Charlestown March 15 1696/7. In the name of God. Amen.

I Richard Gardner of the town of Charlestown in the county of Middlesex in his majesty’s province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, Yeoman being stricken in years and not knowing how soon God may put an end to my days am willing to put my house in order before I die. Being at this present of perfect memory and sound mind do make, ordain and constitute this writing my last will and testament; hereby revoking and renouncing all former wills by me made, the which let no man alter or change.

Imprimus, I do freely resign up my soul to him who gave it, and to Christ who redeemed it, and to the Holy Spirit of God my sanctifier, hoping & firmly believing that though at death my soul and body being dissolved, the worms shall destroy my body, yet it shall be risen again & reunited to my soul through the merits and resurrection of Christ my savior to a full enjoyment of God for all eternity.

I commit my body to the earth, there to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor & Overseer afterward named. & after my just debts and funeral charges are defrayed, the rest of my temporal assets which God hath been pleased to bestow upon me, I give and bequeath as followeth.

1. I give to my only son Henry all my farms, the house wherein I now live with all outhousing adjacent & all ye land thereunto belonging within the bounds of Charlestown; as also the woodlot which by exchange I had of Samuel Bloggot [son? or now?] of Woburn; & all moveable assets [???] paying [???] afternames in this my will, according to what shall be exampled therein.
2. I give unto John Gardner son to my son Henry all the parcel of land which I purchased of Mr. Broughton which was formerly Squaw Sachems gift.
3. I give unto the children of my daughter Hannah Coddington besides what she hath received in her lifetime forty pounds in ore, as money to be paid in 4 years after my decease by my executor.
4. I give to the two children of my daughter Ruth Jepson (viz) Ruth and Anna besides what I have formerly given in a deed of gift to their father as his wife’s portion [five?fifty?] pounds to be paid by my executor & to be equally divided between them when they come to the full age of eighteen years.
5. I give unto my 4 daughters Hester, Abigail, Rebeckah & Mehitable fourscore pounds each of them, only what has each of them have received already is to be reckoned a part of the same, and what remains to be paid to each of them as followeth.

1. To my grandson Richard Thompson, son of my daughter Abigail, I give the hintermost of my 2 lots on the northside of Maple[???]river & unto my grandson Simon Thompson, brother to the Richard, I give the other lot on the northside of the Maple[???]River
2. To Benjamin Johnson, son to my daughter Hester, I give ten acres of ploughland in the greatfield, joining to the land of Lieutenant James Connet’s in the south and west side of it; as also a lot of land above Brookneck Hill on Billerica Road.
3. To John Whittamore son to my daughter Rebeckah I give ten acres of land lying next to the ten acres above mentioned from the bank downward to the pond and also a lot of land lying above Lieutenant Edward Johnson to the right hand of that highway.

4. I give to my two grandons Benjamin Johnson & John Whittmore above said all my land and woodland lying on the side of [Horn] Pond Hill just next to my old house plot on Woburn.
5. I give to John Connett son to my daughter Mehitable all that included in Woburn where my old house was & my swamp and upland at simple bridge, all my woodland at Woodbridge & a little lot by Powell’s lot
6. I give all my meadowland at great meadow and round meadow to the above said Benjamin Johnson; John Whitmore & John Connett to be equally divided between them.
7. Furthermore my will is yet if what I have given to any of my four daughters, their children above mentioned included upon a [???] valuation of these lands above the amount (with what they have received up to now [???] the sum of fourscore pounds willed them, they shall respond so much to the rest who shall fall short of their full [???] above, & if there be not still enough in your hands to do it, it shall be made up to them by my executor. But if what I have given you be more than equal shares the surplus shall be equally divided amongst them.
8. I give to the children above said of my four daughters above said equal shares in my two woodlots, the one ranging from the top of Turkey Hill to Cambridge land & the other lying above John Johnson’s saw mill that was Samuel Bloggots Son’s and the west side [???] Matthew Johnson on the east side [???]
9. I give my woodlot at Bull Meadow Brook to my son Henry and to those children of my four daughters above said mentioned to each an equal share thereof.
10. My will is that the payments to children to whom I [???] willed said lands as above shall be possessed of said lands until said children come of age or in 2 years after my decease.
11. My will is in case any one or more of the children above said of my four daughters aforesaid shall die in their nonage yet the thing I have willed to him or them shall come to their natural brothers or sisters bitb of mysaid daughters. Moreover benjamin possessing of it [???] my son Henry shall have the first possessor of it.
12. I give unto my four daughters Hester, Abigail, Rebeckah & Mehitable all my right and title of those lands called Cooks farm. to each an equal share unto them and their heirs forever [???] may be for [???] I give to my son Henry.
13. Moreover I do define to my trusty and loving frineds Major William Johnson and my Reverend Pastor Jacob Fox overseers of this my will, to each of wholm as a token of my love I do give five pounds to whom likewise if any difference should arise among any concerned in this my will [???] the meaning and intent of it I give full power to determine and issue the same wishing my children and grandchildren to be [???] by them in any difficulty and charging them all as a father to live in peace and love and in obedience to all God commands that it may be well with them forever.
    
    I bid you farewell. Richard Gardner.

Signed, sealed and acknowledged in the presence of us. [???]Sarah Green, The mark of Hannah Richardson.