CHOATE
My 9th great grandfather, John Choate,
came to Massachusetts as an apprentice of Thomas Low at age 19 years old. He settled at the Chebacco Parish of Ipswich about
1643. He bought land from John Andrews
on 27 September 1660 paid for “in cattle not over eight years old, in grain
English and Indian, and partly in West India goods.” After this transaction there were many land
transactions in the Essex County deeds mentioning John Choate as a buyer,
witness or seller. It was all this land that caused his will to be contested by his heirs after his death.
Estate of John Choate of Ipswich
Essex Probate Docket # 5348
Know
all ye Christian people that I, Sargeant John Choat, of Ipswich in ye County of
Essex in New England, being sick in body but of sound mind, do now make my last
Will and Testament.
IMPRIMIS.
I bequeath my soul to God by the merits of Christ and my body unto decent
burial, and then dispose of my worldly estate, which God of his bounty hath
given unto me in manner following, viz:
First.
I give unto John Choate my eldest son. Half of my pasture where his new
dwelling-house stands being about fifteen acres, viz. The said half with all
the houses upon it with all stock I formerly possessed him of. Also give him
the ploughing field commonly called "White's Field" containing about
ten acres. Also I give him one half of my salt marsh at a place called
"Thompson's Island" in Ipswich to him and his heirs forever.
Item
. I give unto my son Samuel Choate, all that housing and land I bought of Mr.
Bishop, where he the said Samuel Choate now lives, reserving only three acres
of land within the field of said land for my son Benjamin, and the said
Benjamin dying before he comes of age, the said three acres shall revert to
Samuel or his heirs.
Item.
I give and bequeath unto my son Joseph all my own living lands and ploughing
grounds, and half of the salt marsh I have at "Thompson's Island"
only reserving four acres of said half for my son Benjamin and said Benjamin
dying before he is of age, said four acres shall revert unto Joseph to him and
his heirs. And if the said Benjamin and Joseph shall die before they are of
age, then said land and meadow shall be equally divided between the male heirs
of my family then surviving.
Item.
I have given my daughter Margaret Fitts upwards of three score pounds in current
pay of merchants, which I have given her and I do now give and ratify unto her
and her heirs as her portion.
Item.
I do give and bequeath unto my daughter, Sarah Choate three score pounds in
current pay of the merchants and I constitute my dear and beloved wife, Ann
Choate, and she shall be my sole executrix and I do give and bequeath unto her
all the rest of my estate of money chattels, debts and demands.
In
witness whereof I have set my hand set my hand and seal this seventh day of
December 1691.
John
Choate, Sen.
Signed
and sealed before us,
John
Wise
Andrew
Browne
Objection to the Will
1696-7,
March 15, John Chote enters cossion to ye Honoured Judg of probate of wills
that whereas I having matter of waight to offer that my fathers Will may not be
approbated while I have opportunity to alleadg against it as witness my hand.
John
Chote
The
heirs of John Choate, Sr., in setting aside his last will, state themselves as
follows:
Whereas
by the Will of John Choate deceased there are several parcels of lands &
estate settled upon John his eldest son & Samuel & Joseph &
Benjamin, yet, Thomas notwithstanding what has been given him in a deed of gift
is not mentioned, nor confirmed in said will. John accounting his part short of
a double portion, the rest not being well satisfied especially Anne, the relict
of John Choate. Therefore it is mutually agreed by all said parties, namely
Anne the said mother of said children & John, Thomas & Samuel for
themselves and said Anne in behalf of herself & Benjamin & Thomas in
behalf of himself and as guardian to said Joseph with the said Anne &
Joseph & Benjamin consenting for themselves, that the estate given to any
of them per deed of said children shall be as follows viz:
The Agreement
Imprimis.
That said Anne during her natural life shall have and enjoy all the moveables
& estate given her by Will, also the half of all housing her late husband
died seized and possessed of, and half the orchard & one third of all
tillage land and pasture and meadow ground her said husband died seized and
possessed of, and until her son Benjamin come to commence Bachelor of Arts said
Anne shall receive of Joseph, after he comes of age, one half of the income or
produce of the other two thirds for to help bring up said Benjamin to and at
the said College to the time prefixed, but if he die before then the said widow
to have only the use of her half of the house and half of the barn and half the
orchard and one third part of said tillage land, pasture and meadow ground
& the said widow shall have the use of the whole, that is to say, the other
two thirds till Joseph comes of age, that said estate shall be paid to
Benjamin's guardian, that he shall choose for bringing him up as aforesaid, and
if Anne die before Benjamin comes of age, the said Joseph shall pay six pounds
current money yearly, until said Benjamin commence Bachelor of Arts or might
have done, if he had remained at the University as before to his guardian.
Item.
