Return to main file
John Denison (d. 1683)
Priscilla Unknown (d. 1692)
John Denison died between 12 September and 31 October 1683. He married Priscilla Unknown. The widow Priscilla died on 5 February 1692 in Ipswich. [1]
On 12 September 1683 John Denison, weaver of Ipswich made his will, "being not well at the present as it being a time of sickness among us in this place and many died of late and I know not how suddenly may own death may come." He left his wife the two beds in the parlor and the bed in the new chamber, along with their furniture. After her decease, his daughter Sarah Perkins was to have the best bed in the parlor; his son was to have the bed in the new chamber. He left his wife his two cows, a two-year-old heifer and a yearling. He left her either a third of the fruit in his orchard or as much cider as she and his son John Denison would agree to put up in barrels and provide her with from time to time. He left his wife his great iron kettle, two iron pots and all of his pewter except for one of his best pewter platters, which he left to his daughter Ruth Denison. He also left her all his brass, except the great kettle. The great kettle and the biggest iron pot were left to his son John, although his wife had the right to use them. His wife was to have the parlor with the chamber above it and the cellar for her use, and the use of all household goods, but she was to bring no one else to live in the house. [2]
His son was to keep the black cow and four sheep for his wife. The increase was to be hers and John was to replenish losses. John could have the use of the other four cows if he paid his mother a convenient profit. John left detailed instructions about the provisions his son John was to supply his mother with. Everything he had already given to his wife she could keep, but must leave to their children. He left his daughter Sarah Perkins two sheep and ten pounds. He directed his son Tobijah Perkins to pay the 40 shillings Tobijah owed him to Tobijah's daughter. He left his daughter Priscilla Parsons three pounds to be paid by John. He left his granddaughter Sarah Pritchett five pounds when she turned 14 to be paid by John and another five pounds if she lived with John until she was 14. He forgave his son-in-law John Pritchett debt on the condition he pay 40 shillings to his children John and Elizabeth. [2]
He made his son John his executor. He left his his house, land, horse, hogs and whatever else was leftover in his estate. The will was proved on 31 October 1683. [2]
i. John Denison died on 12 August 1725 in Ipswich. He married first Ruth Ayer. He married second Elizabeth ___.
ii. Sarah Denison married Captain Tobijah Perkins on 5 November 1680 in Topsfield. [3] She is probably the widow Sarah who died on 1 October 1735 in Topsfield. [3][4] Tobijah, the son of William and Elizabeth (Wooten) Perkins, was born on 20 October 1646 in Weymouth. [5] Tobijah, Captain Tobijah died on 30 April or 2 May 1723 in Topsfield. [3]
Tobijah was a representative from Topsfield to the general court in 1695–1701, 1709–1711, 1714, 1715, 1720, 1721. [4] He was a captain and a farmer. [4]
iii. Priscilla Denison married first Thomas Parson on 9 October 1666 in Ipswich. [1] Thomas was born about 1635. [6] He died on 10 April 1701 in Suffield (then in Massachusetts). [6] Priscilla married second Samuel Smith of Hadley on 17 December 1701 in Suffield. [6]
Priscilla is mentioned in her brother John's will.
iv. Unknown Denison died by 12 September 1683. She married John Pritchett.
References:
1. Vital Records of Ipswich, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, 2 vols. (Salem: Essex Institute, 1910), vol. 1 (births): 114, vol. 2. (marriages): 131–2; (deaths): 540–1.
2. "Plymouth County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1686–1881," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org, case 7558.
3. Vital Records of Topsfield, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1903), 175, 242–3.
4. "Massachusetts: Legislators of the General Court, 1691–1780," database. AmericanAncestors.org, entry for Tobijah Perkins.
5. "The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620–1633, Volumes I-III," digitized book, AmericanAncestors.org, originally published as: Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, 3 volumes (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995), 1436.
6. Gerald James Parsons, "The Early Parsons Families of the Connecticut River Valley," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 149 (1995): 71–72.
18-Mar-2023