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Thomas's signature on his will

The following is my transcription of Thomas's will with modern spelling and punctuation.

The last will and testament of Thomas Fiske of Wenham: I being of perfect memory do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament to be as followeth

I commit my soul into the hands of my gracious God through Jesus Christ my merciful redeemer looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearance of the great God and our savior Jesus Christ and my body to a decent burial and dispose of my outward estate as followeth

Imprimis - I will and require my executors who are hereafter named to make good and fulfill to my well beloved wife Martha that which of dowry which I gave her upon our contract of marriage of our £100 money to be paid to her within one year after my decease as may appear, always provided my will is that my executors shall pay her the half of said £100 within six months after my decease, also a privilege of pasturing one cow in my home pasture and also what privilege of the garden she shall have occasion for, also her firewood upon my land joining to Pleasant Pond from time to time

And whereas my son Thomas Fiske hath already received his double portion, my will is that he shall have 20 shillings paid to him and that he therewith rest himself satisfied. I give to the church at Boston to which I do belong £5 money. I give to my son-in-law John Perkins, for his children, two parcels of meadow which he already have in his possession lying in the Great Meadow, being by estimation 6 acres, and I give to Anna Perkins £5. I give to my grandson Andrew dodge £20 when he come of age

Item - I give to my son-in-law John Dodge’s four children which he had by my daughter Martha viz Phineas, Anna, Martha and Elizabeth, £3 to each of them £12 in all, and as to the rest of my estate both real and personal, my just debts and funeral charges being discharged, I give the half of the value of it to my daughter Sarah Dodge as it shall be valued or apprized by their discreet men indifferently chosen by Josiah Dodge and Nathaniel Brown, my sons-in-law, or any two of said three, and to her children, and the other half of my estate I give to my daughter Elizabeth Brown and to her children

Item - I ordain and appoint my son Thomas Fiske and Nathaniel Brown my son-in-law to be my executors

Thomas Fiske

April 24, 1705

signed and sealed in the presence of

Jacob Brown
James Brown
Hannah Brown

The will was proved at Ipswich on 1 September 1707.      

children of Thomas Fiske and Joanna White:1

i. Thomas, b. abt. 1653
ii. Mary, b. abt. 1655
iii. Josiah, 4 November 1657
iv. Amos, b. 1 February 1660/61
v. Eleazer, b. 22 December 1664
vi. Martha, b. 27 April 1667
vii. Eliezer, b. 3 May 1670
viii. Sarah, b. 14 January 1672/73
ix. Hannah, b. 25 July 1674
x. Elizabeth, b. 13 February 1677/78

vital records sources: His baptism is in the abstracted parish records of Wingfield, Suffolk, England. His death is in Vital records of Wenham, Massachusetts, to the end of year 1849, (Topsfield, MA: Topsfield Historical Society, 1904), 198, son of "Finius."

1. Vital records of Wenham, Massachusetts, to the end of year 1849, (Topsfield, MA: Topsfield Historical Society, 1904), 36-37.