"Will of Robert Page of Acle in Norfolk, husbandman, made April 20, 1587...I bequeath to Edmund Page my son my houses, tenements and lands in Acle with all pertaining thereto, to him and his heirs forever. To Robert Page my son £10, to be paid 20s yearly for ten years. To Cicely Page my daughter £5, 20s to be paid each year until £5 is paid. To Margaret Page my daughter £5 to be paid in like manner. I will that Martha my wife shall have for life the house where John Taylor now dwelleth, and 10s yearly, to be paid 5s half yearly or as she may need. Also the hole furniture, one table now in the house where Gosling dwelleth, etc. All the rest of my goods, cattells, implements and stuff of household I bequeath to the disposition of my executor, and I appoint Edmund Page my son my sole executor. Witnesses: Peter Downhill, Ralph Cootes, John Plum, William Smith, William Johnson, and John Downing."(1)
Issue-
Ref:
(1) Arch. Court of Norwich- 1587
"The English Ancestry of Robert Page of Hampton, NH"- George Chamberlain, NEHGR, Apr. 1912, pp.180-3
b.c. 1577
"Will of Robert Page of Ormesby, County of Norfolk, husbandman, made July 1, 1617... To Margaret Page my wife my house and land with all appurtenances thereto belonging, situate and being in Acle in the County of Norfolk for the term of her life. After her decease the sd house and land and all appurtenances thereto belonging to Robert Page my son, he paying all such legacies in such manner as is hereafter mentioned. To Thomas Page my son £5, to be paid by the said Robert Page two years after the decease of Margaret my wife. To Rebecca my daughter £5, to be paid by the sd Robert Page four years after the decease of Margaret my wife. To Henry Page my son £5, to be paid by the sd Robert Page six years after the decease of Margaret my wife. If it happen the said Robert Page my son does not pay the aforesaid legacies in manner and form aforesaid, my will and mind is that he or she who shall be unpaid their legacy shall reenter and possess the aforesaid house and land with all belonging until the fearme of the aforesaid house and land in Acle shall satisfy and pay their aforesaid legacy of £5. To Francis my son £7, Margaret my wife to pay it in manner following, viz. 40s hen the sd Francis attain the age of 21 years, and £5 when he shall attain the age of 24 years. My will is that my wife Margaret shall enter into two several bonds unto the sd Francis for the payment of the said seven pounds within five days after my death. The rest of my goods and chattels, movables and immovables, unbequeathed, I give to Margaret my wife whom I make sole executrix, to pay my debts and funeral charges and prove my will within one month of my death. If she shall refuse, then I ordain Francis my son to be my sole executor and Margaret my wife to be void. Any of my children departing this life before their legacy is due, their legacy shall be divided among the survivors. If Robert my son depoart this life before Margaret my wife, then I will my son Thomas have the house and land in Acle and pay the aforesaid legacies the Robert Should have paid. Witnesses: Ralph Smith, William Larwood, and Edward Boughton."(1)
St. Margaret's Church- Ormesby
Issue-
Ref:
(1) Arch. Court of Norwich- 1617
"The English Ancestry of Robert Page of Hampton, NH"- George Chamberlain, NEHGR, Apr. 1912, pp.180-3
3I. ROBERT (ROBERT 1, ROBERT 2)
b.c.1604
The record of the family's examination on 11 Apr. 1637 prior to leaving England: "Register of persons who desired to passe into forraigne partes... by vertu of a commission granted to Mr Thomas Mayhew, gentleman... the examination of Robert page of Ormsby in Norfolk, husbandman, ageed 33 yeares and Lucea his wife, aged 30 years, with 3 children, Francis, Margaret and Susanna, and two sarvants, William Moulton & Anne Wadd [Wade]; The one aged 20 yeares the other aged 15 yeares and are all desirous to passe into New England to inhabitt & remain".(1)
Robert first settled in Newbury, MA in 1637 before moving to Hampton, NH in 1639 where he was made a freeman in 1642.(2)
