Jonathan Curtiss Beardsley1,2
M, b. 1 November 1668, d. 29 November 1735
Jonathan Curtiss was born on Thursday, 1 November 1668 in Stratford, Fairfield County, Connecticut. He was the son of Joseph Beardsley. Jonathan married Abigail Wakelee, daughter of Henry Waklee and Sarah Burt, circa 1691 in Stratford. Jonathan made his will on 11 November 1732 at Stratford.
In the name of God Amen the 11th day of November 1732 I John Beardslee of Stratford black smith being sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God therefore calling unto mind ye mortality of my body and knowing ye it is appointed for all men once to Die: do make and ordain this my last will & testament: ye is to Say principally and first of all: I give & recommend my Soul into ye hands of God ye gave it and my body I recommend to ye Earth to be buried in Decent Christian burial at ye Discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but at ye Generall Resurrection I shall receive ye same again by the mighty power of God: & as touching my worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life: I give Devise and Dispose of ye Same in the following manner and form ___________ Imprimis I give & Bequeath to Abigail my Dearly beloved wife all my household Goods in ye house of all Sorts [Excepting one feather bed and furniture which is called Jehiels ] and to be Disposed as she thinks fit further I give to my said wife ye use of and Improvement of my dwelling hose barn and homelot During her Dear &Loving wife aforesaid one of my cows which she shall choose an further my will is ye my small black trunk and what id in it given to my wife to be inventoried with ye rest of my Estate ____________ an as touching my children I having married of Sum of them and given to them Such portions as I then thought fit I therefore give & bequeath unto my loving Son Caleb Beardslee one iron pot which he now has in his possession ____ Ite I give and bequeath to my Loving Son John Beardslee one plow shear collar and chain ___________Item I give to my loving Son Jehiel Beardslee my Shop and wheels and one of my oxen and one half my lot of land and orchard at walnut tree Hill and one half of my lot of Swamp land at little Success and also my lot of Salt meadow in Quimby Neck and Also my little lot in ye old field Lying South Easterly of ye fresh pond and also ye third part of all my lot of land as to Quantity and Quality lying ye woods on ye west side of Irelands brook and ye Equall half of my meadow at ye white Rock ___Item I give and Bequeath unto my loving Son Abraham Beardslee ye Equall half of all my Lands in ye Fairfield and all my lot of meadow called the [name] meadow which I purchased of James Wakeleeand ye Equall half of my lot of land at Unity lying between ye lands of Abraham Nichols and ye land of Mr. Ephraim Curits and also ye third oart o my lot of land as to Quantity and Quality lying in ye woods of ye west side of Irelands brook and also ye Equall half of my land Lying in ye wood at Quimbees Hills. Item I give and Bequeath unto my loving Son Andrew all my lot of land ye Great Neck and all my third part of my lot of land as to quantity and quality lying ye woods on ye west side of Irelands brook and ye Equall half of my lot of Swamp land at little Success and ye Equall half of my lot of land and orchard at Harvys farm and ye Equall half of my meadow at he white rock and ye Equall half of my lot of Land at Unity lying between ye lands of Abraham Nichols and Mt. Ephraim Curtiss furthermore after ye Decease of my wife I give and bequeath to my loving son Andrew my Dwelling house barn and homelot and also one ox and a horse and ye half of my husbandry tools and half of my land at Quimbees Hill, furthermore I give and bequeath all my lot of lan at ye towns ends Lying South of Robert Wells his orchard unto my two sons Jehiel and Andrew to be Equally Divided between them and my will further will is that my three sons Namely Jehiel Abraham and Andrew Equally between them keep a Cow for ye mother wintr and summer and find her firewood and Comfortable provisions During her natural life as to ye remainder of my moveable Estate not given I put it into ye hands of my Executors thereo after they are paid [if any be] to b improve towards ye repairing of ye buildings given to my son Andrew __________ and I do hereby Constitute an ordain my well beloved wife Abigail an my loving son John Beardslee my Executors to this my last will and Testament and I do hereby utterly disallow Revoke and Disannull all former wills or testaments Legacie & Bequests by me in any ways before named willed and Bequeathed Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I have here unto Set my hand & Seal ye Day and Year above written - - - Signed Sealed published pronounced and Declared by ye said John Beardslee as his last will and Testament in ye presence of ye subscribers Edmund Lewis David Baldwin Joseph Hawley.3
He wrote a codicil to his will on 17 November 1735.
