JONATHAN
EDWARD'S WILL
In the pre-Revolutionary War
years, the English language was far from standardized,
leading to diverse spellings of ordinary words. In
transcribing the text of Jonathan Edwards' Last Will and
Testament, every attempt was made to faithfully maintain
the unique syntax and spellings of one of Brookhaven's
earliest settlers. As one reads the text below, words
that do not reasonably resemble their modern counterparts
will have their equivalents in modern usage appear within
brackets following the original spelling. The original
copy from which the text is transcribed is currently
(August 7, 1999) stored in the Longwood Public Library's
Thomas Bayles Local History Collection.
Copy of Will
of Jonathan Edwards (1761)
In the name of God amen, the
23 of Juen 1761 I Jonathan Edwards of Brookheavien
[Brookhaven] In the county of Suffolk and province of New
York yeoman being in health and of parfect [perfect] mind
and memory thanks thanks Be given to God, tharefore
calling to mind the mortality of Body and Knowing that it
is appoynted [appointed] for all men once to die do make
and ordain this my last Will and testament, that is to
say principly and first of all I Give and Recommend my
soul into the hands of God that Gave it and for my Body I
Recommend to the Earth to be bured [sic] In a Christian
Like Burial In a decent manner according to the
discression [discretion] of my Executors no doubting but
att ye General Resurrection I shall Receive ye same a
Gain [again] by the mighty power of God and as touching
such worly [wordly] Estate wharewith it hath pleased God
to bless me in this Life. I give and devise and Dispose
In the following manner and form.
Inprismus. It is my will and
I do order that all my deabts [debts] and funerl [sic]
charges be paid & satisfied.
Item: I give an bequeath
unto my wife Rebacah Edwards a decent comfortabel living
out of my estate during the time she remains my widow.
Item: I give & bequeath
unto my belovid Son Jonathan Edwards the homestead or
place whare my house & barn is whare i now live and
half my farming uvitetials [utensils]; and whare as I
have given to my son Jonathan ye home farm with ye
buildings.
Item: I will and order him
to pay to his sisters Ruth, Sarah & Rebecah Edwards
the just sum of thirty pound lawfull monney of new york
to be Raised and Lived [Levied] out of my Estate that I
have given him.
Item: I constitute my
Beloved wife Rebacah Edwards & my son Jonathan
Edwards above mentioned I do make & ordain my whole
and soul [sole] Executer of this last will and testament
all and singgeler to to ye lands, messeges [messages] and
tenments [tenements] to him his hairs [heirs] and assings
[assigns] forever.
Item: I will and bequeath to
my well beloved son William Edwards a cartain [certain]
tract of land Joyning to Stephen Sweezey in the middle of
ye Island leat [let] it be more or less which land I give
William, his hairs & Exec.
Item: I will and order my
son William shall have half my farming uritentials
[utensils]. Item: I will and order my above mentioned
sone william Edwards to pay to my daughters Ruth, Sarah
& Rebackkah Edwards the sum of thirty pound lawfull
monney of new york to be Raised and Livied out of my
estate that I have given him.
Item: I will & bequeath
to my beloved daughters Ruth, Sarah & Rebe all my
household goods to be Equally divided among them and I do
hearby disolve [dissolve] all other wills & bequeaths
or former testaments any ways be me made or done
Rettefying [Ratifying] this and no other and confarming
[confirming] this and no other to be my last will and
testament, In witness whareof I have seat my hand and
seal ye day and year above written.
Signned Sealled Published
from unused and declared by the aid Jonathan Edwards as
his last will and testament In the preasents [presence]
of us the subscribers.
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