Robert received a ten acre grant of land in Hampton for a house lot lying between the house lots of William Marston on the west and Robert Marston on the east, abutting the Meeting House Green on the south.(3)
Robert was granted the priviledge of building the first saw mill which he was required to do within a year, however, as he was building the parsonage, this was extended to two years.(8)
Robert signed a Hampton & Salisbury petition in 1654 as one of Lt. Robert Pike's "Loveing freinds". Pike evidently had "Let fall some words" for which he was punished by the court and a considerable list of citizens had signed the petition to get his punishment reversed.(4)
Robert was mentioned as a surety for the good behavior of Edward Colcord who was convicted of being a troublesome person 8 Oct. 1661.(5)
Robert was a representative from Hampton in 1657 and in 1668.(6) He was a selectman for six years, marshal of the old county of Norfolk and a deacon of the church from 1660 until his death. From 1671 until 1679 he appears to have been the only deacon.(7) He and his wife also were given the most honorable seat in the meeting house, the front pew. He was also was probably the wealthiest citizen in town as in 1659 his tax was the highest and amounted to 5% of the town taxes collected. Despite his success in the new world he had no formal education and was illiterate. A town clerk of Hampton stated that his mark was uniformly made with the left hand.(8)
In the name and fear of God Amen I Rober Page of Hampton in the County of Norfolke in New England being ag ed and weak of Body butt sound of understanding and of a Disposeing mind d oe make this my last will as followeth Haveing Comitted my selfe unto t he almighty and shortly to lay of this Earthly tabernacle do Comitt my fra ile body to the Earth to bee buried in Hampton burieing place in a Cristi an and Decentt manner as my Children shall order & Appoynt And for whatt E state God Hath bestowed upon mee in this world my will is thatt all my Ju st Debts bee first satiesfied and payd and my Estate to bee Dispos ed of as followeth Ist I Give unto ffrancis page my Eldest son all my pastuer & upland whi ch I bought of Lieut will Howard Containing Sixty Acres more or less besid es a Certaine tracte which I Reserve for my Grand Child Robertt page the w hich is bounded with the land of Abr Drake and natt Boulter to a pay er of barres Goeing into the Commons and from thence aboutt ten Rod in bre dth to a bridg Goeing over the Swamp next Ed Colcords medow with two Acr es Adjoining to boulters which parte of land so bounded I doe Reserve to R obertt page and all the Rest I Doe Give and Conferme to my son ffrancis pa ge being aboutt sixty Rod more or lesse
2ly I Doe Give unto my sone ffrancis page one share of the Cowes Comon Acc ording to the vallue thereof
3ly I Doe Give unto mr Seaborn Cotton our Reverend pastor the some of fi ve pound to be payd to him in Good merchentable pay as itt Comanly Goeth a tt Strabrey Bank within Halfe a year after my Decease if he Continow an of ficer in this Church till then
4ly I Doe Give unto my Daughter mary fogs two yongest Children the so me of ten pound vizd to James fog five pound and to Hannah ffog five pou nd to bee payd to them by my son ffrancis page when they shall Attai ne to the Age of Sixteen years
5ly I Doe Give unto my Daughter Margritt Samborn and to Her Seaven Childr en the some of fortie pounds to Bee payd by my son Thomas page viz to my D aughter margritt five pound to Josuph Moulton five pound to Benjmin moult on five pound to Hannah moulton five pound to bee payd within a year aft er my Decease and to the Rest viz to Sarah moulton now Sarah Haines the so me of five pound to Ruth moulton now Ruth Samborn the sume of five pou nd to william moulton five pound, and to Jonathan Samborn five pound whi ch is also to bee payd by my son Thomas page the fist year after my Decea se & to william moulton my best weaning Calfe of this year
