Transcribed by Marge Matteson and Betty Rhodes

Will of John Matteson
Dated December 6, 1827, Proved April 27, 1829
Source: West Greenwich, RI Wills Vol 7 pages 1-5

In fear of God Amen this Sixth day of December in the Year of our
Lord one Thousand Eight hundred and Twenty Seven, I John Matteson
of Westgreenwich in the County of Kent and State of Rhodeisland *
being at this time Stricken in years and very feeble, but yet of a
Sound disposing mind and memory thanks be to Almighty God
for that blessing, therefore Calling to mind the mortality of my
body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die
therefore I make and ordain this Instrument in writing as
my Last will and Testament. Principally and first of all I
Give and recomend my Soul into ?/\the hands of God that Gave it, and
my body I freely Submit unto the Earth,therein to be Decently
buried in a Christian like manner, at the discretion of my
Executors hereafter named, and as touching such worldly Estates
wherewith it hath pleased God in this Life to Bless me with
I Give and devise and bequeath and dispose of the Same in
the following manner, and form ~
First, my will is that all my Just debts and funeral Charges and
         Legacies be well and truly paid by my Executors hereafter
         Named, within Some Convenient time after my decease
         out of my moveable Estate that I Give them. ~
Secondly,I Give and devise unto my four Sons Namely Joseph Matteson
        Oliver Matteson Phillip Matteson and Asa Matteson all my
        Homestead farm Whereon I now live, Except one fourth
        part of an acre where the burying place is and that I
        Reserve for the use of my family, and a Privelege to pass and
        Repass to and from the road, and to be Equally divided
        between them to them their heirs and assigns forever ~
Thirdly, I Give and devise unto my Son Phillip Matteson one
        part of a Lot of Land that I bought of Jacob Greene and Company
        Beginning at a black oak tree at the Northeast Corner of Said
        Lot and to run Westerly on land of Carmi Whitford untill it
        Comes to a white oak tree with Some Stones round it and
        Marked. Thence Southerly to the highway to a Pitch pine tree
        Marked and some stones round it by the highway thence
        Easterly on the highway untill it Comes to land belonging
        to Asa Matteson which formerly did belong to John
        Straight, thence Northwesterly on the Said Asa Matteson
                                           
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Land untill it comes to the first mentioned bounds to him his
heirs and assigns forever ~
Fourthly, I Give and devise unto my Son Oliver Matteson the other part
of that Lot of Land that I bought of Jacob Greene and Company
Beginning at a White oak tree that is marked and with Some Stones
round it at the Northeast Corner of Said Lot and thence Westerly
On land of Carmi Whitford untill it Comes to land belonging to
Rufus Mattesom, thence Southerly on the Said Rufus Matteson
Land untill it Comes to the highway, thence Easterly on the hig
way untill it comes to Pitchpine tree markes and with Some
Stones round it thence Northerly on the land that I Gave to
Phillip Matteson to the first mentioned bounds to him his
heirs and assigns forever.
Fifthly, I Give and devise unto my Son Phillip Matteson one Lot
         of Land that I bought of Thomas Matteson and is Just five
         acres already layed out, and lies Westerly on a highway
         Southerly on land of Clark Mattesons heirs Easterly on land
         that did belong to Samuel King Northerly on land that did
         Belong to Jonathan Matteson deceased, to him his heirs
         and assigns forever.
Sixthly. I Give and devise unto my two Sons Namely Joseph
         Matteson and Asa Matteson one part of a Lot of Land that
         I bought of Thomas Cook and Phebe Cook, Beginning at a
         Spring brook and running Easterly untill it Comes where
         it is already laid out, and Northerly on George Whitford
         Land Easterly on the River, Southerly on land that did
         belong to Thomas Matteson deceased, to them their heirs
         and assigns forever.
Seventhly. I Give and devise unto my two Sons namely Oliver
         Matteson and Phillip Matteson the other part of the
         above mentioned Lot of Land that I bought of the Cooks
         all the remainder part of the above mentioned Lot, being
         all to the Eastward of the brook to them their heirs and
         assigns forever.
Eightly I Give and bequeath unto my Son Joseph Matteson
         Twenty five dollars to be paid within one year after my
          decease, to be paid by my Executors ~
                                             
