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Archiver > QUAKER-ROOTS > 1997-09 > 0875247961


From: Victoria Cheney< >
Subject: SIMON HADLEY Will, Pt.1
Date: Thu, 25 Sep 1997 23:26:01 -0500 (CDT)


Information about the Will of SIMON HADLEY (1675-1756). [See also
the previous message.]

"This will was found by Chalmers Hadley in the Wilmington, Delaware court
house in 1908. No inventory of Simon's estate was found with the will, but
a check of its provisions reveals that he disposed of 615 acres of land
and about L15,000 in money - not a small amount for those days.

Attached to the will was the deposition of David Finney, attorney at law,
taken before William Till, Register of Wills for the probate, and granting
letters of administration in and for the county of Newcastle. In this
deposition, Finney said he was at the mansion house of Simon Hadley, Esq.
on 21 Jan 1756, and that Simon seemed unable to determine what sum should
be left Phoebe, his wife. Finney suggested 200 pounds, to which Simon
agreed was fair in addition to the marriage settlement he had given her.

Simon was buried beside his wife, Ruth [Lindley], in the New Garden
burying grounds. Their graves, together with those of their friends and
neighbors, can not be identified since early-day Friends did not mark
their graves with a stone of any kind."

Information from _The Hadley Family_ by Lyle H. Hadley and an article in
_The Pennsylvania Traveler Post_, v. 16, #3, p.3

WILL OF SIMON HADLEY written in 1755

Know all men by these presents that I, Simon Hadly of Mill Creek Hundred
in the County of New Castle on Delaware, yeoman, calling to mind the
mortality of my body, do make and ordain this my last will and testament,
and as touching such worldly estate where-with it has pleased God to
bless me in this life, I do give, devise and dispose of the same in the
manner and form following:

First, it is my will that my funeral charge and just debts be first paid.

It is my will and I do leave my beloved wife, PHEBE HADLY ________ pounds
current money to be paid her six months after my death, to be paid by my
executors, hereinafter mentioned, her chaise and chaise-horse, my riding
mare and the two best cows I have, besides what I have left her in my
marriage settlement with her, and as much of the furniture of the house
as she will think fit to take, to the value of _______ pounds and no more,
which shall be in full of my real and personal estate.

Imprimus,--I give, devise and bequeath unto my grandson SIMON HADLEY, son
of my son JOSHUA HADLEY, the Messuage plantation and tract of land I now
live on, bounded and described as follows Viz. Beginning at a corner post,
being a corner of JACOB JOHN's lands thence by his line east 300 perches
to a corner white oak in the Manor line, thereon south by the said line 217
perches to a corner hickory, thence west by the land now seated by my
grandson JOHN HADLEY, 73 perches to a post, thence north 31 degrees, west
38 perches to a black oak, thence north 50 degrees, west 48 perches and a
half to a gum tree, thence north 20 degrees, west 19 perches to a post,
thence north 69 degrees, 59 perches to a post in WILLIAM ROWs line, thence
north by the same 46 perches to the place of beginning, containing 260
acres be the same more or less, making the bounds aforesaid, with the
hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging, to hold to him, my
said grandson SIMON HADLEY and the male heirs of his body lawfully begotten
forever, but if my said grandson should depart this life without lawful
issue, then it is my will and I do give and the devise the same Messuage
plantation and tract of land unto my grandson JEREMIAH HADLEY, son of my
said son JOSHUA HADLEY, to hold to him and the male heirs of his body
lawfully begotten forever, but if he should depart this live without male
heirs as above, then and in such case I give and devise and bequeath the
said Messuage plantation and tract of land and premises unto the next male
heirs as consanguinity to him and the male heirs of his body lawfully
begotten forever. I also give and bequeath unto my said grandson SIMON
HADLEY, my clock and walnut clothes press which stands in one of the upper
rooms and the sum of ten pounds lawful money, all of which several bequests
to be possessed by him when he shall arrive at the respective age of
twenty-one years.

and it is my will that my executors here-in-after named, rent the above
plantations to good tenants until my said grandsons arrive at the age of
twenty-one years, that all of my said grandsons shall pay the _______ due
on each of their plantations when lawfully ___________.

I do leave my son JOSEPH HADLEY, half of my wearing apparel and ten pounds
current money, which shall be his full portion and share of my real and
personal estate.

I do leave my daughter, DEBORAH HOWEL, wife of JACOB HOWEL, ten pounds
current money and I do leave to the said Jacob Howel, ten pounds current
money, which shall be in full their portion and share of my real and
personal estate.

I do leave my daughter, HANNAH STANFIELD, widow of JOHN STANFIELD, fifty
pounds current money which shall be paid in full of her portion and share
of my real and personal estate.

I do leave my daughter, RUTH LINDLEY, wife of THOMAS LINDLEY, ten pounds
current money and I do leave to the said THOMAS LINDLEY, ten pounds
current money, which shall be in full their portion and share of my real
and personal estate.

I do leave my daughter, KATHERINE JOHNSON, wife to ROBERT JOHNSON, ten
pounds current money and I do leave to the said ROBERT JOHNSON, the sum
of ten pounds current money, which shall be in full their portion and
share of my real and personal estate.

I do leave my daughter, ANNE GREGG, widow of RICHARD GREGG departed,
the sum of forty pounds current money which shall be paid in full of her
portion and share of my real and personal estate.

I do leave my son JOSHUA HADLEY, ten pounds current money and half of my
wearying apparel which shall be in full of his portion and share of my
real and personal estate.

I do leave to my grand-daughter ELIZABETH THOMPSON, wife to JAMES
THOMPSON, forty pounds current money and I do leave to my grand-daughter
DEBORAH CURLE, wife of JOHN CURLE the sum of five pounds of current money,
and to my grand-daughter HANNAH CURLE, wife to SAMUEL CURLE the sum of
forty pounds current money, all of them children of my son JOSEPH HADLEY.

I do leave to my grand-children RUTH MARSHALL, wife to JOHN MARSHALL, the
sum of twenty pounds current money, and I do leave to THOMAS HADLEY, the
sum of forty pounds current money, and I do leave to SARAH FRED, wife of
JOSEPH FRED, the sum of fifty pounds current money, and I do leave to
MARY HADLEY the sum of sixty pounds current money, and I do leave to
JOSHUA HADLEY, Jr. the sum of sixty pounds current money, and I do leave
to JEREMIAH HADLEY the sum of sixty pounds current money, and I do leave
to JOSEPH HADLEY Jr. the sum of sixty pounds current money, and I do leave
DEBORAH HADLEY sixty pounds current money and I do leave HANNAH HADLEY the
sum of sixty pounds current money, and I do leave CATHERINE HADLEY, the
sum of sixty pounds current money, all of them children of my son JOSHUA
HADLEY.

I do leave to my grand-children to wit, I do leave to SIMON DIXON
fifty-five pounds current money, and I do leave REBECCA MARSHALL wife to
WILLIAM MARSHALL, thirty pounds current money and I do leave RUTH DIXON
sixty pounds current money and I do leave to JOHN STANFIELD, Jr. the sum
of fifty pounds current money, and I do leave THOMAS STANFIELD fifty
pounds current money, and I do leave SAMUEL STANFIELD fifty pounds
current money, all of them children of my said daughter HANNAH STANFIELD,
widow and relict of JOHN STANFIELD.

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