"Stratford, december the 22nd day, 1758, then personally appeared Messrs. Saml Adams Saml Shelton & Moley Jordan the witnesses to ye foregoing will and Made Sollom oath that they See Capt. Richard Hubbell, (now decesed) Sign and Seal ye foregoing will, and heard him declare ye Same, to be his Last will & testament; And that they all signd as witnesses to ye sd will at ye same time, & that they see Each other Sign, and that they all Signed in ye presence of the testator, and that they Judged ye testator to be of a Sound desposing Mind. Sworn before me, ICHABOD LEWIS, Justice of peace." "At a Court of Probate held in Fairfield, Jan. 2nd, 1759, Personally appeared John Hubbell, named Exeer to ye foregoing Will, accepted ye Trust committed to him by ye Testator, and at ye same time Ehibited sd Will to sd Court for Probation, which being proved, is by sd Court approved & ordered to be recorded. Test."* JOSIAH HUBBELL of Stratfield, Fairfield County, Colony of Connecticut, son of Lieutenant John Hubbell and his wife Patience, was born in Stratford, in 1688, and died in 1752. His Will was recorded September 1, 1752, and is as follows: "In the Name of God, amen. I, Josiah Hubbell, of Stratfield, in fairfield County & Connecticut Colony, Being in a Low State of Bodily health, But of Sound Mind & Memory, doe make & ordain this my Last Will & Testament. First & Cheifly I Comt my Soul To God in Jesus Christ, my Body I Bequeath To the dust To Be desently Buryed, att ye discretion of My Christian friends; my Worldly Goods, affter my Just debts are Payed and funerall Charges descharged, I Give & Bequeath them in maner following: Item. To my Beloved wife Martha I Give & Beqeath one third Part of all my moveable Estate, and the Improvement of one third Part of all my Real Estate during her Naturall Life. Item. To my daughter, Elizabeth Willcoxcen, I Give & Bequeath thirty shillings, old Tenor money, which with what I have allready Given her makes ye whole of her Portion. Item. To my daughter, Hannah Brindsmade, I Give & Bequeath thirty Shillings, old Tenor money, which with what I have allready Give her, makes ye whole of her Portion. Item. To my Eldist Son, Samuel Hubbell, & To his heirs & assigns forever, I Give & Bequeath that Part of my home Lots that Lyeth in ye Reare of his home Lot Between his home lot and Joseph Wells Lot, to Run from ye Southeast Corner of his homelot a Streight Line with his East Line of fence til it mete with Joseph Wells fenced Lot, which Tract will Be Bounded north with his home Lot and South with sd Wells Land. Also I Give him Six acres of Land Joyning To the North Side of his Land att the Point So called, Bounded South with his owne Land. north with my Lands. Allso one fourth Part of my Lands att Rockey hill to him & his heirs & assigns in fee, which with what I have allready Given him makes the whole of his Portion. Item. To my Son, Ebenezer Hubbell, I Give & Bequeath one fourth Part of my Land Att Rockey hill and two acres of Land att ye North End of my Pasture to him & his heirs & assigns forever in fee, Which with what I have allready Given him makes the whole of his Portion. * Copied by the Author from the original Will on file in "Probate Court, Fairfield, Conn." Item. To my Son, John Hubbell, I Give & Bequeath ye one half of my dwelling house & Barne & ye one half of all ye rest of my Lands Not above Given To him & his heirs & assigns forever in fee. Item. To my son, Josiah Hubbell, I Give & Bequeath the other halfe of my dwelling house & Barne & the other Equall halfe of all ye rest of my Lands not Given to Samuel & Ebenezer that is Left as much as is above Given to John. To him, that is To Josiah & his heirs and assigns forever in fee. Item. To my daughter, Martha Hubbell, I Give & Bequeath five hundred Pounds, old Tenor money, To be paid out of my Moveable Estate as far as that will doe it, the Remainder of the five hundred Pounds if any Be wanting of ye moveable Estate my Will is It Shall Be Paid To Martha By my four Sons, in Equall Shares; & further it is my will that my four Sons shall each of them Give my Wife three Loads of wood yearly So longe as she lives. My will, and I do hereby Constitute my Son Samuel Hubbell and my Wife Martha To be Executors of this my last Will & Testament, Declaring this and this only To be my Last Will & Testament, & To Confirme ye Same I have hereunto set my hand & Seal this 12th day of July, A. D. 1752, Signed, Sealed, pronounced & declared To Be ye Last will of ye Testator in Presence of us. "Stratfield, Aug. ye 18th, A, D. 1752. Theosis Nichols, one of ye Witnesses To ye Within Written Will made Oathe that he saw ye Testator To ye Within Written Will signe and Seale ye same, & heard him Pronounce & declare ye same To be his Last will & Testament, & that he Set to his hand as a Witness in ye Presence of ye Testator, & he then Judged him to Be of Sound Mind & memory. Sworne Before me, EDMUND LEWIS, Justice of Peace." “Stratfield, Aug ye 18th, A. D., 1752. The Witnesses, William Patterson & Agur Tomlinson, Two of ye