Mary Holton

     Mary was born circa 1637 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut. Mary & her sister, Sarah may have been twins. She was the daughter of William Holton and Mary (?) Mary married David Burt, son of Henry Burt II and Eulalia March, on 16 November 1655 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. David and Mary were the first to be married in Northampton. Their marriage record was hard to read - it read either 1654 or 1655. Mary's husband, David, died in 1690 in Northampton leaving her a widow. Mary married 2nd Joseph Root before 30 March 1692 in Northampton.² Mary made her will on 9 April 1713 at Northampton.

In the Name of God Amen - I Mary Root of Northampton, Widow, being old and weake of Body, but of a sound mind & of a disposing memory doe make, ordain, & constitute this my Last Will and Testament, In Manner & from following, viz - - - Princely & first of all I give & bequeath my sol into the hands of God who gave it. And my body to the Earth to bee decently interred & there to kept until the General Resurrection, and then I hope &* believe for a blessed Resurrection and a happy Union of Soul and Body and forever to praise the Lord upon the account of the mediation of Christ Jesus my redeemer - - - And as touching that portion of worldly Estate that all just debt first paid I give dispose divise & bequeath in manner & form following - - - Imprimis – To my son Henry Burt I give that piece of Land In Old Rainbow next the great river that he used to improve being about half an acre: as also about three acres of land in the eight acre lott both which I had of my father Holden the above said I give to Henry my son & his heires for ever - - - Item To my son Jonathan Burt I give my Pasture in Centifield land the remainder of my Lott in old Lambour both which pieces I had of my father Holden to be to the said Jonathan Burt & his heires forever - - - Item to my two sons Joseph & Benjamin Burt I give five shillings a piece - - - Item to my daughter Mindwell Burt I hive my new serge Petticott - - - Item to my daughter Mary Hastings I give my red petticott & white apron & my great Divinity book - - - Item to my daughter Ruth Allen I give my new serge mantle or gown and with respect to all the rest of my wearing appraisal my will is it be equally divided between my two daughters Mary & Ruth - - - Item I give to my grand child Mindwell Burt, Jonathan’s daughter I give my feather bed with all the furniture thereunto belonging or any way appertaining - - - Item to my son Jonathan I give all that estate that did descend to mee or ought to descend from my son John’s estate with all other estate l all kind nature & degree whatsoever, I give & bequeath to my said son Janathan - - - not particularly bequeathed before - - - And further I do by these presents Make ordain constitute & appoint my truly & well beloved son Jonathan sole executor of this my last will & Testament; hereby annulling & revoking all former Wills or Testaments by mee made done or preferred to be done, declaring this & this only to be my last Will & Testament - - - In testimony whereof I have hereunto published and Sealed this ninth day of April In the twelfth year of the Regine of our Sovereign Lady Anne of Great Britian France & Ireland, Queen etc. anno Domini 1713 - - - Signed with her mark - - - Signed Sealed & declared by the said Mary Root to be her last will & testament before us Joseph King Benjamin Wright Jr. Ebenezer Turney.³

Mary's husband, Joseph, died before 8 December 1718 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, leaving her a widow. Mary departed this life in Northampton. Her will was probated on 19 December 1718.