> But I have yet to find a single gun mentioned in any of my ancestral wills. > How about y'all? These men aren't my ancestors and I found them by searching for "sword" as "gun" produced hits with words like "begun": From John Whitmore, 1696: " And the other halfe to remain to the use of my wife till her natural death. And then the whole of my aforesaid House and Lands to be for my son Thomas WETTMORE & his heyres for Ever. Lands, one parcel of meadow at Wangonque containing about three acres according to my Father Thomas WHETMORE's Deed of Gift to him. Also my three side arms, one short gun or Carbine, two fowling pieces, one sword, one Pike, with the rest of the implements thereunto belonging, when he comes to the age of 21 years." From Deacon Daniel Markham, 1711: " I give unto my son Daniel MARKHAM my gun and sword." From Nathaniel Brown, 1735: " I, Nathaniel BROWN of Middletown, being sicke and weak in body, doe make this my last will and testament: I give to Sarah, my wife, the whole of my household goos and all otehr moveable estate (as stock of creatures and other utensils of what kind soever), to be for her comfort and at her dispose forever (excepting my gun and sword and amunition, which, if my daughter Sarah BECKWITH should have a son and they call him after my name, I give sd. arms and amunition unto that child)." Jane