Be it known to all men by these presences ye whereas I John Beardslee of Stratford blacksmith have made an declared my last will & Testament in writing bearing the date ye eleventh day of Nov. 1732 I the said John Beardslee by this present Codicil do ratify & Confirm my said last will & Testament and do further hereby give and bequeath unto my Dear and will beloved wife Abigail all my right of Commonage and undivided lands not before given by my will and in ye bounds of Stratford and all my money cash or bills of credit now in my house and due to me by bons to be her own and at her disposal forever and my will an meaning is ye this Codicil be and b adjoined to be part and parcel of my said last will and Testament and if all things herein mentioned be faithfully and truly performed in Every Respect a if ye same were so Declared and set Down in my said last will and Testament in Witness hereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal[ this 17th day of Nov. 1735. - - - Sign Sealed in presence of Edmund Lewis Benjamin Brooks Ebenezer Sherman.3
Jonathan departed this life on Tuesday, 29 November 1735 in Stratford at age 67 years and 28 days. His inventory was appraised at 1,500 pounds by Edmund Lewis and Jonathan Curtiss on February 9, 1756. Final distributions, "April ye 11, 1758. [NOTE: The probate took place after the death of his wife, Abigail]3
In the name of God Amen the 11th day of November 1732 I John Beardslee of Stratford black smith being sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God therefore calling unto mind ye mortality of my body and knowing ye it is appointed for all men once to Die: do make and ordain this my last will & testament: ye is to Say principally and first of all: I give & recommend my Soul into ye hands of God ye gave it and my body I recommend to ye Earth to be buried in Decent Christian burial at ye Discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but at ye Generall Resurrection I shall receive ye same again by the mighty power of God: & as touching my worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life: I give Devise and Dispose of ye Same in the following manner and form ___________ Imprimis I give & Bequeath to Abigail my Dearly beloved wife all my household Goods in ye house of all Sorts [Excepting one feather bed and furniture which is called Jehiels ] and to be Disposed as she thinks fit further I give to my said wife ye use of and Improvement of my dwelling hose barn and homelot During her Dear &Loving wife aforesaid one of my cows which she shall choose an further my will is ye my small black trunk and what id in it given to my wife to be inventoried with ye rest of my Estate ____________ an as touching my children I having married of Sum of them and given to them Such portions as I then thought fit I therefore give & bequeath unto my loving Son Caleb Beardslee one iron pot which he now has in his possession ____ Ite I give and bequeath to my Loving Son John Beardslee one plow shear collar and chain ___________Item I give to my loving Son Jehiel Beardslee my Shop and wheels and one of my oxen and one half my lot of land and orchard at walnut tree Hill and one half of my lot of Swamp land at little Success and also my lot of Salt meadow in Quimby Neck and Also my little lot in ye old field Lying South Easterly of ye fresh pond and also ye third part of all my lot of land as to Quantity and Quality lying ye woods on ye west side of Irelands brook and ye Equall half of my meadow at ye white Rock ___Item I give and Bequeath unto my loving Son Abraham Beardslee ye Equall half of all my Lands in ye Fairfield and all my lot of meadow called the [name] meadow which I purchased of James Wakeleeand ye Equall half of my lot of land at Unity lying between ye lands of Abraham Nichols and ye land of Mr. Ephraim Curits and also ye third oart o my lot of land as to Quantity and Quality lying in ye woods of ye west side of Irelands brook and also ye Equall half of my land Lying in ye wood at Quimbees Hills. Item I give and Bequeath unto my loving Son Andrew all my lot of land ye Great Neck and all my third part of my lot of land as to quantity and quality lying