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Ninthly I Give and bequeath unto two of my Grandsons Namely
William Matteson Son of Oliver Matteson and Phillip Matteson Son of
Phillip Matteson all my wearing apparel of Every kind to be Equally
divided between them.
Tenthly I Give and bequeath to my Daughter Mary Spink one Hundred
          and Ten dollars to be paid ten dollars of it within one year
          after my decease and the other Hundred Dollars to be paid
          Twenty dollars a year if She lived so long, if She don’t live
           no more to be paid and to be paid by my Executors Equal
Eleventhly, I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Waitey Johnson
           fifty dollars and also one Note that I hold against her
           husband which was about Eighty dollars. Principal to
           her or her heirs Whenever they shall Call after my decease
           to be paid by my Executors.
Twelftly, I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Alce Whitford fifty
           dollars to be paid within two years after my decease by
           my Executors
Thirteenthly, I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Sarah Matteson
            One Hundred and Ten dollars to be paid within one year
             after my decease by my Executors my daughters all having
             Recieved their part of the Indoor Moveables Except Alce
             Whitford and her part is here ready for her, and my will is
             if I havent and dont Give my Executors  Moveable Property
             Enough to pay all my Just Debts and funeral Charges
             and Legacies, my will is that they my Executors hold all
             the real Estate that I have Given away to my Children
             untill they will pay their Equal part of the debts funeral
             Charges and Legacies according to the rights I have Given
             them. ~
Fourteenthly. I Give and bequeath unto my Grandson Freeborn
             Matteson Son of Clark Matteson one Note on Stukley Matteson
             of one Hundred dollars to be kept on Interest until the
             Said Freeborn is Twenty Years old, and if the Said
             Freeborn Should die Leaving no Lawfull Issue my will
             is that it be Equally Divided between his brothers and to be
             Seen to and Turned out by my Executors.
                                                 
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Fifteenthly, I Give and bequeath unto my Grandsons Simon Matteson
            and Jeremiah Matteson, Sons of Clark Matteson, one Note that I
            hold against Wilson Spencer of One Hundred dollars and to be
            kept on Interest and if Either of them should die Leaving
            no Lawfull Issue that part to be equally divided between his brothers
            and to be Seen to and Turned out to them within Some
            Convenient time after my decease by my Executors
Sixteenthly. I Give and bequeath unto my Grandson Thomas Matteson
              Son of Clark Matteson fifteen dollars to be paid within Six months
              after my decease by my Executors
Seventeenthly I Give and bequeath unto my Grandson Joseph Matteson
              Son of Clark Matteson fifteen dollars to be paid within
              Some Convenient time after my decease by my Executors
Eighteenthly, I Give and bequeath unto my Grand daughter Rhoba Matteson
               Daughter of Clark Matteson Ten dollars to be paid to her
               within Some convenient time after my decease by
               “by” *repeated and crossed out *  my Executors
Nineteenthly. I Give and devise and bequeath unto my Son Phillip
                Matteson and my Son in Law Stukley Matteson all
                My Lands * Goods and Chattels rights
                and Credits all my Money and Securities and all my
                Provision of all kinds and stock and farming Tackling
                of Every kind that I have not herein before Given away
                to be Equally between them, they two paying all
                my Just Debts and Funeral Charges and Legacies
                Equally between them. ~
Lastly I hereby Nominate Constitute and appoint my Son
                Phillip Matteson and my Son in Law Stukley Matteson
                to be my whole and Sole Executors to this my Last Will
                and Testament to See the Same fulfilled according
                to the true Intent and Meaning thereof, and I do
                hereby revoke and annul all other or former wills
                and Testaments by me made and establishing this
                and this only as my Last Will and Testament, In Testimony
                Whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this day
                 and year before written
Signed Sealed Published pronounced
                                              
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and declared by the said John
Mattesonas and for his last
Will and Testament in the
Presence of us who at the                                                         his
 Same time at his request                                                  John  X  Matteson  LS (seal)
in his presence and in the                                                         mark
presence of each other presents
Set our names as Witnesses
Carmi Whitford
             his
    David  X  Straight
            mark
David Straight Jr