It is agreed that what said Anne hath in her hands undisposed of: her son John
shall have a double part and all the rest of her sons equal parts, and it is
agreed if any land be sold for the bringing up of Benjamin, it shall be the ten
acres, or part of it, that is the pasture land lying betwixt Capt. Goodhues
land and John Choate's land said John Choate shall have it giving as much as
another will give, and if the said land be sold as aforesaid then Joseph shall
have Benjamin's land given him by will except the three acres reserved for
Samuel as his deed mentions.
Further
it is mutually agreed that the said John Choate, the eldest son of John Choate,
deceased, shall have all the housing and lands and stock given by deed of gift
and confirmed by will without any right of dowry.
Further,
it is mutually agreed that Samuel Choate shall have all the housing and lands
& stock given him by deed of gift & (note) without any right of dowry.
Further,
it is mutually agreed that Thomas Choate shall have all the housing and lands
given him by deed of gift and not confirmed by Will without any right of dowry.
Further
is mutually agreed that Joseph during his brother's life, and his brother
Benjamin's education, as before mentioned, when he comes of age and after he
comes of age during his mother's life & during his brother's education, as
before inserted, shall have and enjoy all the housing lands and meadows as by
his father's Will and afterwards forever.
Further
- it is mutually agreed that Benjamin shall receive the yearly income of his
brother Joseph's land till he comes of age, and other payments as before
inserted until he Commences Bachelor of Arts or might have done it, if he
remained at his learning, and the land given him by his father's will may be
sold for the bringing to and at the College if need be, and if Joseph or Benjamin
or both decease before they come of age of twenty one years, and land that
shall then remain unsold shall be divided to the brothers viz: To John a
double, and to each other male heir of said Choate's children a single share
and if sold to have it forever.
It
is further agreed and each doth for themselves and in behalf forever a quit
claim make each other, and their respective heirs and assigns of all the estate
real and personal of said John Choate, deceased estate, giving and granting to
each the respective share inserted to have and to hold to them as it is
prefixed to them without let or hindrance, molestation or interruption, suit or
demand of us ourselves, our heirs, executors, administrators or assigns.
In
Testimony hereof we have affixed our hands and seals this 14th day of May Anno
Domino 1697.
(Signed)
Anne
Choate (seal)
John
Choate (seal)
Samuel
Choate (seal)
Thomas
Choate (seal)
Anne
Choate (seal)
as
guardian for Joseph & Benjamin Choate
For more information:
The Choates in America: John Choate and
His Descendants, 1643-1896, by E.O. Jameson, Boston, 1896.
My Choate genealogy:
Generation 1:
John Choate, born about 1624 in Groton, Boxford, Colchester, England,
died 4 December 1695 in Ipswich, Massachusetts; married about 1660 to Ann
Unknown. She died 16 February 1727 in
Ipswich. Eight children.
Lineage A:
Generation 2: Thomas Choate, born about 1671, died
31 March 1745 in Ipswich; married about 1690 in Ipswich to Mary Varney,
daughter of Thomas Varney and Abigail Proctor.
She was born in 1669 and died 19 November 1733 in Ipswich. Thomas Choate married second to Mary Ayer and
third to Hannah Burnham.
Generation 3: Anne Choate, born 22 May 1691 in Ipswich, died
15 August 1739 in Ipswich; married on 21 October 1710 in Ipswich to John
Burnham, son of John Burnham and Sarah Graves.
He was born about 1685 and died 24 November 1749 in Ipswich. He was also married to Elizabeth Porter.
Generation 4: Jeremiah Burnham m. Abigail Andrews.
Generation 5: Abigail Burnham m. Isaac Allen
Generation 6: Joseph Allen m. Judith Burnham
Generation 7: Joseph Allen m. Orpha Andrews
Generation 8: Joseph Gilman Allen m. Sarah Burnham
Mears
Generation 9: Joseph Elmer Allen m. Carrie Maude
Batchelder
Generation 10: Stanley Elmer Allen m. Gertrude
Matilda Hitchings (my grandparents)
Linage B:
Generation 1: Sarah Choate, born about 1672, died
June 1746; married on 13 April 1693 in Ipswich to John Burnham, son of John
Burnham and Elizabeth Wells. He was born
8 April 1671 in Ipswich and died in October 1706 in Ipswich. Eleven children.
Generation 2: John Burnham m. Rachel Smith
Generation 3: Dorothy Burnham m. Abner Poland
Generation 4: Abner Poland m. Sarah Burnham
Generation 5: Sally Poland m. Henry Burnham
Generation 6: Sarah Ann Burnham m. Samuel Mears
Generation 7: Sarah Burnham Mears m. Joseph Gilman
Allen
Generation 8: Joseph Elmer Allen m. Carrie Maude
Batchelder
Generation 9: Stanley Elmer Allen m. Gertrude
Matilda Hitchings (my grandparents)
--------------------------------
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Copyright © 2014, Heather Wilkinson Rojo
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