ye woods on ye west side of Irelands brook and ye Equall half of my lot of Swamp land at little Success and ye Equall half of my lot of land and orchard at Harvys farm and ye Equall half of my meadow at he white rock and ye Equall half of my lot of Land at Unity lying between ye lands of Abraham Nichols and Mt. Ephraim Curtiss furthermore after ye Decease of my wife I give and bequeath to my loving son Andrew my Dwelling house barn and homelot and also one ox and a horse and ye half of my husbandry tools and half of my land at Quimbees Hill, furthermore I give and bequeath all my lot of lan at ye towns ends Lying South of Robert Wells his orchard unto my two sons Jehiel and Andrew to be Equally Divided between them and my will further will is that my three sons Namely Jehiel Abraham and Andrew Equally between them keep a Cow for ye mother wintr and summer and find her firewood and Comfortable provisions During her natural life as to ye remainder of my moveable Estate not given I put it into ye hands of my Executors thereo after they are paid [if any be] to b improve towards ye repairing of ye buildings given to my son Andrew __________ and I do hereby Constitute an ordain my well beloved wife Abigail an my loving son John Beardslee my Executors to this my last will and Testament and I do hereby utterly disallow Revoke and Disannull all former wills or testaments Legacie & Bequests by me in any ways before named willed and Bequeathed Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I have here unto Set my hand & Seal ye Day and Year above written - - - Signed Sealed published pronounced and Declared by ye said John Beardslee as his last will and Testament in ye presence of ye subscribers Edmund Lewis David Baldwin Joseph Hawley.3
He wrote a codicil to his will on 17 November 1735.
Be it known to all men by these presences ye whereas I John Beardslee of Stratford blacksmith have made an declared my last will & Testament in writing bearing the date ye eleventh day of Nov. 1732 I the said John Beardslee by this present Codicil do ratify & Confirm my said last will & Testament and do further hereby give and bequeath unto my Dear and will beloved wife Abigail all my right of Commonage and undivided lands not before given by my will and in ye bounds of Stratford and all my money cash or bills of credit now in my house and due to me by bons to be her own and at her disposal forever and my will an meaning is ye this Codicil be and b adjoined to be part and parcel of my said last will and Testament and if all things herein mentioned be faithfully and truly performed in Every Respect a if ye same were so Declared and set Down in my said last will and Testament in Witness hereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal[ this 17th day of Nov. 1735. - - - Sign Sealed in presence of Edmund Lewis Benjamin Brooks Ebenezer Sherman.3
Jonathan departed this life on Tuesday, 29 November 1735 in Stratford at age 67 years and 28 days. His inventory was appraised at 1,500 pounds by Edmund Lewis and Jonathan Curtiss on February 9, 1756. Final distributions, "April ye 11, 1758. [NOTE: The probate took place after the death of his wife, Abigail]3
Children of Jonathan Curtiss Beardsley and Abigail Wakelee
- Caleb Beardsley b. 30 Nov 1692, d. 1776
- Jehiel Beardsley b. 16 Nov 1693
- Abraham Beardsley b. 6 Mar 1697, d. 9 Jul 1776
- Deborah Beardsley b. 6 Feb 1699/0, d. b 11 Nov 1732
- John Beardsley+ b. 9 Mar 1701/2
- Andrew Beardsley b. 8 Feb 1707/8, d. b 28 Mar 1758
Citations
- [S2302] Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630-1870: Stratford: page 9 - Jonathan Curtiss s. of Joseph, b.Nov 1, 1668 [Note: It is possible that there was a Jonathan and a John in this family. Mr. Barbour could have gotten confused and connected the Birth date of John to Jonathan. Without further proof, it is concluded there is only one person - KLM].
- [S80] Donald Lines Jacobus, History and Genealogy of The Families of Old Fairfield, Volume 1: page 47 - John, son of Joseph, b. 1 Nov 1668.
- [S2323] Connecticut, Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999 [Ancestry.com]: Fairfield District - Probate Records, Vol 6-8, 1717-1750.