New Britain herald., 1923-02-26
SOME OLD WILLS FROM = OUR VICINITY by James Shepard.
by James Shepard.

Whether the world is growing bet
 ter or worse, it is certain that the
 wills of the present day do not have
 embodied in them the religious and philosophical matter which Is em- | bodied in our ancient wills. This fact 1 fully appears in numerous wills, as | for example in the following testa. i ments made by six different persons: One Who Desired to Have His Chil-
 dren Placed in Some Godly Family.
 Will dated Dec. l, 1640: I, Joseph Clarke, of Windsor, be- | ing somewhat weake but of perfect memory, doe make and ordayne this ny last will and Testament: First, l bequeath by Soule to God, waiting for Salvation through ye alone merit of Jesus Christ, and my Body to Chris tan Buriall at ye discretion of my Executors. And as for my worldly Goods I thus dispose of ym; I be- queath my Estate in Lands and Goods to my two Children in ye Discretion of mine Executors, ye wch office l desire ye Church by ye ministers and ye Deacons and Oversight of ye Elders to undertakes; and by desire is vt my House and Lot should be Let and Earned at Rent for 10 and 12 years and ye Rent yearly to zoe towards ye maintenance of ye Children so long; and if vt will not suffice you main- tenance and ye Church see it meete my desire is vt my Lott ioyning to ye Great River above sequestered Mea- INx, 1AN kr Tx Htxy quire; and ye sd 10 or l2 years my desire is vt my Children be sett forth in some Gody family for 6 or : years or more. in ye Churches Wis dome. XXX my desire is vt ye Church doe dispose of my Estate otherwise as in vt discretions may best conduce to ye Comfort of my Chil- dren.
 One Who Leaves His Wife to The
 Care of the Church
 Will dated Nov. 20, 1853:
 Tn the name of God, Amen. I l Thomas Olcott of Hartford, being weake in body but through the mercy of God of perfect memory, yeti call ing to mind the certainty of Death | and the uncertainty of the time thereof | doe make and ordayne my last will and testament. My wife leave her 10 the care of the Church whereof the Lord hath made her member and to Inc Counsell and advice of them in Generall. My over Seers and Mrs. Hooker in pticular; and doe desire their utmost care and indeavor for her good: and I doe ernestly desire her to attend their counsell and ad- vice to the utmost. The Children which the Lord of his mercy hath given me I firstly Commite them into the arms of that mercy and beseech the Lord to make good his ever last ng Covenant that he hath of his rich mercy made with them. And second- y I leave them to the loce, care and 'aithful 1ndeayor of the Church with whom they live and whereof they are members. Intreating them according o the Covenants of the Lord that hey will be helpful to them and over them for their out ward and spiritual good.
 One Who Walked in Congregational
 Way
 WI or John NaKeman ol Ne" Ald ,en, dated June IS, 1860:
 First. 1 comend my soule into the lands of my Lord Jesus Christ, ny 'edeemer. trusting 10 be saved by his merits and intercession and my body 0 be buryed at the discretion Of my executors and friends, in hope Of a oyfull resurrection; testifyillg my to God for the free of his grace to me in ,hrist, and for the liberty and fellow hip youchsafed me with his people n his ordinances in congregational vay, which I take 10 be the way of 'hrist orderly walked in, according to is rules.
 Secret Which The Lord Hath Re
 serted to Himself.
 Win of Joseph Clarke, Saybrook,