Witnesses of ye Within Will, made Oathe that they saw ye Testator To ye Within Will Signe & Seal ye Same, & heard him Pronounce ye Same to Be his Last Will & Testament, & that they Set to their hands as Witnesses in ye Presence of ye Testator. and they then Judged him to Be of Sound Mind & Memory. Sworne Before me, THEOSIS NICHOLS, Justice of Peace." "Att a Court of Probate held in Fairfield, Septem 1st Day A. D., 1752, the Samuel Hubbell and Martha Hubbell, named Exctrs to ye foregoing Will, Accepted ye trust Committed to them by ye Testator at Said Court, sd will was by Said Samuel Hubbell Exhibited in Order for probation, & ye same being proved is by Said Court Approved And Ordered to be Recorded. PETER HUBBELL, of Newtown, Fairfield County, Colony of Connecticut, son of Lieutenant Richard Hubbell and Rebecca Morehouse, was born August 10th, 1686, in Fairfield, Fairfield County, Colony of Connecticut. * Copied by the Author from the original Will on file in "Probate Court at Fairfield, Connecticut." Having been given a large tract of land in Newtown by his father, he settled there in 1709, kept the first Hotel and was granted the first Ferry. Was a prominent man in the town, as is shown by the following extracts from the Town Records. (Also see extracts from "Colonial Records of Connecticut," in Appendix to this work.) He died in 1780. As his Will, Inventory, and the Distribution of his Estate are very interesting, they are given in full. "December ye 9th, 1712, att a lawfull Towne meeting of the In habitance of newtowne, held at newtowne, Voted for James Hard and Peter Hubbell to be surveyors of high ways for the yeare In sueing. Voted for Abraham Kimberley and Peter Hubbell to be Listers for the yeare In sueing. Voted for Abraham Kimberly and Peter Hubbell to be Colectors for the yeare Insueing. Voted that Stephen Parmelee shall have the use of an acre and an halfe of land, which is the burying place, provided he cleared the bushes and fences it and grows it with English grass seed. Voted that Nathaniel Parmalee is to beet the drum for the yeare Insueing. Voted for Peter Hubbell to be sealer of measures and waits for the yeare Ensueing. Voted for the said Peter Hubbell to Keep a house of Entertainment for the yeare Ensueing."* "Att a Lawfull Town Meetting of ye Inhabitants of New Town, held September ye 30th, 1725. The Inhabitants afore sd of and by their Vote made Choice of and did appoint Sergt. Peter Hubbell to be their Agent in ye towns behalf to prefer their petition to The Honrbl Generall assembly to be · Holden att New Haven, October ye 14th, 1725. To Eatreat ye favour of ye Honourable assembly as to what is refard to in ye Petition."† "A ferry from Newtown to Woodbury was granted to Peter Hubbell, at Pootatuck, May 13th, 1730 This was about an eighth of a mile below Fort Hill, which is located on the west side of the Housatonic, directly opposite the Indian village of Pootatuck, on the east side of that river. At these two points, within gunshot of the river, the Indians had forts to protect themselves against the Mohawks, and after the introduction of firearms among the natives, a fleet of Mohawk canoes on the river would afford a capital mark for the practice of gunnery. The ferry was at the north end of Cockshure's Island, previously to this owned by the sachem of that name, but since known as Hubbell's Island, from the ferryman above mentioned." (See "State Papers," Travel, Vol. I, page 174). "In the Name of God Amen. I Peter Hubbell, of Newtown, Fairfield County, Connecticut, being weak in body, but sound in Mind and memory, my God be praised, do this first Day of May, A. D. 1770, make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner following that is to say. Imprimis. I commend my soul into the hands of God who gave it, my body to the earth in hope of a joyful resurrection through Jesus; And as for the Estate wherewith my God hath blessed me, I dispose thereof as follows, viz. First. I give ten pounds lawful money to the first or Piesbeterian Church in Newtown, to be disposed of for the use and behoof of said church forever, as the major part thereof shall see fit. Item. I give to my well beloved wife Sarah, the free use and improvement of one third part of my real estate during her widowhood, or so long as she remains my widow *Copied by the Author from "Newtown Records." † Copied by the Author from "Newtown Records." See "Cothren's Ancient Woodbury," p. 150, also Extracts from "Colonial Records of Connecticut," in Appendix to this work. as the Law provides, and also one third part of my personal or moveable estate forever, to be for her use and disposal at pleasure without molestation. Item. I give unto my son Ephraim, in consideration of his being my first born, my largest Mirror or looking Glass, which with what I have already given him is his full proportion, and all that he is to have of my estate. Item. I give unto my sons Peter, Ezra, or their heirs, and Jedediah, to each and every of them, the sum of five pounds lawful money to be paid out