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When "Richarden" Chambers of Scituate, wife of Thomas, made her will in 1672, she identified Thomas, Richard, Elizabeth and John Curtis as her children. Thomas, Elizabeth, William and John can be identified as children of Thomas in their baptism records in Worth and Ash in Kent, England. "Recharden" Curtis, widow, and Thomas Chambers were married in Ashe in 1632 following the death of Thomas Curtis there in 1631. Thomas, Richard, Elizabeth, William and John were all residents of Scituate and were of a plausible age to have been the same who were baptized in England. These circumstances show that Thomas Curtis married Richardene about 1618, had six recorded children and probably died when Richardene was pregnant with their son John, who was baptized about five months after he died. With five underage children to support, Richardene then married Thomas Chambers shortly after John was baptized. They all immigrated and settled in Scituate.

The following is taken from the court records of Plymouth Colony: 1

I, Richarden Chambers of Scittuate, in the jurisdiction of New Plymouth in New England widdow, being weake of Body but in pfect mind and memory, for which I doe most humbly thank God Almighty; I doe make & declare this to be my last Will and Testament in manor as followeth;

Imprimis I Give and bequeath unto Abigaill Curtice the wife of my son Thomas Curtice all my wearing Clothes; Item I Give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Curtice daughter of my son Thomas Curtice aforesaid the full sume of ten pounds in mony Goods or Cattle; and whereas my husband Thomas Chambers Deceased; A day or two before he died; did manifest and declare before Leiffei[page trimmed] Torrey and Sarah the wife of Abraham Sutliffe; and in my hearing that it was his will that his son in law John Curtice should have his house and land bothe upland and marsh land lying and being in Scittuate and Marshfeild Imediately after my death; And as it was my husbands will soe I doe heerby declare, that it is my will, That my son John Curtice shall have and Injoy the said house and land Imediately after my Decease to be Injoyed by him and his heirs for ever, all the Rest of estate; my debts and legacyes and charges of funarall being deducted, I Give unto John Curtis my son aforesaid; whom I doe heerby constitute and appoint to be the sole executor of this my last Will and Testament; whom I do hereby appoint to pay my Debts and legacyes. In witnes wherof I have sett my hand and seale this eighteenth day of november one thousand six hundred seaventy and two 1672.

The marke x of Richarden Chambers

Signed sealed and published in the pence of us Thomas Kinge
Elisha Besbey
Abraham Suttliffe

This above written Will of Mistris Richarden Chambers Widdow of Scittuate aforsaid deceased; was exhibited to the Court holden att Plymouth aforsaid the 29th of October 1673 on the testimonies above entered and was by the order of the said Court orderly proved and heer ordered to be Recorded

A true Inventory of the Estate viz: goods & Chattles of Mistris Richarden Chambers widdow exhibited to the Court held att Plymouthe 29th of October 1673 on the oath of John Curtis As it was taken and apprised the 27th day of October in the yeare 1673 by those whose names are heerunto subscribed

Imprimis her wearing apparell 09=02=00
Item a fether bed and two bolsters 03=00=00
Item 2 feather pillowes and a paire of blanketts 01=02=00
Item 2 Ruggs 03=00=00
Item a bed; three bolsters a Rugg and 2 blanketts 02=11=00
Item 4 paire of sheets 02=05=00
Item 2 bedsteads; a trunke 2 chestes and a box 01=05=00
Item a paire of scales and a lede [or ledd] waight 00=02=00
Item 2 wheeles and a hatchell 00=12=00
Item in pewter and brasse 04=14=00
Item 2 iron potts and a paire of pothookes 00=15=00
Item a spitt a frying pan and tonges 00=08=00
Item a paire of cobbjrons2 and a trammell 00=10=00
Item a smothing Iron with morter and pestell 00=07=00
Item a quarren3 stones 00=10=00
Item a cherne and other vessells 00=17=00
Item in serge 02=00=00
Item in bookes 01=05=00
Item 1 horse 04=00=00
Item in neate cattle 21=00=00
Item in sheep 06=00=00
Item in swine 03=13=00
Item in wheat and barly 02=10=00
Item in Indian Corne 04=10=00
Item in hay 05=00=00
Item a yoake chanes and plow Irons 01=14=00
Item a cart and a paire of wheeles 01=15=00
Item an Iron Crow 00=05=00
Item axes sawes augers wedges and other tooles 01=08=00
Item armes and ammunition 01=10=00
Item a saddle a pillion and other horse furniture 01=10=00
Item 2 sythes and a [haire cloth?] 01=08=00
Item in syder and other provisions 01=00=00
Item in barrells tubbs and other lumber 00=16=00
---------------
The totall sume 91=14=00

Thomas Kinge
Richard Curtice
Abraham Suttliffe

children of Richardene and Thomas Curtis:

i. Thomas, bap. 7 November 1619 (Worth)
ii. Richard, b, abt. 1621
iii. Elizabeth, bap. 1 August 1624 (Worth)
iv. William, bap. 29 April 1627 (Ash)
v. Stephen, bap. 5 December 1629, prob. bur. 16 September 1630 (Ash - bur. record says William)
vi. John, bap. 13 May 1632 (Ash)

vital records sources:

1. Plymouth Colony Records, Wills vol. 3 (Plymouth Registry of Deeds), Familysearch.org image database online, image 346 (FHL film 567794).
2. cob irons, used to support a cooking spit.
3. quern stones for grinding grain.