Friday, March 26, 2010

Freind of Friends Friday --Cook and Related Families 2

The following will abstracts are taken from the book "Thomas Cooke of Rhode Island", by Jane Fletcher Fiske. This is a continuation of last Friday's post.
John Cook (1685-1759) pg. 100
John Cook of Tiverton, yeoman, declared that he was "in my Declining years but of sound and perfect mind," and disposed of his estate as follows:


...Moreover I give unto my son Abial Cook my Negro man named Chap for term of life...
...To my daughter Amy Briggs 400 pounds (and)my Negro woman named Meg for term of life besides what I have given unto her already which she hath in her hands or possession....
...to my daughter Barsheba Sisson 400 pounds (and) my Negro girl named Jenny for term of life besides what I have already given her...
...to my daughter Lillis Cook...400 pounds (and) my Negro girl named Zilf for term of life...
...to my daughter Rebeckas Manchester 400 pounds beside what I have already given her & delivered unto her in my lifetime ... (and) my Negro girl named Mol for term of life ...
...to my daughter Ruth Baley 400 pounds ... one bed & bedding & bedsted & half a dozen high backed chares & great chare ... my Negro girl called Rachel for term of life besides what I have delivered unto her in my lifetime...
James Sisson (1690-1775)pg. 105


By the will his father George, dated 20 August 1718, James received land in Portsmouth, and old Negro man named Abraham and Lucy his wife, 20 sheep, furniture and other goods, and was directed to fence and maintain the family burying ground (Portsmouth Probate 2:165).


James' will was dated 23 March 1775 and proved 4 October 1775.
... To Catherine, widow of son Barnet, James left his Negro girl named Zilf to serve until she was 21, at which time Catherine was to clothe her well and set her at liberty, and she was to be supported by grandson Rodman whenever she should be unable to support herself.
...To son James..."my grate Bible & my first volume of Isaac Penningtons writings & also my Negro boy named Jack to serve him until he arrives to the age of 21 & then to be well clothed & set at Liberty ... my Negro girl named Phillis when she arrives to the age of 18 shall be well clothed & set at Liberty by my son James or his heirs."
Joseph Cook (1695-1726) pg. 108
Joseph Cook, Jr. of Portsmouth died intestate; on 14 November 1726 his widow Hannah was given administration on his estate. The inventory was presented 28 December, and on 9 January 1726/7 the town council recorded a debt found against Joseph Cook for sundry expenses in carrying on the work of building the house in which he died, and also for a Negro woman he was to have sold for Henry Gibbs of Barbados (Portsmouth TC Book 3:5,6,7,76,77).

Thomas Cook (1697-1756) pg. 110
Thomas Cook of Tiverton, yeoman and son to Joseph Cook, deceased, very weak in body, signed his will 19 Oct 1756 and it was proved 19 November following. Witness were Edward Shull, Restcome Sanford and Sarah Soule.
...to daughter Deborah Cook the sum of 300 pounds and my Negro girl named Judah for term of Life...
...to my six daughters Deborah Cook, Susannah Cook, Deliverance Cook Hannah Cook, Mary Cook & Ruth Cook all my household goods together with my Negro woman named Rose for term of life to be equally divided...

Desire Slocum (1734-178?) pg. 114
Ebenezer Slocum of Dartmouth in his will dated 18 June 1781 and proved 16 April 1783 named among others his well beloved daughter Desire Cook, leaving to her twenty Spanish Silver Dollars and a Negro girl named Susanah who was already in her possesion (Portsmouth Probate 7:57).

Thomas Sisson pg. 122-123
Thomas Sisson of Tiveron in his will dated 20 August 1775 and proved 20 January 1777 stated that he was weak of body. He left
...unto my loving Daughter Elizabeth Sherman and to her son after her ... all my housing and land at Portsmouth ... also my Negro woman Named Cansa untill she is thirty years of age and no longer ... said Negro woman to be Free at the age of thirty years and at her own Disposal ...
...my will is that my Negro Girl named Pegg that now lives with Daughter Silvester Sears shall there remain untill she shall Arrive to the age of thirty years and no longer and then to be free and at her own Disposal...
... to my son in law Joseph Shearman all my Negroes born in his house of my Negro woman Named Cansa ...


The will was witnessed by George Tibbits, Eber Davis and Lemuel Sisson Jr. (Tiverton Probate 4:243).


In November 1782 Joseph Sherman of Tiverton, Esq., sued Phillip Sisson of Dartmouth, yeoman, devisee of the real estate of Thomas Sisson late of Tiverton, deceased, charging that from 20 April 1778 until 15 April 1781 he had "found and provided meat, dring, washing and lodging for a certain Negro man Jack belonging to Thomas Sisson late of Tiverton," for which Philip Sisson had apparently promised to pay. Also involved was a bill dated 6 Feburary 1779 for clothing, coffin, funeral charges, digging a grave, looking after him in his last sickness and fetching the doctor several times, and for Dr. Cobb's bill, which, because of its date, must have referred to Thomas Sisson rather than Jack...


I will post the remaining slave mentions in this book next Friday.


1 comment:

  1. I'm glad to follow your blog. James Sisson is my eighth great granduncle. You know, I'm related to all those people. Happy to find you. I have a genealogy blog also
    http://wildrhodes.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete

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