Will of John Rolfe

John Rolfe was born around 1550 and died around 1635 in Whiteparish, Wiltshire, England. His will is helpful in learning about the 2 of his sons that emigrated to MA Bay colony.

James Brintzinghoffer ← Theodore C. Brintzinghoffer ← Catherine Forman ← William Spencer Forman ← Robert Forman ← Spencer Connet ← James Connet ← James Connet, Jr ← Mehitable Gardiner ← Anna Rolfe ← Henry Rolfe ← John Rolfe

The Will of John Rolfe of Whiteparish in the county of Wilts, yeoman, [ ]ary 1624/25. To the church of [Whiteparish] 6d., to be used toward the reparation of the church by the church wardens of Whiteparish. Concerning my right and interest in certain leases of which I now stand possessed, after my decease my son [ Rolp]he shall have that messuage or tenement and close adjoining, and that close called long [ ] adjoining to Bushy lease, and that close called breach meade, and a parcel [ ] sometimes parcel of bushy lease and lying upon the lane called Rumsey [ ] containing fourteen “lugge”, all being in Whiteparish, and also four [? pieces of] arable land containing ten acres called Webb [? close] with a messuage which I hold of the right [ ] William Stockman of Bereford, county of Wilts, Esq., by virtue of a [? lease] dated 20 March 8 James I, to hold the said lease and premises until the full term of ninety nine years be ended, if myself, Henry Rolfe, my son, and John Rolfe the younger, my son, or any of us, live so long. Said closes of arable land and pasture containing ten acres sometime called Webb close, which I now hold of William Stockman by lease dated 10 January 8 James I for ninety nine years if my sons Henry and John or either of them live so long, I give to my son Henry for his life and after his death my will is that Honor Rolfe, wife to the said Henry my son, if she survive her husband, shall hold the said premises during the time she remain a widow, and when my daughter-in-law be married to any other husband or die, then my son John shall enjoy the residue of the time unexpired. My son John shall have the three acres of ground sometimes waste ground parcel of the Earldome lying between Langley wood and the round coppice, demised to me and my assigns by William Stockman Esq., during the term of the [th]ree years, as appears by indenture dated 20 March 8 James I. To John, my younger son, the new chest, my best coffer, my iron bound cart, and £3. To Joane, the eldest daughter, and Hester, the youngest daughter of my son John, a brass pan, pewter platter, a hive of bees and 20s. each. To Joane, my grandchild, daughter of William Holloway, a hive of bees and 20s. at [ ] twenty-one years my will is that [ ] son of John or the longer [ ] two kine and a mare which [ ] Item I give to my daughter [ ] coverlid and 26s. 8d. to [ ] ease. Item I give to Richard Whiteer [ ] of money which money my executor [ ]taine to the age of twenty & six yeares [ ]ty shillings. And further my will is that [ ] abovenamed shall have their twenty shillings apiece [ ] my decease: for which my above named grand [? children shall give my] executor an acquittance and he shall accept of [ ] sonne John a coverlid which lyeth in my press [ ] piece if they shall require it within one year after [ ] aged men and women of Whiteparish the sum of [ ] at the discretion of my executor and the minister. [ ] the rest of my goods and chattels unbequeathed, my [? debts and legacies paid and funeral expenses disch]arged, I give and bequeath to my son Henry Rolfe and [? make him my] sole executor; and I give to Mr. Parks, minister of Whiteparish, [ ] My neighbors John Coles of Mort farme and William Morris of Newton [ ]field to be my overseers, and to each of them I give 10s. [ ] to see my will faithfully performed. [Signed] John Rolfe his marke. [Witnesses’ names torn off.]

Codicil dated 29 May 1625. I give to be delivered by my life time which is no part of [ ] nor touching my last will, as witnesses John [ Willi]am Morris. Mary my daughter shall have 13s. [ ] of the £17. I give to my son John 30 [ ] nn pounds. I give to Mary my daughter a little barrell , etc., [ ] a stall of bees for Thomas [Whittier, who came to New England in 1638, with his uncle John Rolf] her son, and unto Mary my daughter a gown. To Henry my son the silt and the powdering tub. To John my son my [ ]ake and the newest jerkin and hose. All the rest of my household stuff to be equally divided between Henry, my son and executor, and John, [? my you]ngest son. [Signed] the m’ke of John Rolfe the elder. Proved 8 October 1625, by the executor named. Inventory taken 6 October 1625, by John Coles, William Morris, and Thomas Rolfe, £113 1 s. 4d., exhibited by the executor 8 October 1625. (Archdeaconry of Sarum, 1625, Original Will and Inventory.) [Brackets indicate the places where the foregoing will is mutilated or illegible.]