6ly I Doe Give unto the Children of my Daughter Rebecah and of my son in l aw william marston the some of fortie pound whereof ten pound is already p ayd the Rest to bee payd as followeth, five pound to Rebecah now the wi fe of John Smith and five pound to Hannah now the wife of Samuell foge, a nd five pound to Samuell Marston to bee payd by my Son Thomas page with in two years after my Decease
Itt I Doe Give to my Grand Daughter Lucie marston the some of ten pou nd to bee payd to Her by my son ffrancis page within six years after my De cease: and five pounds to Meriah Marston the same year to bee payd by my s on Thomas
7ly I Doe Give and bequeth unto my Daughter Hannah the wife of Henry Dow a nd to Her three Children the some of fortie pound viz to my Daughter Hann ah the some of twentie five pound to bee payd to Her by my son Thomas pa ge within three years after my Decease
Ittem I Doe Give unto Joseph Dow my Daughter Hannahs Eldest son the so me of five poundItt to Symon Dow Her third son the some of five pound
Itt to Jabez Dow fourth son the some of five pound to bee payd to th em by my son Thomas page the fourth year after my Decease
8ly: I Doe Give unto Samuell Dow my Daughter Hannahs second son my planting lott in the north plaine Containing thirteen Acres according as it is G ranted and layd outt
9ly I Doe Give unto my Daughter mary ffog: the Houses which I have built upon my House lott where she now Dwelleth Sixty Rod of Ground Adjacen tt as itt is now layd outt mor or lesse Duering the terme of her naturall life
Itt I Doe Give unto my Daughter mary fog five Acres of planting land mo re or less Adjoy[n]ing to the land of mr Samll Dalton towards the north we st & the land of william Marston towards the south East, & two Swi ne & 3 of ye biggest shots & that wch is up a fatting
Itt I Doe Give unto my Daughter mary fog three Acres and halfe of pastur l and which I bought of Nathaniel Bachelder Adjoyning to william fullers Swa mp: and one share of the ox Common, and thatt Iland of Salt marsh by the l anding place all Dureing Her naturall life and then to bee and Remai ne to Her Eldest son Seath ffog after his mother Decease and my Daughte rs boyes to Helpe to Carrie the Dung outt this year & to have 12 load to l ay on yt 5 acres bought of John Smith
10ly: I Doe Give and Bequeath unto my Grand Child Robertt moulton one sha re of the Cowes Comon and three Acres and Halfe more or less of Salt mar sh which I bought of James philbrick which is bounded with marsh of Willi am Samborn on the one side and the marsh of Robertt Smith on the other si de
Itt I Doe Give unto the sd Robertt moulton my Iland of fresh medow that li eth above my planting land or pa[s]tuer by taylors River being by Estimati on one Acre more or less as itt is with free Egres and Regres through my l and to the same, and in Case the sd Robertt moulton Die without Issue th en the sd lands and Commonage to bee and Remaine to his Brother Benjamin moulton
11 Itt i Doe Give unto my Son ffrancis page the one Halfe of all my fre sh medow which I bought of Leiut Howard the whole being by Estimation Sixt een Acres Adjoy[n]ing to my Greatt lott, the which Sixteen Acr es is to be Equally Devided betwixt my two sons my son ffrancis to Devi de and my son Thomas to Choose after Devision the Stock yard to bee for bo th their use and thatt both of them their Heires and Assignes shall have f ree Egres and Regres to the sd stok yard and to their land According to th eir Devision from time to time for Ever
12ly: I Doe Give and Bequeth unto my Grand Child Robertt page my Son Thom as Eldest son thatt tractt of land Reserved from my son frances his land A djoyni[n]g to the land of Abra Drake and nath boulter and so to the Bar rs thatt Goeth into the Comons towards John Garlands land with the two Acr es Adjoin[in]g to Boulters fence and ten Rod more in bredth tot he Bridg t hatt Goeth over the Swamp by Ed Colcords medow
Itt I Doe Give unto my Grand son Robertt page Eightt Acres of fresh med ow by my son francies his medow the which he is to Enter upon and poses se att he Age of twenti fower years and his father to posesse and Injoy t he same in the mean time
