DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF NEW JERSEY, VOL 23, CALENDER OF WILLS, VOL 1 1670-1730 DAVENPORT, FRANCIS, of Chesterfield, Burlington Co.; will of. Sons---Francis and Isaac (under 21); daughters---Sarah Hall, Anne, wife of Isaac Decow, who has son Joseph Decow, Abigal, Esther and Rebecca Davenport, the last not yet 18, daughter-in-law Susanna Field; legacies to the Meeting House, Jno. Leeson, Tho: Miller and Moses Pettit. Son Isaac to go to school for one year. Son Francis sole executor with the assistance of Thomas Lambert and son-in-law Isaac Decow. Home farm at Crosswicks Creek, lot in Burlington; silver buttons, a small silver tumbler. Witnesses--John Bunting, Samuel Butcher and Joseph Reckless. Proved April 16, 1707. 1707 15th d. 2d m. (April). Inventory of the personal estate, £1692.-13.41/4 incl. a silver tumbler of 2 3/4 oz. weight £1.2.-, 2 do. cups, 8 do. spoons and some broken plate, in all 411/4 oz. £16.10.-, 3 old bibles, bills and bonds £373-9.1, book debts £601.16.ll, and debts due by Indians £23.16.51/2; made by Peter Frettwell, Isaac Marriott, Edward Rockhill and John Tantum. 1720 Nov 14 and 15. List of goods of, sold at auction by Isaac Norris, the administrator of the estate, to Edward Beak, Josiah Key, Thomas Foulke, Robert Mongomery, 14 head of neat cattle £26, Nathan Allen the servant man Robert Dale £13.10, Robert Rowe, a young mare £5.11, Wm. Satterwait, Thomas Lambert, John Lawrence, Robert Chapman, Anthony Bunting, John Laning, Gabrall Still, Daniel Beach, James Dunbdein, Samuel Bunting, Jacob Large, Gerrard Eddge, Richard Ellison, Henry Nailbord, William Wood, Tho: Wetherell, Tho: Shreve, John Middleton, Joseph King, Wm. Thorn, A'm Cook; the sale bringing in £199.19.9. 1727 Aug. 8. Account of the estate,£434.7.ll, by the administrator, Isaac Norris, who charges himself with same, Left w'th the Widdow for her use, which I could not in humanity Divest her off, being So necessary to her & Children," and is himself a creditor of the deceased to the amount of £398.19.ll. EARLY CHURCH RECORDS of Burlington County, New Jersey, Vol 2 p44 3rd da, 2nd mo, 1707. Francis Davenport deceased. THE GENEALOGY OF THE DECOU FAMILY, S. Ella DeCou of Trenton, NJ. and John Allen DECOU of Moorestown, N.J. p8 under "PLACES" Burlington, N.J., is said to owe its name to Bridlington, Old England, which is about four miles from Flamborough Head Light House, and was the home of many of the early settlers. The familiar names of Nottingham and Chesterfield have the same origin. Chesterfield is near to some of the most beautiful spots in the kingdom. At Bolsover Castle, about six miles from Chesterfield, Charles 1 and his court were entertained at different times. The parish church has, for an architectural singularity, a much twisted spire. The legendary cause is that it is the work of the evil one; another, that it is the caprice of the architect. The practical idea ascribes it to the warping of the woodwork. Three miles from this bent and twisted steeple is Whittington, known in these records as the home of Francis Davenport and the birthplace of his daughter, Anne, second wife of Isaac Decow. p74, WILL OF FRANCIS DAVENPORT: Chesterfield the 15th of the dwelfth month 1706 I Francis Davenport of Chesterfield in ye county of Burlington & Province of Nova Cesaria being weak of body but of sound & perfect memory praise be therefore given to Almighty God do make and ordain this my present last Will & Testamt in Manner & form following, yt is to say first & Principally I give my Soul & Spirit to God yt gave it & my body to be buried among ye People caller Quakers: with whom I am in true Unity. *And as touching ye Disposition of my Temporal Estate which it hath pleased God to bestow upon me I give & dispose thereof as followeth. Imprs I will that all my just Debts & Funeral Expenses be discharged by my Ezecuts hereafter named. Item I give to my Son ffrancis Davenport ye Plantation where I now dwell beginning at Crosswicks Creek & so back into ye Woods till it Contain three hundred Acres: & fifteen acres of Meadow out of that called ye great meadow to be Surveyed in one place with all ye buildings & Improvements & Orcharss belonging to ye aforesaid three hundred & fifteen Acres of Land & ye