In a message dated 3/21/2006 9:01:00 PM Mountain Standard Time, sherrystewart@telus.net writes: Hi Ruth and Sue, I'm wading in because I have a John who was supposedly in one or both of those states, but what are your dates for your John? Was he ever in the military? My John was later half of the 1800's I believe, but I'm nit sure. My daughter has a clipping of a newspaper article about him, I'll get a hold of her. Thanks so much! Sherry Stewart ********************************** Suffield was in MA before it was in CT. See the Will of John below. Ruth Cherecwich Will of John Stewart: In the Name of God Amen the Twenty Seventh day of July in the year of our Lord God 1747 I John Stewart in Suffield in the County of Hampshire Blacksmith being very sick & weak in body but of perfect mind & memory thanks be given unto God therefor calling to 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 & recommend my Soul into the hands of God that gave it, & for my Body I recommend it to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like - and decent manner at the Discretion of my Executors, nothing doubting but at the general resurection I shall receive the same again by the mighty Power of God and as ______ such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life I give Bequeath & dispose of the Same in the following manner & form ---- Imprimis I give & bequeath to Sarah my dearly beloved wife one cow & one bed & bedding of cloaths, & also the privilege & use of my dwelling house which is in Blanford as long as she lives & pots & ______ & Tongs & Chairs & Dishes and whatsoever is necessary to keep house with which belongs to me --- Item I give my Well beloved son James Stewart, whom I likewise constitute make & ordain my only & sole Executor of this my last Will & Testament, my Home place in Blanford with all the rights & priviledges thereto belonging only my dwelling house which I have given the use and privilege of to Sarah my dearly and well beloved Wife during her life, & then to return unto my son James I also order that my son James shall keep a cow Summer & Winter and give Twenty four bushels of Grain, that is to say Sixteen Bushels of Indian Corn & Eight Bushels of rye unto Sarah my Wife yearly & every year for her support as long as she lives, and for the support of my little daughter Rachel & further I order that my Son James pay unto my Daughter Mary Forty pound Old Tenor when she Demand it. I also order that my Son James pay unto my Daughter Rachel Thirty pounds Old Tenor when she comes of age to choose her guardian ---- Item I give unto my Son John Stewart Sixty Acres of Land lying in Blanford, which I purchased of Chris Jacob Lawtown ---- Item I give unto my Son Robert Black my Second Division Lot & a year old Heifer also 5 pounds of money he owes me I give unto him ---- Item I give unto my son William one year old Heifer ---- And I do hereby utterly disallow revoke & disanul all & every other former Testaments Wills & Legacies Bequests & Executors by me in any ways before this time named Willed and bequeated ratifying & confirming this & no other to be my last Will & Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the day & year above written --- John [his Mark] Stewart (Seal) Witnesses present Walter [his mark] Stewart Margaret [her mark] Stewart William [his mark] Stewart Hampshire ____ Sept 9th 1747 The forgoing Will was presented for Probate by the Executor therein named & Mr's Walter Stewart & William Stewart two of the Witnesses to the Same personally appearing made oath that they saw John Stewart the Testator Sign & Seal & heard him pronounce & declare the Same to be his last Will & Testament & that he was of sound mind & memory when he did it, & that they with Margaret Stewart all signed as Witnesses to the Same in the Said Testator's presence. Wherefore at a Court of Probate holden at Northampton within & for the County of Hampshire on the Second Tuesday of October being the 13th day of said month anno Domini 1747 & John Stoddard Esq. Judge of Said Court the foregoing is ratified approved & confirmed as the last Will and Testament of Said Deceased. Att Tim Dwight??? The following letter is found in the Town of Blandford Miscellaneous Book: "We of hering of our Dear father John Stewart of Blandford Late Deceased being meet together in Sufield at ye hous where David Boies liveth upon ye fourteenth Day of August in ye year 1747 in order to settle something that was not mentioned in our Dear fathers Last will and testament and as it pleased our Dear father to constitut and ordain our Brother James Stewart his sole Executer of his Last will and testament so we all and each of us do herby signify that we do fully freely and absolutly Aquite and Discharge of said James Stewart from all or any part of our Dear fathers esteat either real or personal but only what is mentioned in his Last will he paying all Debts Due upon said Estate and paying unto each of us in Consideration for our part of what was not mentioned in Sd will both real and personal a sum of five pounds to Each of us _______ in witness hereunto we have set our hand ye Day and Year above mentioned." Robert Black William Stewart John Stewart Mary (her mark) Stewart Witnes present William Donughy David Bois