Will of Robert Ripley (1734-1797)
Robert Ripley of Amherst made a will on September 11, 1797 and died the next day in his 63rd year. In his will he leaves bequests to his wife Isabella and 9 of his 10 children, all but daughter Mary. Nevertheless, the executors did give Mary the same 5 pound amount that was bequeathed to Robert's other children. And according to a 1979 version of Ernest Coates's Ripley family history, a transcription of the original will by Janet (Read) Nelson did include the bequest to Mary. Robert's first two bequests of 60 pounds each are made to son Thomas now in England and to his unmarried daughter Easter (Esther). By the time the legacy was paid, Esther was married and the 60 pounds was paid to her husband Thomas Donkin. The value of 60 pounds in today's dollars, calculated using an online tool for measuring worth, would be about 63,800 pounds or about $97,000 dollars in equivalent average earning power, a substantial sum. It's interesting that all the other children are named as "sons" and "daughters" except Margaret Horton. Her legacy is also paid to Margaret Horton instead of to a husband, which has lead to the conclusion that she had been widowed. Margaret is also not mentioned in Isabella Ripley's will of 20 Mar 1830. She could have passed away by this time. However, all of this leads me to wonder whether the Mysterious Margaret Horton really was the daughter of Robert and Isabella.
Robert gives the farm he purchased from Luke Harrison to son Robert and directs him to provide an income of 3 pounds a year to Isabella if requested. According to the deed(s) Deed Book E, p. 54 and Deed Book E, p. 103) the purchase price for Lot 7 was 130 pounds and son Robert was paid 130 pounds in the dispersals. Although the purchase date for both deeds is given as 3 Dec 1796, Luke Harrison's wife Triphena appears before Justice of the Peace Charles Baker to waive her dower rights on 3 Dec 1796 in Deed Book E, p. 54 and 15 Jun 1798 in Deed Book E, p. 103. This would indicate the transaction was completed after Robert's death in 1797. There are bequests of 5 pounds each to Robert's other children. However, in the dispersals William receives two 5 pound amounts. Son John and wife Isabella receive the remainder of his estate, acting as joint executors. The dispersals do not provide details about items or properties given to John and Isabella. Robert also leaves his new watch to John and instructs John to give the watch Robert had already given him to Henry. The will is signed by Charles Baker, Thomas Coates, and William Pipes. Charles Baker was the Justice of the Peace. Thomas Coates was related to Robert through the marriage of their children. Although Robert Ripley's name appears on the document, it looks as though he signed with an X.
Robert gives the farm he purchased from Luke Harrison to son Robert and directs him to provide an income of 3 pounds a year to Isabella if requested. According to the deed(s) Deed Book E, p. 54 and Deed Book E, p. 103) the purchase price for Lot 7 was 130 pounds and son Robert was paid 130 pounds in the dispersals. Although the purchase date for both deeds is given as 3 Dec 1796, Luke Harrison's wife Triphena appears before Justice of the Peace Charles Baker to waive her dower rights on 3 Dec 1796 in Deed Book E, p. 54 and 15 Jun 1798 in Deed Book E, p. 103. This would indicate the transaction was completed after Robert's death in 1797. There are bequests of 5 pounds each to Robert's other children. However, in the dispersals William receives two 5 pound amounts. Son John and wife Isabella receive the remainder of his estate, acting as joint executors. The dispersals do not provide details about items or properties given to John and Isabella. Robert also leaves his new watch to John and instructs John to give the watch Robert had already given him to Henry. The will is signed by Charles Baker, Thomas Coates, and William Pipes. Charles Baker was the Justice of the Peace. Thomas Coates was related to Robert through the marriage of their children. Although Robert Ripley's name appears on the document, it looks as though he signed with an X.
Transcription of Robert's Will
The Last Will & Testament
of Robert Ripley
In the Name of God Amen. I Robert Ripley
of Amherst in the County of Cumberland Yeoman, being very
sick and weak in body, but of sound disposing mind and
Memory Blessed be God therefore, calling to mind my latter
end, and knowing that it is appointed for all Men once to
die, do make and publish this my last Will and Testament
in manner and form following that, is to say, first, I
recommend my Soul into the hands of almighty God who
gave it me in hopes of a joyful Resurrection, and my
body I command unto the Earth to be buryed in a decent
manner at the discretion of my Executors, and as for that
Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bestow on me
I give and dispose of it, in manner, and form following, that
is to say. First. I give and bequeath to my son Thomas
Ripley now in England the sum of Sixty Pounds.
Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Easter Ripley
the sum of Sixty Pounds.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Henry Ripley
the sum of Five Pounds. I also desire that my son Henry
shall have the watch that my son John now has, and I give unto my son John my watch.
