Posted on: Hampshire Co. Ma Wills Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ma/HampshireWill/5 Surname: Brooks ------------------------- Hanpshire Co Massachusetts Probate Records Vol 7, p 308b Will made 27 Nov 1750, proved 14 May 1751. In the name of God Amen The Twenty Seventh of November One Thousand Seven hundred and fifty I Joseph Brooks of Ware river precinst in the County of Hampshire & province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Hus bandman being very sick & weak in bocy but of perfect mind & memory Thanks be to God therefor Calling unto mind the mortality of my Body & knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make & ordain this my last Will & Testament & that is to Say principally & first of all I give & recomend my Soul in the hands of God that gave it & my body I recomend to the Earth to be buried in decent & Christian Burial at the Disertion of my Executors nothing doubting but at the General Resurection 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 one in this Life I give demise and dispose of the Same in the following Manner & form - First of all I constitute & appoint Samuel Bliss of Western & Samue Brooks of Spring field as my Sole Executors of this my last Will & Testament to make Sale of all my Estate Real & Personal excepting the moveables in the house first of all out of my Estate to make Payment of all my Just Debts to all my Creditors. Imprimis I give & bequeath to my dear & well beloved wife Mercy one third part of all my Estate after my Just Debts are paide with all my moveables in the house Item I give & bequeath to my eldest son Joseph Brooks Thirteen pounds Six Shillings & Eight pence over & above their Equal Share with the rest of my Children I likewise Give & bequeath to my Second Son Isreal Brooks Four pounds out of my Estate over & Above his equal Share with the rest of my Children. I Likewise order my Executor to distribute all my Estate what is left after my Just Debts are paid and what I have given to my two Eldest Sons equally to Joseph Brooks my eldest son to Isreal Brooks my Second Son & to Silas Brooks my Third son & to Jonathan Brooks my youngest Son & to Chloe my eldest Daughter & to Eunice Brooks my Second Daughter & to Anne Brooks my Third Daughter and to Thankful Brooks my youngest Daughter. I likewise constitute & appoint Mary my well beloved wife and Ichabod Bliss of Brimfield as Administrators to my Children which are under age to choose their Guardians and I do hereby utterly disanull revike & disallow all & every other former Testaments Wills Legacies & Bequests & Executors by me in any way before named willed & bequeathed ratifying & Confirming this & no other to be my last will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand & Seal the day & year above written. Vol 7, p 323 20 Aug 1751. Mary Brooks widow & relict of Joseph Brooks late of Ware river appointed guardian of Silas Brooks, Chloe Brooks, Eunice Brooks, Anne Brooks Jon'n Brooks, Thankful Brooks minors under 14. Vol 7, p 325 29 Aug 1751. Inventory of the estate of Joseph Brooks taken at Ware River 21 May 1751, totalled £385 s4 d1. Vol 7, p 339 12 May 1752. Isreal Brooks, a minor above fourteen years & one of the heirs of Joseph Brooks late of Ware River, chose Samuel Bliss of Western, Worcester County, to be his guardian.