Nathaniel Warren of Plymouth Colony - Doug Sinclair's Archives

bio in progress

Nathaniel was born about 1624 in Plymouth, Plymouth Colony. His birth year can be estimated based on a deposition about real property taken on 15 October 1651, in which he says he was about 37.1 He died by 21 October 1661, when his estate inventory was taken.2 This is the earliest document in his probate file. The following is a transcription of his will with modern spelling and punctuation to help readability.

The last will and testament of Nathaniel Warren of Plymouth, late deceased, exhibited to the court held at Plymouth aforesaid the 13th of October Anno Domini 1667 on the oath of Hugh Cole and Nathaniel Morton of the town of Plymouth in New England, late deceased.

I, Nathaniel Warren Senr. of the town of Plymouth in New England, being weak in body and ill at ease but of a disposing mind and of a perfect memory not knowing how soon the Lord may call me away out of this world do ordain this to be my last will and testament in manner and form following

Imprimis - I make ordain and constitute Sarah my loving wife to be the sole executrix of this my last will to dispose of my estate according to that of this my will with the advice and approbation of the supervisors hereafter named

Item, I give unto my loving wife Sarah the full sum of £15 in goods or chattels with my best bed and bedstead with curtains and valance belonging to it with two pillows with two pillowbears and curtain of sheets with the best rug and a pair of the best blankets in case she shall alter her condition by marriage, but in case and so long as she shall remain a widow that then my estate be all at her dispose and in her hand to be improved for her support and for the bringing up of my children, diverse of them being young, provided that I do by this my will give and bequeath unto my children to every of them £3 in money to be delivered to them at their day of marriage, only in case that, if through necessity by the advice of my supervisors after named, my wife do or shall dispose of the money I leave or any part thereof that then their part thereof shall not be payable who have not received it at the time when this is made known by my said executrix that she is so disenabled to pay it as aforesaid, further my will is and I do hereof authorize and empower my said executrix with the advice of my supervisors after named to make sale of any of my lands and to give and seal deeds for the confirmation thereof to be improved for the making good of my legacies and engagements which shall be as authentical in law to all intents and purposes as if I myself were surviving and did act therein and to be understood that the land be sold to the full worth thereof and not as it may possibly be valued in an inventory and accordingly, what it shall be sold for in the full extent of it, my will is shall be divided amongst my children in such manner as is after expressed

Item - my will is that as any of my children shall occasioned to alter their condition by marriage, that they then shall have the sum of £10 to each of them delivered to them at their day of marriage or in some convenient time soon after by my executrix out of my estate, and unto my eldest son then surviving the sum of £20, and in case the said sums cannot be made good out of my goods or chattels that then some part of my lands be sold to do it as a foresaid. Moreover my will is that in case my wife shall marry that whatsoever of my estate either of lands, goods or chattels shall be then extant and not expended in the bringing up of my children and in the payment and make good of my engagements and legacies shall be equally divided amongst my children then surviving in equal and like proportion, only that my eldest son then surviving shall have a double portion thereof. Furthermore, my will is that at the decease of my wife, if any part of my estate shall then left and not expended as aforesaid be it either in lands, goods or chattels, that then it shall be divided in equal and alike proportions amongst my children then surviving, only my eldest son then surviving shall have a double portion thereof. My will is that in case my dear child my daughter Hope shall continue lame and impotent that it shall be left unto the discretion of my executrix and supervisors after named to enlarge her portion as they shall see meet and the like also for any other of my children if they shall be lame, sick or impotent. My will is and I do hereby request my trusty and well-beloved friends Cap. Thomas Southworth and my loving brother Joseph Warren and Lt. Ephraim Norton to be the supervisors of this my last will and testament, much confiding in their love and faithfulness to be helpful of my said executrix in the acting and disposing of particulars according to the tenor thereof and to be considered out of my estate for what time and charge they shall be at in the premises and that they the supervisors shall have full power and I do hereby request them to advise about and take care of my children in reference to their marriage and that they be matched with such as may be fit for them both in reference to their spiritual and outward estate. In witness that this is my last will and testament, I the said Nathaniel Warren have hereunto set my hand and seal this 29th day of June anno domini 1667, witness hereunto Hugh Cole, Nathaniel Morton

Nathaniel Warren [signed with seal]

A supplement to the above written will exhibited to the court held at Plymouth the 30th day of October sixteen hundred and seven on the oath of Cap. Southworth, Hugh Cole and Nathaniel Morton

Nathaniel Warren, being weak in body but of disposing memory do hereby declare and manifest unconditional unto whom these shall come that my will further is, as an appendix and supplement unto my will bearing date the 29th of June 1667, that in reference unto the land my mother Mistress Elizabeth Warren hath instated and possessed, my beloved brother Joseph Warren and my sisters Mary Bartlett Senr, Ann Little, Sarah Cook, Elizabeth Clark and Abigail Snow shall and is by these presents fully freely and absolutely ratified and confirmed unto them and their heirs and assigns forever with all and singular my right title and interest of and into the same to them and their heirs and assigns forever. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of July 1667 in the presence of Thomas Southworth, Hugh Cole, Nathaniel Morton

children of Nathaniel Warren and Sarah Walker:3

i. Richard, b. abt. 1647
ii. Sarah, b. 29 August 1649
iii. Hope, b. 7 March 1651(/52?)
iv. Jane, b. 31 December or 10 January 1652(/53?)
v. Elizabeth, b. 15 September 1654
vi. Alice, b. 2 August 1656
vii. Mercy, b. 20 February 1657(/58?)
viii. Mary, b. 9 March 1660(/61?)
ix. Nathaniel, b. 10 March 1661(/62?)
x. John, b. 23 October 1663
xi. James, b. 7 November 1665
xii. Jabez, abt. 1667

vital records sources: His marriage is in Records of the Colony of New Plymouth, vol. 2 (Court Orders) (Boston, MA: 1857), 92.

1. Plymouth Colony Deeds, vol. 2, part 2, p. 56.
2. Plymouth Colony Probate, vol. 2, part 2, p. 46-7.
3. Birth dates are in Records of the Colony of New Plymouth, vol. 8 (Miscellaneous Records) (Boston, MA: 1857), Sarah, p. 7, Hope through James as a group. p. 24 (see link). Jane (p. 14) and James (p. 25) also have separate records. The two records for Jane disagree on day and month. There are no dual years given for those dates that fall in the overlap of the Julian and Gregorian calendars. These records are among the annual returns of vital records sent to the Plymouth Colony General Court by the town clerks. The Plymouth town records that would have included them are lost. These records are included in an appendix in the published Plymouth vital records.