remaining pt of ye Land on ye other side of ye creek not given to Sarah Hall & one small tract of Land lying between Tho: Wright & Robert Wright's, containing ab: twenty Eight Acres as by ye Survey & one small tract of Land lying by Joseph Stewards adjoining to ye Scotch line containing fifty Six Acres more or less: all which I give to him his Heirs & Assigns forever. And what Land falls to me by Virture of Propriety not yet taken up I give to my two Sons equally to be divided: to them their Heirs & Assigns forever. Item I give to my son Isaac Davenport ye remaining pt of ye Tract of Land where I now dwell containing five hundred Acres more or less & one small lot lying in Burlington to him his Heirs & Assigns forever. Item I give my two Sons each a set of Silver buttons which I commonly wear. Item I give to my daughter Sarah Hall a Tract of Land on ye other side the Creek whereon they now dwell containing One Hundred & fifty Acres more or less with a p'cell of meadow joyning on Tho. Gilborthorps containing Eight Acres more or less to her Heirs & Assigns forever & all those goods she had of me soon after she was Married & also all ye Debt in my book as it now stands amounting to seventy-five pounds fifteen shills & nine pence & forty shills p. annum during her life to be pd by my Executs out of my plantation. Item I give to my daughter Ann Decow fifty four pounds one shilling & ninety-five pounds nineteen shills she hath already had as by my books appears which makes up one hundred & fifty pounds to be pd twelve months after my decease & five pounds p. annum during her life all to be pd by my Executs & I give my grand Son Joseph Decow twenty pounds to be pd when he shall attain ye age of twenty one years. I give to my three daughters Abigal, Esther & Rebecca each one hundred & Seventy five pounds & to my daughter Rebecca ye bed & furniture & set of Drawers ye were her Mothers all to be pd by my Executs hereafter named as they shall attain ye age of twenty one years, & my will is yt my daughter Rebecca live with Isaac Decow or with such other as my Executs may see meet & she she be satisfied with & she find her all necessaries, for which she shall have eight pounds p. annum till she attain ye age of Eighteen to be pd by my Executs out of ye interest of her portion. Item I have subscribed twent pounds towards the Meeting house wch I would have pd provided it be carried on as proposed. Item I give my daughter -in-law Susannah Field five pounds to be pd within a year after my decease. Item I give to Jno Leeson all ye debts he oweth me in my Books to this day: I give Tho: Miller Forty shills & Moses Petit thirty shills. And my will is yt my Son Isaac Davenport go one year to School & ye charges to be pd by my Executs & if his brother & he do not agree to live together then my Will is that he be put out to some Convenient trade such as his brother with the Executs in trust may think fit.: I give my Son-In-Law Isaac Decow one small Silver Tumbler. Item I give ye rest of my Real & Personal Estate be it what or where it will I give to my two Sons Francis & Isaac to be equally divided between them, my son Isaac Davenport not to be pd his pt till he Attain ye age of twenty-one years. And in case any of my children dye before they attain ye age of twenty-one years their part to be equally divided among ye Survivors. And for the just Execution of this my last Will I do make & ordain my beloved son Francis Davenport full & sole Executr of this my last Will & Testament & do desire my trusty & well beloved frd Thomas Lambert & my son-in-law Isaac Decow to assist my Executr. In the Execution of this my last Will & further my will is yt Tho. Lambert & Isaac Decow shall be pd for their Time & Trouble yt they shall be at on yt acct. & I give each of them five pounds to be pd within a year after my decease. And my desire is that my Son may not act in any matter of weight without ye advice of Tho. Lambert & Isaac Decow & ye rest of Friends. (signed) cis ffran Davenport (seal) The Davenport Seal Signed Sealed & Acknowledged in ye Presence of John Bunting his Samuel x Butcher mark Joseph Reckless Probate April 15th 1707 Appraisement 2 mo 15th 1707 by Peter ffretwell, Isaac Marriott, Edward Rockhill, John Tantum. Inventory £1692-13s-04 1-2