Will of Joshua Dodge   Worcester County Massachusetts Will Book Vol #25 pg #156
Transcribed from SAMPUBCO copy by George Borden

Surnames of relatives mentioned: Dodge, Barns, Peabody, Hale

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The Will of Joshua Dodge (b.Ipswich, MA 1 February 1701 d. before 5 December 1793)

In the name of God Amen I Joshua Dodge of Brookfield in the county of Worcester in the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts yeoman being in health of body and of Sound Mind but
considering the uncertainty of life and the expediency? of having my worldly affairs settled
Do make and ordain this my last will and testament.  Principally and first of all I commit my
soul to God as into the hands of a Gracious Creator hoping for Mercy through the works and
intercession of my Redeemer.  My body I commit to the earth to be decently buried according to
the discretion of executors herein after named. I dispose of the Estate with which it has pleased
God to bless me in Life in the following manner, First I Bequeath and devise unto my beloved
wife Rebecca Dodge all that Part of my Estate both Real and Personal which she could hold in
case I died Intestate to be holden by her in the Same Manner it would have been had this will
never be made but her right to my personal Estate is upon this                   Condition that She will
release and quit? claim unto my Son Joshua Jun'r and to his heirs and assigns forever all her
right of Dower and Power of thirds in and to that part of my farm which I give and Devise to him
by this will.  In addition to the above Bequeath I give my said wife my Best Bed Bedstead,
furniture A chest of drawers, the first                      of                           works and
all the goods She brought with her at the time of our Intermarriage, one cow and my common
Riding horse. Secondly, to my Son Joshua Dodge Jun'r and his heirs and assigns forever I give
Bequeath and devise all that part of my farm whereon he now Dwells as the Same was Surveyed
by James Whitcomb Surveyer Supposed to about forty-seven acres Be the Same More or Less to
be and Remain to him and them forever. I also give my said Son Joshua my Book called Clark's
Annotations on the Bible.  I thirdly having heretofore Given my Son Caleb Dodge a Portion of
my Estate I give him the sum of five shillings and no more.  Fourthly to my Son Josiah Dodge I
give five shillings having heretofore given him a Portion.  Fifthly, I give to my Daughter
Elizabeth five shillings having heretofore given her a Portion.  Sixthly, I give to my grandson
Jonathan Peabody Son of my Daughter Sarah Peabody the sum of six pounds, thirteen shillings
and four pence Lawful money to be Deducted out of the third Part of the Residuary Legacy
herein after given to my said Daughter Sarah Peabody.  Seventhly, I give Bequeath and Devise
to my grandson Joshua Dodge Son of Samuel Dodge of Londonderry in the State of   New
Hampshire all my Right title and interest Property Claim and Demand otherwise called Roxbury
in the state of (Connecticut crossed out) Vermont the same to be and Remain to him the said
Joshua Dodge and to his heirs and assigns forever. Eighthly my will further is that after all my 
Debts Legacies and funeral charges are paid out of my Personal Estate all the Residue of my
Estate both Real and Personal not herein Before Disposed of be immediately sold by my
Executors at their Best Discretion and they are hereby fully Empowered to convey a good title
thereto by deed or otherwise and after my wife's term in my said Real Estate Shall have Expired
my will is that the farm should be also sold and the whole amount of said sales shall be Divided
as Legacies in the following manner, viz, one part                   to my grandsons Joshua Barns and
Elijah Barns Equally, another third to my grandsons David Low Dodge and Joshua Dodge of
which third Joshua shall have a Double Portion, the other third to my Daughter Sarah Peabody
and her heirs subject to the Payment of the Devise to her son Jonathan Peabody. Finally, I
appoint my friend Dwight Foster, Lyman Young, Beloved wife Rebecca Dodge to be the
Executors of this my last will and Testament hereby Revoking and Disclaiming null and void all
other and former wills and Testaments by me made and Confirming this and this only to be my
last will and Testament. In writing whereof I hereunto affix my hand and Seal this 28th Day of
May in the year of our Lord 1782 and in the Six years of Independence.  
Signed Sealed Published Pronounced and Declared by Joshua Dodge (LS) the said Joshua Dodge
as his last will and Testament in presence of the Subscribers who at his Request in his Presence
of each other hereto Set our names as witnesses.  Moses Dow   Dorothy Foster   Ruth Foster
 
Codicil

Whereas I Joshua Dodge of Brookfield in the County of Worcester in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts yeoman did on the Twenty-Eighth Day of May in the year of our Lord one
thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Two make Execute and Publish a Certain instrument
purporting to be my Last Will and Testament and whereas some explanation is one Clause
thereof may be                            and a Republication of said will may be advantageous therefore
be it known to all whom it may Concern that it is my will and intention that my Executors in my
said will named or the Survivor of them or the one who shall accept said trust should be
empowered to sell and dispose of the Residue of my Estate Real and Personal mentioned in the
Eighth Article of said will. Desirable at the same time also to sell and Dispose of the Right in
Reversion to that Part of Real Estate the improvement of which is given to my wife During Life
and Thereby do Empower my Executors or the Survivor of them or the one who shall accept  
the Said Trust accordingly to sell and Dispose of the same at their his or her best Discretion the
proceeds after Payment of debts and to be divided and Distributed in manner as by said will
Directed.  And the said Joshua Dodge do hereby again Publish Pronounce and Declare the said
instrument together with the Codicil thereunto to be my Last Will and Testament and in
testimony thereof do hereunto affix my hand and seal this thirteenth day of November in the year
of our Lord 1786. 
                                    Joshua Dodge (LS)

Witnesses   Ephraim Ward   Abner Morgan    Enoch Thayer    Abiel Murdock   
Worcester to the aforegoing Codicil and the will of which it makes a Part.  

Probate
Purporting the last will and Testament of the above said Joshua Dodge did having been
presented for Probate Present Rev? Ephraim Ward and Abner Morgan Esquire two of the
witnesses thereto Subscribed who made Solemn Oath that they saw the said Testator Sign
Seal and heard him Declare the said Testament Codicil and will of which it is a part to be his 
Last Will and Testament and at the time of Execution the Same he was according to the Best of
their Judgement of Sound and Disposing Mind and Memory and that they will, Enoch W. Thayer
and Abiel Murdock set their names together as Witnesses to the Execution of the said Testament
I do Prove Approve and Allow of the said instruments as the Last Will and Testament of the   
said Joshua Dodge and Dwight Foster Esq. and Rebecca Dodge Executors named in the said
instrument having Declined the trust of Executing the said will I appoint Thomas Hale Jr. of
Brookfield to Administer the Estate of said Deceased with the said will announced.  In
Testimony I have hereunto set my hand and seal of the Court of Probate this Second Day of July
1793.             
                             Joseph Dow    J of Prob        Theoph Wheeler