Be it Remembered that I John Matteson of Westgreenwich in the
County of kent and State of Rhode Island * which is the Same
John Matteson that Signed and Sealed the will that this
Codicil is annexed to being weak in body but of * mind
and memory do this first day of March 1829 make Constitute
and order this Instrument in writing or Codicil to be part
of my Will that is to Say, Whereas in the body of my Will
I have appointed Stukley Matteson my Son in Law Executor
which appointment I make null and void and do Entirely
revoke him the said Stukley Matteson from said Appointment, and I
have Given to my Son Joseph Matteson in my will Twenty
five dollars which Gift or Bequeathment I do Entirely
Make null and void and do Revoke the whole of said Gift
and also in the body of my Will I have Given to Jeremiah
Matteson and Simion the Sons of my Son
Clark Matteson each fifty dollars which Gift of fifty dollars
each I do Revoke one half of said Gifts and by this Codicil
do Give to said Jeremiah and the said Simon each
Twenty five dollars, and also I have in the body of my will
Given to Alce Whitford my Daughter that married Benjamin
Whitford in the Western Country fifty dollars which Gift I do
Revoke one half of Said Gift, and do by this Codicil order
her to have Twenty five dollars only, and also in the body of my
Will I have Given to Sarah Matteson my Daughter wife of Stukley
Matteson one Hundred and Ten dollars which gift I do by this
                                                 
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Codicil revoke Sixty dollars of said Gift, and give unto her the
said Sarah but fifty dollars in Lieu of the one Hundred and
Ten dollars, the reason that I have altered the gift of money
that I have given away in the body of my will is because
I have lost a considerable part of my money that I had when I
made my will, the reason that I revoke Stukley Matteson
from being one of my Excutors as appointed in the body of my
Will is because he has got very much Reduced as to property
and Involved in debt, the true Interest and meaning of this
Investment in writing is to be taken for a part of my will
and any will in that this Codicil Should take Effect as it is
written, Signed Sealed and delivered this first day of March
of 1829. We who have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses,
was by the Testator Called and in his presence and in the
presence of each other do Let our names this day and date
as above written.

John Matteson his X mark and seal
Simon Hopkins
Carmi Whitford
Wilson B. Spencer

At the Court of Probate holdin within and for the Town of West
Greeenwich in the County of Kent on the 27th day of April
AD 1829. Whereas a Certain Instrument Perporting to be the
Last Will and Testament of John Matteson Late of said
West greenwich yoman deceased, was presented to this
Court for Probate, Together with the Codicil thereunto named
and Carmi Whitford David Straight and David Straight
Jr. Subscribing Witnesses to the said Will, and Simon
Hopkins Carmi Whitford and Wilson B. Spencer Subscribing
Witnesses to the said Codicil  being present declared an
oath that they in the presence of the Said John Matteson
and in the presence of each other  Saw and heard him
the said John Matteson Sign Seal Publish pronounce and
declare that Said Instruments to be his Last will and
Testament and that the Said John Matteson at the time
of Excuting and Publishing the Said Instrument as aforsaid
appeared to the Said Witnesses to be more than Twenty

                                                 
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one years of age and of sane mind, and all persons Interested
in Said Estate having been duly Notified according to Law
and no person appearing to oppose the Probate of the Said
Instrument, and the Court having Examined the said
Instruments and the Evidence Relating to the Execution
thereof do Consider that the Said Instrument is proved
Whereupon the Said Court do Approve and allow of
the Said Instruments and do order and ? the same
to be recorded as and for the Last Will and Testament
of the Said John Matteson.
                              By Order of the Said Court
                                                                        Hon. Nichols Clk
State of Rhode island & Providence Plantations
By the Court of Probate who are authorized by Law for
the Probate of Wills, and to Grant Letters of Administration
on the Estates of persons deceased having goods,
Chattels, rights or Credits in the Town of Westgreen-
wich in the County of Kent in the State aforesaid.
To all to Whom there presents Shall Come Greeting, Knowledge
that upon the day of the date here of the Instrument here
unto annexed, purporting to be the Last Will and Testament
and Codicil of John Matteosn Late of Said Westgreenwich
Yeoman deceased was presented to the said Court and
Proved, and thereupon the said Court did approve
and allow of the Said Instrument as the Last will and
Testament of the Said deceased, Whereupon the
Said Court by virtue of their Authority aforesaid did
Commit Administration of the Said Last will and
Testament in all matters Concerning the Same and of
the Estate of which the Said John Matteson died levied
and possessed in the Said Town unto Phillip Matteson the
Executor therein named will and faithfully to Excucute
the Same, and to administer the Estate of the Said deceased
according thereunto, who accepted of the Said trust and gave
hand as the Law directs to return upon oath a true and
perfect Inventory of the Said Estate unto the Said Court


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within three months and also to render an amount of said
proceedings thereupon oath within one year from the date
hereof. In Testimony Whereas I Jonathan Nichols Clerk of the Said
Court by Order and in behalf of the Said Court have hereunto Let
my hand and the Seal of the Said Court this 27th day of April
AD 1829.
Hon Nichols P. Clerk

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