WILL OF JOSEPH WHEELER. Born March 7, 1690/91 in Concord, MA. Died Feb 29, 1780 in Lancaster, MA. Son of Obadiah Wheeler and Elizabeth White, Mayflower Descendant. Husband of Abigail Butterfield. Father of Rev. Joseph Wheeler who married Mary Greenleaf.

Will of Joseph Wheeler of Lancaster, Worcester County, MA. August 15, 1778. Worcester County, Lancaster; 14-16-143. Obtained from Sampubco. Transcribed by Sheri Sleyzak sleyzak@rcn.com

In the name of God Amen, the fifteenth day of August, One thousand, seven hundred & seventy Eight. I, Joseph Wheeler of Lancaster, in the County of Worcester, in State of the Massachusetts Bay in New England; yeoman, in health & of a sound mind & memory, thanks be given to God. Therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body, & knowing that is appointed for man once to die, Do make & ordain this my last Will & Testament, that is to say, Principally & first of all I give & Recommend my soul into the hands of God who gave it, & My body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my Executor, nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God. And as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give dismiss & dispose of the same in the following manner & form, viz. After my just debts & Funeral Charges are paid, which are to be paid out of my personal Estate by my Executor -. Also after my wearing apparel is divided amongst my four children hereafter named, a double share of which I give to my son Joseph Wheeler to be divided as above said at my decease. Imprimis. All the residual of my Estate both real & personal, I give & bequeath the whole improvement of as a free hold , to my beloved wife, Sarah, to have the improvement of the whole during her natural life, with a decent Christian burial at her decease, to be afforded her by my Executor out of my Estate after which my Will is that the remainder & residual of my Estate whatsoever & wheresoever the same maybe found, shall be divided amongst my four Children viz. to Joseph Wheeler jun. Phebe Wilder, Rachel Wheeler & Abigail Conqueret, a double portion of which Estate I give to my son, and a single share to each of my daughters, which Estate I give to my said four Children in manner as above said - and to their heirs & assigns forever. - And I do hereby Constitute, make & ordain my son Joseph Wheeler my sole Executor of this my last Will & Testament. And I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke & disannul all & every other former Testaments, Wills, Legacies & bequests & Executors, by me in any ways before named, willed & bequeathed; Ratifying & Confirming this & no Other to be my last Will and Testament - In Witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand & seal, the day & year above written, Joseph Wheeler. {Seal} Signed, sealed, published, prounounced and declared by the said Joseph Wheeler as his last Will & Testament, in presence of the subscribers Oliver Whitney. Benj. Kimball Simon Daby. Worcester - , To all people to whom these presents shall come, Levi Lincoln Esq. Judge of the probate of Wills - , in the County of Worcester, within the State of the of the Massachusetts Bay, in New England. endeth greeting {Seal.} Know Ye, that on the 5th day of June, Anno Domini, 1780, The Instrument herunto annexed, purporting the last Will & Testament of Joseph Wheeler, late of Lancaster, in the County afores. was presented for probate by Joseph Wheeler the Executor therein named; then present Benjamin Kimball & Simon Daby, two of the witnesses thereto subscribed, who made oath that they saw the said Testator sign, seal & heard him declare the said Instrument to be his last Will & Testament, & that they together with Oliver Whitney the other subscribing witness, subscribed their names together as witnesses to the Execution thereof in the said Testator's presence, & that he was then (to the best of their judgement) of a Sound & disposing mind. I do prove, approve & allow of the said Instrument as the last Will & Testament of the beforenamed decd . & do commit the administration thereof, in all matters the same concerning, & of his Estate whereof he died seized & possessed in said County unto Joseph Wheeler the beforenamed Executor will & faithfully to Execute the said Will & to Administer the Estate of the said deceased according thereto; who accepted of his said trust & he shall exhibit an Inventory of all said deceased's Estate into the probare office, according to Law & he shall render an account (upon oath) of his proceedings when thereunto Law fully required. In Testamony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand & seal of Office this day & year above written. ~ Levi Lincoln J. Prob. Entered from the original, - Joseph Wheeler Regr.