a chest with two drawers, which was her mother's. I also give and bequeath to my said daughter, Eliz. one cow and two sheep, such as she shall choose, to be winterd and summerd for her by my son John, and also sixty dollars in money. Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Mehitabel Appleton, sixty dollars in money. Item. I give to my son-in-law Thomas Appleton a note of hand I have against him dated April 28, 1795. Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Lydia Treadwell, sixty dollars in money. Item. I give to my grandson Thomas Wade and Samuel Wade thirty dollars each. Item. I give and bequeath to my grand daughters Mary Waldron and Abigail Waldron, thirty dollars each. I give and bequeath to my son-in-law, Edward Waldron, at my decease, my great Bible. Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth, one feather bed and bedding which her mother brought to me, when I married her. Item. I give and bequeath to my three daughters and to my grand-children, children of my Daughters, Mary and Hannah, deceased, the whole of my household goods (excepting my silver tankard) to be equally divided between them. I give to my daughters aforenamed and my aforesaid grandchildren, at my decease, all my books to be divided in same manner as I have ordered my household goods to be divided. Item. I give and devise to my son Joseph and to my daughter Elizabeth, and to their heirs and assigns in equal shares, my Pew in the South Meeting House in this town. Item. I give to my sons John and Joseph all my wearing apparel and farming utensils to be equally divided between them. Item. I give and devise to my son John and to his heirs and assigns forever all my buildings and lands, excepting such parts of my buildings and lands as I have before given to my son Joseph and my daughter Elizabeth. I give and bequeath to my said son, all my stock of cattle and sheep, all my notes of hand, my silver Tankard, and all the rest and residue of my estate. May 3, 1804. (Essex Co. Probate Records 374:9: 10.) An inventory and appraisenient of the estate of Deacon John Crocker late of Ipswich (Probate Records 374: 81). In the West lower room a clock $16 1 looks glass $8 one desk $5 29.00 a settee $3 black walnut table 4 foot, $2.50 5.50 writing desk $1 small round table $1, light stand 30 cts stands candlestk 1.25 3.55 one great chair and 6 small ditto viol back $3.50 1 round table $1.25 4.75 one small chair turkey worked 33cts hand iron, shovel & tongs $2.50 2.85 one feather bed, bolster and pillows $23, bedstead sacking bottom $2 25.00 2 blankets $2 2 do $3 1 bed quilt $2 1 coverlet $2 13 pr sheets $22.75 31.75 10 pair pillow cases $3.07 table cloths $4.75 12 napkins $1.75 9.50 East room. 3 leathd chairs $1.50 round chair & cushion $1 four old chairs 67cts, small looking glass $1 pair small handirons 50 ct small table 12 ct 2.50 1.67 .62 East bed room. underbed, bedstead & cord $1.25 3 cover lets $3.75 5.00 two blankets $2 1 pair sheets $2 linen wheel & reel $1 5.00 25.83 34.92 6.50 8.50 backd $1 6.50 bed, bolster & pillows $22 under bed, bedstead & cord $3 curtains & valions $3 one pair sheets $2.50 25.00 5.50 289.97 one blanket $1.50 coverlet $1 bed quilt $2.00 4.50 small pair hand irons 50 ct. 1 maple table $1 small looking In the kitchen 1 brass kettle $3 one brass pan $2 Pewter $9, handirons $2.50 shovel & tongs $1 gridiron 50 cts candlesticks 50 toasting iron 50 1 pr brass candlesticks $1 bell metal skillet 30cts brass skillet $1 tin ware $1.75 warming pan $1.00 pr bellows 25ct a mortar 2 coffee mills flesh fork, skimer and skewers John Crocker disposed of this property to his brother Joseph (though I find no record of the transaction), who seems to have owned little of this world's goods, apart from the ancestral mansion. The inventory of his estate is brief: Inventory of the estate of Joseph Crocker, malster : House and barn and malt-house, with other buildings & land 900.00 1 blue coat $3.00 1 blue surtout coat $2.50 1 blue grate coat $3.50 1.black waist coat $1 2 green waist coats $1 2 pair small cloths woolen and drawers $2 4.00 1 pair kersey meer small cloths 50 cts 1 pair nankin jacket and breeches $1 1.50 1 pair cotton and linen trowsers $1. 8 shirts $6.50 8 pair of hose $3.50 11.00 1 pr leather gloves 12 cts. 2 silk and one linen handkerchief $1.75 1.87 3 pr. old trowsers 75 cts 2 frocks $1. 2 pair of boots $3.75 2 pair of shoes $1.50 7.00 2 felt hats 60 cts. 1 gun, bayonet & snap sack and cartridge box $5 5.60 1 gun & cartridge box, and 2 powder horns $2 live hare cleaned 60 cts 2.60 In the return of the administrator of Joseph Crocker, in March 1814, we find the items five sixths of dwelling house and land sold to Joseph Hodgkins Esq. to paid John Crocker 750.00 621.38 Deacon John received the estate by inheritance from his father, Benjamin Crocker, a man of excellent quality. He was graduated from Harvard College in 1713, was Representative in 1726, 1734, 1736, taught the Grammar School many years, and often preached. He made his will after the pious fashion of his day and devised his property as follows: In the name of God, Amen. April 9, 1766. I Benjamin Crocker, of Ipswich in County of Essex, in New England, being in Health of Body and Mind & Memory (thro the Favour of Almighty God,) & calling to Mind the Uncertainty of Life and Certainty of Death, Do make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament, and Principally and above all I recommend my Soul into the Hands of God, Thro Jesus Christ, hoping for his sake and Righteousness to find acceptance with God at the great Day of his Appearing; and my Body to decent Christian Burial: and touching such worldly Estate as God been pleased to bestow