vital records sources
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Thomas' will:1 In the name of God amen, I Thomas Stedman of South Kingston in ye County of Kings County in ye Colony of Rhode Island in New England, yeoman, being sick and weak of body but of sound understanding, disposing mind & memory thanks be given unto Almighty God therefor and calling to mind the imortality of my body & knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make & ordain this my last will & testament, and first of all I give my soul into the hands of God that gave it and my body unto the earth to be buried in a decent Christian manner by my executor herein after named, hoping that at ye general resurrection it will be raised again by the mighty power of God to life immortal and as touching such worldy goods wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me, I give and dispose in ye following maner

Imprimis, my will is that all my just debts & funeral expences be well & truly paid in convenient time after my decease by my executor hereafter named

Imprimis, I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Hannah Stedman dureing her natural life the east end of my dwelling house I now live in together with twenty acres of land thereunto adjoining bounded as followeth (to wit) westerly upon a highway, southerly & easterly upon land given to my wife by her father Daniel McCooun & to extend northerly till it makes up sd twenty acres which north line is to run parralel with ye line between my son Daniel Stedman & ye said land given to my said wife by her father & after her decease I give ye same to my son James Stedman his heirs & assigns forever. I also give to my said wife the use of ye negrowoman named Eff during ye life of my sd wife and after my wife's decease I give sd negrowoman equally between my two daughters Hannah Stedman & Sarah Stedman their heirs & assigns. I also give unto my sd wife two cows such ones as she shall chuse & ten sheep & also a good riding beast each as would be sutable for her to ride side sadle & bridle and ye one half of all my household goods all which said stock & goods I give to my sd wife her heirs & assigns provided she my said wife accepts of it in lieu of her thirds of my estate.

Item, I give to each of my three beloved sons (to wit) John, Samuel & Daniel one Spanish milled dollar to be paid by my executor hereinafter named they having had estates already given them by their grandfather.

Item, I give & bequeath unto my two beloved sons Thomas & William and to their heirs & assigns forever all my land lying to ye westward of the highway which I purchased of my son John Stedman to be divided equally between them, my said two sons Thomas & William according to quantity & quality

Item, and my will is that my son James Stedman pay to my daughter Sarah Stedman seventy two Spanish milled dollars or an equivalent in any other passable money of this Colony one half thereof to be paid within one year from my decease & ye other half within two years from my decease & upon my said son James Stedman paying my said daughter Sarah her heirs or assignes ye money as abovesd - that then I give & bequeath unto my said son James Stedman ten acres of land bounded northerly on land of my son Thomas Stedman westerly on a highway, easterly on land given to my wife by her father & to extend southerly untill it makes up sd ten acres and to his heirs & assigns forever, but if my sd son James Stedman refuses to pay said money as above described that than I give & bequeath ye abovesd ten acres of land unto my sd daughter Sarah her heirs & assigns forever

Item, I give to my beloved son James Stedman & to his heirs & assigns forever the west end of my now dwelling house as also all my lands lying to ye eastward of the highway not herein before given away

Item, I give & bequeath unto my daughter Hannah Stedman & to her heirs & assigns seventy two Spanish milled dollars or an equivalent in any other passable money of this Colony ye one half whereof to be paid within one year from my decease & the other half within two years from my decease & the other half within two years from my decease. I also give her my said daughter Hannah two cows & a new side sadle & bridle all to be paid & provided by my executor herein after named

Item, I give & bequeath unto my two daughters Hannah and Sarah Stedman the one half of my house hold goods to be equally divided between them

Item, I give unto my daughter Sarah Stedman two cows and a new side sadle & bridle

Item, I give unto my son James Stedman ye profets of all my right in a grist mill standing on Sawcatucket River in South Kingston

Item, I give & bequeath unto my beloved son Thomas Stedman and to his heirs & assigns forever all ye rest & residue of my estate of what name or nature soever or wheresoever it may be found. And I do hereby make, ordain and appoint ye said son Thomas Stedman my whole & sole executor of this my last will & testament disannulling & making void all former & other executors, wills & bequests by me at any time before made, rattifying & conferming this & no other to be my last will & testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the twenty second day of April in ye second year of ye reign of our Sovereign Lord George ye Third by the Grace of God of Great Brittain, France & Ireland, King, Defender of ye Faith &c, Anno Domini one thousand seven hunderd & sixty two, signed & sealed, published, pronounced & declared by ye testator to be his last will & testament in ye presence of us witnesses

Joseph Torry
Benedt. Helme
Mary her x mark Williams

Thos. Stedman

The will was brought to court on 13 April 1772. There is no inventory of his estate on file, even though it was customary to have one made for anyone with real and personal estate.

children of Thomas Stedman and Hannah McCoon:2

i. John b. 21 September 1725
ii. Samuel b. 4 December 1726
iii. Daniel b. 10 October 1728
iv. Thomas b. 10 October 1730
v. Enoch b. 4 November 1734
vi. Hannah b. 6 February 1736(/37?)
vii. James b. 3 March 1738(/39??)
viii. Sarah b. 30 August 1742
ix. William b. 4 May 1745

vital records sources:

1. South Kingstown, RI, probate record, 6:24.
2. Vital Records of Rhode Island 1636-1850, First Series: births, marriages and deaths, comp. James N. Arnold, vol. 5 (Washington Co.) (Providence:1894), part 2 (South Kingstown), p. 57.