Item. I give to my son Robert Ripley the farm
that I purchased from Luke Harrison.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son William
Ripley the sum of five pounds.
Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter
Elizabeth Pugsley the sum of five pounds.
Page 2
Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Jenny Coates, the sum
of five pounds.
Item. I give and bequeath to Margaret Horton, the sum of Five pounds.
Item. It is my will and desire that my son Robert shall pay
to his Mother, the sum of three pounds a year during
the time, she shall remain a Widow, if demanded.
Item. I give and bequeath to my dearly beloved Wife Isabella
and my son John, the whole of my Estate of
what name or nature soever it be after my
Just debts, and Legacy's be paid, to be equally
divided between them, my said Wifes part to
be Solely at her disposal.
Item. I appoint my dearly beloved Wife my Executrix, of
this my last Will and Testament, and my son John
Ripley Executor, to Act as joint Executors. In
Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and
Seal at Amherst, the Eleventh day of September,
in the thirty seventh year of the reign of King
George the third, Anno Domini 1797.
Signed, Sealed, published, Robert Ripley (seal)
Pronounced and declared by the
said Robert Ripley, as his last X
Will and Testament- in presence of
Charles Baker
Thomas Coates
William Pipes
Registered 12 Oct. 1797
The Last Will & Testament
of Robert Ripley
In the Name of God Amen. I Robert Ripley
of Amherst in the County of Cumberland Yeoman, being very
sick and weak in body, but of sound disposing mind and
Memory Blessed be God therefore, calling to mind my latter
end, and knowing that it is appointed for all Men once to
die, do make and publish this my last Will and Testament
in manner and form following that, is to say, first, I
recommend my Soul into the hands of almighty God who
gave it me in hopes of a joyful Resurrection, and my
body I command unto the Earth to be buryed in a decent
manner at the discretion of my Executors, and as for that
Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bestow on me
I give and dispose of it, in manner, and form following, that
is to say. First. I give and bequeath to my son Thomas
Ripley now in England the sum of Sixty Pounds.
Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Easter Ripley
the sum of Sixty Pounds.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Henry Ripley
the sum of Five Pounds. I also desire that my son Henry
shall have the watch that my son John now has, and I give unto my son John my watch.
Item. I give to my son Robert Ripley the farm
that I purchased from Luke Harrison.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son William
Ripley the sum of five pounds.
Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter
Elizabeth Pugsley the sum of five pounds.
Page 2
Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Jenny Coates, the sum
of five pounds.
Item. I give and bequeath to Margaret Horton, the sum of Five pounds.
Item. It is my will and desire that my son Robert shall pay
to his Mother, the sum of three pounds a year during
the time, she shall remain a Widow, if demanded.
Item. I give and bequeath to my dearly beloved Wife Isabella
and my son John, the whole of my Estate of
what name or nature soever it be after my
Just debts, and Legacy's be paid, to be equally
divided between them, my said Wifes part to
be Solely at her disposal.
Item. I appoint my dearly beloved Wife my Executrix, of
this my last Will and Testament, and my son John
Ripley Executor, to Act as joint Executors. In
Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and
Seal at Amherst, the Eleventh day of September,
in the thirty seventh year of the reign of King
George the third, Anno Domini 1797.
Signed, Sealed, published, Robert Ripley (seal)
Pronounced and declared by the
said Robert Ripley, as his last X
Will and Testament- in presence of
Charles Baker
Thomas Coates
William Pipes
Registered 12 Oct. 1797
Sources and Notes:
Electronic copies of the originals of Robert's 2-page Will, Will Inventory, and Will Dispersal documents can be found in Will Book A available on CD for purchase online at the Cumberland County Genealogical Society website. Copies of just the will documents are also likely available upon request for a fee.
A transcribed version of the will by Ernest Coates is attached to many trees at Ancestry.com. Ernest cleans up the capitalization and punctuation and adds a bit of information such as (Jane) in parenthesis after the name Jenny presumably to clarify the identity of Jenny Coates.
To view the will online, see Ripley Wills 1st & 2nd Generation on this website.
Electronic copies of the originals of Robert's 2-page Will, Will Inventory, and Will Dispersal documents can be found in Will Book A available on CD for purchase online at the Cumberland County Genealogical Society website. Copies of just the will documents are also likely available upon request for a fee.
A transcribed version of the will by Ernest Coates is attached to many trees at Ancestry.com. Ernest cleans up the capitalization and punctuation and adds a bit of information such as (Jane) in parenthesis after the name Jenny presumably to clarify the identity of Jenny Coates.
To view the will online, see Ripley Wills 1st & 2nd Generation on this website.