13 I Doe Give and Bequeth unto my two Grand Children Robertt page and Samu ell page twentie Acres of upland att the Saw mill the which is to bee Equa lly Devided betwixt them, and they are to Enter upon itt att their fathe rs Decease and their fathers to Have the use of itt Duering the terme of t heir lives
14ly: I Doe Give unto my Grand Child John page one Hundred Acres of land G ranted to mee in the west partt of Hampton bound, Called the new plantation
15 I Doe Give unto my two sones ffrancis page & Thomas page my Quarter par tt of the old Saw mill built upon taylors River, with all the priveledge a nd appertinances thereunto belonging : and my son ffrancis page is to p ay unto my Grand Child mary page the some of five pound : and to mr Samue ll Dalton the some of twentie shillings as a Gratuity for his paines whi ch is to bee payd by my sone francis page
16ly: I Doe Give unto my Grand Child Lucie page the Daughter of my son ffr ancis page the some of ten pound to bee payd by my son Thomas page with in seaven years after my Decease
17 I Doe Give unto my Grand Son Benjamin Moulton After my Decease one you ng Bull of two year old and upwards
18 I Doe Give unto my Daughter mary fog one fether bed with all the bed en bedstead and furnituer thereunto belonging and also my Greatt Brass Kit tle and my Daughter mary fog is to Have all the Crop of yt Ground Giv en to her both English and Indian Exept Halfe the oats, and to Have bar ne Rome for Corne and Hay Duering her life if she Remaine a widow and f or such Cattle as are Robertt moultons and my Daughter fogs Childrens th ey are to Have a meett [pro]portion of the Hay thatt is made for the ye ar following untill winter be over and my Daughter fog to Have Comon ag to keep two Cows Duering the terme of her life and my Cloaths I Gi ve to Her Children and one steer of a yer & vantag
19: I Doe Give unto my Grandson Robertt moulton one fether bed with the bo lster Covelett and Appertinances thereunto belonging and my Sarg Coatt
20 I Doe Give unto my Grand Daughter mary page my son Thomas Daughter fi ve pound as is mentioned in ye 15 Article and to my Daughter fog thatt b ed which her Children lies upon
21: I Doe Give to my Gran son Robertt page that Chest which I brought ou tt of old England and my Copper Kittle
22: ffinally I Give and Bequeath unto my son Thomas page my Dwelling Hou se barnes Stables and all other buildings being and standing upon my la nd not otherwayes Disposed of with all my land marsh and medow Comonage a nd all Rights priveledges and Appertinances to mee belonging in the tow ne of Hampton with all my tooles and Implements of Husbandry my stock of C attle and all moveables both within Dores and withoutt that are nott oth er wayes Disposed of by this my last will
And I Doe make Constitute and Appointt my Son Thomas page to bee my sole E xectuer to this my last will and testementt and my son in law Henry D ow to bee my overseer to see thatt the same bee performed in Evry part the reof as itt is Declared and if my Exectuer faile in the [per]formance of a ny parte thereof itt shall bee in the power of my over seers to pay any pa rt of Legacy outt of the stock or other Estate and I Doe by these prsen ts Nullifie and make voyd all former wills made by mee and for the Conferm ation of this my last will and testament I have Hereunto sett my Hand a nd Seale the Ninth Day on September in the year of our Lord one thousand S ix hundred and Seaventy nine Enterlined in the fifteenth Article and one l ine Rased in the 17th and one in the twentieth before the Sealing Herof
his Rober X [eal] pag mark & SealeDeacon page Signed Sealed and Declared this to bee His last will in the prsents of us Samuell Dalton John Smborne Jonathan Wedgwood
Proved Nov. 11, 1679
The inventory of the estate of Deacon Robert Page was taken by Thomas Marston, N athaniel Weare, and Samuel Dalton on 10 Oct. 1679 and amounted to �579.4.0. (9)
Issue-
Ref:
(1) "History of Hampton"- Salem Publishing, 1893, Vol.II, pp. 889-90