of my estate as hereafter ordered. Item. I give unto my son Matthew the sum of two pounds ten shillings, Money aforesaid, as hereafter ordered. Item. I give to my daughter Sarah, the sum of five pounds, money aforesaid, to be equally divided between her Heirs. Item. I give to my son Gideon, the sum of ten pounds lawful money, which several sums with what I have already given to my sons Peter, Ezra or their heirs, Jedediah, Matthew & Gideon & my daughter Sarah, is their proportion and is all they and every of them are to have of my estate. Item. I give unto my daughter Katharine, the sum of ten pounds lawful money, which with what she hath already had, is her proportion & all she is to have of my estate. Item. I give unto my daughter Mary, the sum of fifty pounds lawful Money, exclusive of what she hath earned to herself since she came of age, or may earn to herself until my decease; And my Will is that the above Legacies be paid as above directed out of my Estate, the one half to each in proportion to his Legacy at the end of one year after my decease, the other half at the end of two years after my decease, to be paid in monies or otherwise as they may agree. And now my further Will and pleasure is that after the above said Legacies, all my just Debts already contracted or that I may contract before my decease, together with my funeral Charges be paid out of my estate by my Executors, who I shall hereafter appoint, that the remainder of my estate real and personal be equally divided between my three sons to wit: Comfort, Enoch and Silas; and also that the third of my real Estate given to my Wife Sarah, be, after the Expiration of the term of time she remains my Widow, equally divided between my said sons, viz., Comfort, Enoch & Silas, and to be for them and their Heirs forever. And I make, ordain, & appoint my eldest son Ephraim & John Chandler of said Newtown, to be the sole Executors of this my last Will & Testament, to take care and see the same performed according to my tone, intent and meaning. In Witness whereof, I the said Peter Hubbell, have to this my last Will & Testament, set my hand and seal the day and Date above written. PETER HUBBELL, [SEAL.] Signed, Sealed, published and declared, by the said Peter Hubbell, as and for his last Will and Testament, in Presence of NATHAN WASHBON, ASA COGSWELL, JOHN ADAMS, Witnesses." "Fairfield County, S.S., Newtown, on the 22nd of February, A.D. 1780, personally appeared Messrs. Nathan Washbon, Asa Cogswell and John Adams. The evidences to the above and foregoing Will & Testament, and on sworn Oaths declared that the Testator signed, sealed & declared the same to be his last Will & Testament in their presence, that they severally evidenced the same in presence of the Testator, and in the presence of each other, and that the Testator was at that time in their opinion in the free exercise of his Reason and of a well disposing mind. At a Court of Probate held in Danbury, for the District of Danbury, April 4th, 1780. Present, Joseph Cooke, Esq., Judge. Ephraim Hubbell, Esq., one of the Executors named in the foregoing Will, exhibited the same to said Court of Probation and before said Court accepted the trust reposed in him by the Testator. * Copied by the Author from "Probate Records of Newtown," in Danbury, Conn. Col. John Chandler, the other Executor named, declined said trust, said Will being proved, is by said Court approved and ordered to be recorded. "An Inventory of the Estate of Mr. Peter Hubbell, late of Newtown, deceased. Cash in Continental Bills, 39s. 9d.; One Coat, 8s., One West, 1s.; One light blue Coat, 4s. 6d.; One old Vest, 1s. 3d., One great Coat, 10s.; One pair leather breeches, 4s.; Three pr. linen do., 3s, One pr grey yarn stockings, 2s. 6d.; One pr dark grey do., 2s, One Check flannel Shirt, 2s. 6d.; One do., 2s.; One pr. linen Stockings, 1s. 9d., . One black Cravat, 1s. 2d.: One Scarf, 9d.; One Beaver Hatt, 28s., Two Silver Spoons, 18s.; Two do. (One at 14s. & One at 12s.), Five tea spoons, 15s.; One Silver gill cup, 36s.; One pr. Silver Shoe Buckles, 12s; One pr. Silver Buttons, 1s., 6 5 3 04 One Chest, 3s.; One Box, 4d.; One Stone Jugg, 6d.; One Small Box, 8d.. One pr. hand Irons, 20s.; One Peal, 5s.; One pr. Tongs, 3s., One small Peal, 2s. 6d.; tobacco tongs, 5s., . One pr. small Stillyards, 58.; One Gridiron, 6s.; toasting Iron, 3s. 6d., One Flax Hetchel, 9s.; One fine do., 10s.; 10 old Chairs, 10s., One Blanket, 78- 6d.; One Bedtick, 7s., One Bedstead & Cord, 9s., One feather Bed, Bolster & pillows, 58s., One Feather Bed and Bolster, 48s.; One old Bedstead and Under Bed, 6s., . One do 16s.; One Bed Bolster and Pillow, 7s.; One under bed & two Bolsters, 58., One Brass Kettle, 50s.; One small do, 19s.; One small brass kettle, 7s., One Tin Oven, 12s.; One tin Cover, 4s.; Four & half Sein Chain, 4s. 3d., 1 08 0 0 07 6 0 14 0 One burning iron, 6d.; One Crow Bar, 5s.; One broad ax, 4s. ; two heaters, 10d., * Copied by the Author from "Probate Records of Newtown," now in Probate Court of Danbury, Connecticut. |