants of clothe 00 19 00
Item 2 yards of serge 00 10 00
Item 3 yards 1/2 of carsey 01 15 00
Item 4 Dozen of buttons 1/2 10 skines of silke 3 yards of Manchester 00 04 00
Item 17 yards of fflax and cotton cloth att 02 11 00
Item 1 peece of fine Dowlis 00 08 06
Item 1 remnant of licye woolsey 00 08 00
Item about 16 yards of several remnants of homade Cloth vallued att 03 10 00
10 05 06
In the aforsaid Inward Roome
Item 1 pound of woolen yerne 00 03 00
Item 1 paire of sheets 01 05 00
Item 2 paire of sheets 01 10 00
Item 1 paire of sheets 1 halfe sheet 01 05 00
Item 1 paire of sheets att 00 10 00
Item 1 paire of holland pillowbeers 00 08 09
Item 2 paire of pillowbeers 00 15 00
Item 3 pillowbeers 00 06 00
Item 1 Table cloth and 7 napkins 00 13 00
Item 10 towells 00 07 00
Item 4 smale Table clothes 00 04 00
Item 2 smale pillowbeers 00 01 6
Item 1 Table and 2 formes 00 10 0
Item 1 cobbert and a framed chaire 00 08 0
Item 4 chest and 1 settle 01 00 00
Item 1 bedsted and box and coard 00 12 0
Item 1 seifting trough and 2 seives 00 04 0
Item 1 glass 2 glass bottles 2 earthen potts 00 03 0
Item 1 wineglasse gallipotts and spectacles 00 02 0
Item 2 paire of coards one bed cord 1 fishing line 00 05 06
Item some hobnailes & twelvepeny nailes 00 02 00
Item 5 peeces of Dresed lether one peece of taned lether 00 06 00
Item a smale prcell of hemp and hopps 00 02 00
Item 3 or 4 basketts 1 brush 1 file 00 01 00
Item Cotton woole about a Dozen pound 00 12 00
Item 3 old caske 00 02 00
Item 1 feather bed and bolster 3 great & 2 smale pillowes 05 00 00
Item 5 blanketts 03 15 00
Item 1 rugg and one blankett 01 15 00
Item 1 blankett att 00 15 00
Item in reddy mony 01 19 00
Item a smale prcell of powder shott and bulletts 00 03 00
Item 1 Inkhorn 00 00 06
24 14 03
In the uper Roome or Chamber
Item 1 feather bed bolster and pillow 04 00 00
Item 2 blanketts and a Rugg 01 05 00
Item 1 woole or fflocke bed 2 feather bolsters and a pillow 02 00 00
Item 2 blanketts 00 15 00
Item 1 bedstead cord and box 00 10 00
Item 1 prcell of sheep woole about fifteen pound 00 15 00
Item a prcell of feathers about 15 or 16 pound 00 15 00
Item a cupple of old hogsheds and an old candlesticke 00 02 00
Item 20 bushells or therabouts of Indian corne 03 00 00
Item 4 bushells of Mault or therabouts 00 16 00
Item 4 bushells of Rye or therabouts 00 14 00
Item 6 bushells of wheat or therabouts 01 07 00
Item 2 bushells and an halfe or barly or therabouts 00 10 00
Item 2 ffliches of bacon and 1 third of a barrell of porke 02 00 00
Item 1 halfe of a barrell of beeff and 2 empty barrells 00 15 00
Item 15 pound of Tallow and Candles 00 07 06
Item 34 pound of butter and lard 00 17 00
Item 14 pound of sugare 00 03 00
Item 1 halfe hogshed 00 03 00
Item 1 pad 1 pillian 1 bridle 1 sheepskin 00 05 00
Item 6 pound of Tobacco 1 pecke of beans 00 04 00
Item 1 grindstone and handles 1 ffan 00 09 00
Item 8 baggs 15s old Iron 1 shilling 00 16 00
22 14 06
Cattle
Item 2 mares and one colt 03 00 00
Item 4 oxen 4 cowes 24 00 00
Item 2 heiffers and 3 steers of three years old 12 10 00
Item 2 two yeare old heiffers 2 yearling calves 03 10 00
Item 13 swine 04 15 00
Item 45 sheep young and old 15 00 00
Item the one halfe of a paire of Iron bound wheeles and cart and 12 bolts 2 shakles 02 02 06
Item 1 paire of hookes and a staple 00 01 06
Item 1 bullockes hyde 00 14 00
Item a cannooe 00 05 00
00 05 00
65 18 00
Debts Due to the Testator
ffrom John Branch of Marshfeild att 2 several pay-ments the sume of 08 00 00
Edward Gray 1 barrell of salt 00 12 00
Item a Debt Due from a frind 00 10 00
09 02 00
Brought from the other side 155 09 03
Sume 164 11 03
Debts owing by the Testator
To Elder Thomas Cushman 00 15 00
To Thomas Cushman Junir 00 05 00
To John Clarke 00 10 06
To Edward Gray 00 08 03
To William Crow 00 02 00
To John Gorum 01 12 00
To two or three smale Debts about 00 02 00
ffunerall Charges 03 08 00
Debts Deducted 07 02 02
The totale of the estate prissed 157 08 08
Wee find that the Testator Died posessed of these severall parcells of Land following;
Impr his Dwelling house with the outhousing uplands and meddow belonging therunt lying att Rockey nooke in the Towne of New Plymouth
Item a prcell of meddow att Jonses river meddow
Item the one halfe of a house and a prcell of meddow and upland belonging therunto lying and being att Colchester in the aforsaid Townshipp;
Item a prcell of meddow and upland belonging therunto; lying neare Joness river bridge in the Towne of Duxburrow
Item one house and 2 shares of a tract of land and meddow that lyeth in the Towne of Middleberry that was purchaced by Captaine Thomas Southward
of and from the Indian Sachem Josias Wampatucke
Item 2 Shares of a tract of Land Called the Majors Purchase lying neare Namassakett ponds
pr nos Thomas Cushman senr
Ephraim Tinkam senir
William Crow