upon me, I give and dispose of the same in Manner following, viz. Imprimis. I give to my well beloved wife Elizabeth fourteen pounds, and all that estate which she brought with her to me upon our Marriage; provided and on Condition she shall acquit all her Right or Claim and Interest in & to all the rest of my estate. Item. I give to my daughter, Mary Gunnison, the two best silver spoons, which, with what I gave her at her Marriage, together with what she held of land, which she had of land which she and her Brother sold to Charles Tuttle after her Marriage, which I account of a sufficient Part of my Estate. (The particulars of which I have set down in a Pocket Book in my Desk.) Item. I give all the rest of my Estate both real and personal of what Nature soever to my son John Crocker, after my Debts and funeral Charges are paid by my said Son. BENJAMIN CROCKER. (Probate Records 343:481.) Mary Crocker, the first wife of Benjamin, received the property from her father, Major John Whipple. No record of sale, gift or inheritance from her remains, but the identity of the property is indisputable as will appear from our subsequent study of adjoining estates. The will of Major John Whipple, Crocker's father-inlaw, is of much interest and I append it in full. WILL OF MAJOR JOHN WHIPPLE. In the name of God Amen. The thirtieth day of August 1722. I John Whipple, of Ipswich, In the County of Essex in New England, being sick & weak of Body but of perfect Mind & Memory, Thanks be Given to God therefore, Calling to Mind ye Mortality of my Body & knowing yt Is Appointed for all Men Once to Dye Doe make and Ordaine This my Last Will & Testament; that Is to say principally & first of all I Give and recommend my Soul Into the hands of God that Gave it, and my Body I Recomend to ye Earth to be buryed in a Decent & Christian Buriall att ye Discretion of my Exec., nothing Doubting but att ye Genll Resurrection I shall receive the same againe by ye Almighty power of God; and as touching such Worldly Estate wherewith It hath pleased God to bless in This Life, I Give, Demise & Dispose of the same in the following Manner or Forme. Impr. I give to my Daughter Mary Crocker & To the Heirs of her Body Lawfully begotten my now Dwelling House & Homestead with all the building upon the same. Also I give to my Daughter Crocker all ye furniture both of the parlour and Parlour chamber also one Bed More such as shee shall Chuse with all ye furniture to ye same belonging, also Three pair of Sheets, Two Large Table Cloths & Two Smaller Ones & Two Dozen of Napkins, also I give unto my Daughter Crocker all the utensills of ye Kitchen & Leantoe & also my two Neb oxen & all my utensills for husbandry, also One old Common Right & my Negro Man & Two Cowes. Item. I give to my son-in-law Benj. Crocker my ing piece. and foul Item. I give to my Grandson, Wm Brown, my pistolls and holsters. It. I give to my Grandson, John Rogers, twenty pounds and after all my Lawful debts and all ye above Legacies & my funerall Charges are all payd, the whole of my Estate which shall then remaine Both real and personal, Bills, Bonds, Whatsoever to be honestly apprized & Equally Divided between my Three daughters, Martha, Mary & Susannah. [Probate Records 313: 458.] Wareing apperell £30 Book 80s Bills and Bonds £18214-6 horse & mare etc £112 328 14 6 cows, steers, heffers & calves £47 9s Household stuff in ye Hall £16 14s 64 30 Household goods in ye bedroom below £2 58 in ye bed room above 90s 6 15 0 In the Kitchen Chamber £7 8s Sheets, Pillow beers, 17 4 0 12 yds Linnin Cloth 40s 12 yds Druggt 40s 20 yds Cot 2 blankets, 2 Coverlids, 1 Rugg, 60s 1 Reel 10s Linnin & Worsted yarn 38s wool 10s Cotton wooll 30s bottles 20s 2 sadles 96s 12 barells 24s 2 tubbs 6s 5 swine 100s Calash & Tackling 408 Slay 18s an old saw mill standing on Ipswich River with ye apurtenances belonging to ye mill without ye priviledge of ye streem An addition of the Parsonall Estate of John Whipple Esq. taken April 17th, 1723, One silver headed Cain 35s one walnut staff with silver head 13s 280 one old Desk 3s pr Cards 1s 4d 1 Knife and fork 2s about 50 Gro. buttons old 68 0 12 4 1 pr sheers 6d 1 old press? 18s 1 pine chest 4s 1 Table 4s 1 Do 2s 2 old Chairs 1s 1 pr stillards 5s 0 14 6 When the Rev. John Rogers receipted for his son's legacy, as his guardian, it is recorded that it was in accordance with the will of" Major John Whipple." It is important that every clew however slight to the successive generations of Whipples be noted, as we enter now a bewildering maze of John Whipple, Captain John, Major John, Cornet John, Elder John, John Senior, etc., through which it is very difficult to thread our way. This will of Major Whipple drawn in 1722 contains one item of note in determining the age of different portions of the house. It mentions the "kitchen & Leanto." One addition, at least, had been made prior to this date; but whether it was the very small leanto that seems to have been built on the northeast corner, or the larger and later addition that provided a new kitchen, we cannot determine. I incline to the former hypothesis, as there is mention of only four rooms in the will and inventory. Two slaves are included in his estate, a negro man, who was given to Dame Crocker, and Hannah, who became the property of the minister's wife, Mrs. John Rogers. We are glad that she was a person of sufficient note to be mentioned by name. The humble black man, who was sandwiched in between "an old common right" and "Two Cowes," is mentioned only as a chattel. Major John Whipple was the eldest son of Captain John Whipple Senior, who made his will in 1683. The will is of value, and is inserted in full. The inventory, which |