Ephraim Sheldon, Sr

Ephraim Sheldon (1670 - abt. 1737)

Ephraim Sheldon, son of William Sheldon and Rebecca (Scadlock) Sheldon, was born 13 January 1670 at Scarborough, Cumberland, Massachusetts Bay (now Maine). He died about 14 January 1737 in Scituate, Providence, Rhode Island

Marriages and Children

Ephraim Sheldon and Jane Peard were married on 30 April 1694 at Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts Bay. Jane Sheldon died sometime before Ephriam Sheldon married second, Margaret Fenner on 15 April 1725.

The evidence is found in the will of Ephriam Sheldon in Probate and Town Council Records, Book 1, page 37, in Scituate, Rhode Island, and it explains the identities of Ephraim Sheldon's second wife, Margaret and his children. See more information below at the Probate Records section.

1. Ephraim Sheldon and Jane Peard:
   1. William Sheldon, baptized 20 October 1700 Salem Village Church in Danver, Essex County, Massachusetts Bay
   2. Ephraim Sheldon, baptized 20 October 1700 Salem Village Church in Danver, Essex County, Massachusetts Bay
   3. Rebekkah Sheldon, baptized 20 October 1700 Salem Village Church in Danver, Essex County, Massachusetts Bay
   4. Hepsibah Sheldon, baptized 17 October 1703 Salem Village Church in Danver, Essex County, Massachusetts Bay
   5. Nath[anie]l Shelden, baptized 7 April 1706 Salem Village Church in Danver, Essex County, Massachusetts Bay
   6. Israel Sheldon, born at Norton 6 August 1709, recorded at Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay and recorded there
   7. Stephen Sheldon, born 22 September 1711 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay and recorded there
   8. Benjamin Sheldon, born 28 February 1714-15 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay and recorded there
   9. Lidia Sheldon, born 29 December 1717 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay and recorded there
2. Ephraim Sheldon and his second wife, Margaret Fenner:
   1. Hepsibah Sheldon, born 8 September 1726 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay and recorded there
   2. Amos Sheldon, born 8 April 1728 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay and recorded there
   3. John Sheldon, born 11 March 1730 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay and recorded there
   4. Skelton Sheldon, born 11 August 1732 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay and recorded there

• Additionally, Ephraim Sheldon and his first wife, Jane Peard, had a son, Lemuel Sheldon, proven according to Ephraim's will in 1737, but not certain whether or not he was recorded in any public records; birth order uncertain

Probate Records

The probate records showed that Ephraim Sheldon died on 14 Jan 1737 at Scituate, Providence County, Rhode Island:

Att a Town Council held in Scituate by adjournment the 6th: Day of February Anno Dom 1737...

Margaret Sheldon widow of Ephraim Sheldon of sd. Scituate Deceased Presented the Last Will and Testament of her said Deceased Husband unto this Council in the Following Words.

In the Name of God Amen this ninth Day of January in the Eleventh year of his Majesties Reign Anno Domini 1737 I Ephraim Sheldon of Scituate in the County of Providence &c Yeomaan being weak and Sick of Body but of Perfect mind and memory Thanks be given to God Therefore Knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my Last Will an Testament, that is to say principally and first of all I give and Recomend my Soul into the Hands of God that gave it, and my Body to the Earth to be Buried in Decent Christian Burial by the Descreation of my Exectorix hereafter mentioned And as Touching Such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath Pleased God to Bless me in this Life I Give Demise and Dispose of the same in the following manner and forme.

Imprimas I Give and Bequeath to my Dearly Beloved wife Margaret whome i do Constitute make and Ordain the Sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament the whole of all my Estate untill her three Sons Amos John and Skelton come to the age of One and Twenty Years; and then to have but one Third part of my Moveable Estate as the Law Directs in Such Cases.

Item I Give to my Beloved Son William five Shillings in Bills of Creditts.

Item I Give to my Beloved Son Ephraim five Shillings in Bills of Creditts.

Item I Give to my Beloved Son Lemuel five Pounds in being part of Two Bonds that I have against him both for Fifteen Pounds. Item my Will farther is that my said son Lemuel paid to my Beloved Daughter Lydia the other Ten Pounds within Two Years after my Decease.

Item I Give to my Beloved Son Nathaniel five Shillings in Bills of Creditts.

Item I Give to my Beloved Son Israel five Shillings in Bills of Creditts.

Item I Give to my Beloved Son Stephen five Shillings in Bills of Creditts.

Item I Give to my Beloved Son Benjamin five Shillings in Bills of Creditts to be paid within one Year after the Date hereof to the above sd. Children by my Executorix Except to my son Lemuel.

Item I Give to my Daugther Lydia Ten Pounds in Bills of Creditts to be paid by my Executorix in Three Years after my Decease and also all my Moveable Estate that was her Mother after my wives Decease.

Item my Will is that my Housestead Farme be Equally Divided between my three youngest sons Amos and John and Sheldon when they come to one and TWenty year of age: One Third part to my son Amos his Heirs and Assigns forever and One other Third part to my son John his Heirs and Assigns forever and the Other Third part to my son Skelton his Heirs and Assigns forever

Item my Will Farther is that my Executrix Sell all my out Lands and[3] Bestow the mones as She pleases Towards the bringing up the Children and to pay my Debts. And I do hereby utterly Disallow Revoke and Disanull all and Every other former Testaments Wills Legacies and Bequests and Executors by me in any wise before named Willed and Bequeathed Ratifieing and Confirming this and no Other to be my Lat Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal the Day and year above Written.

Ephraim Sheldon {seal}

Signed Sealed Published Pronounced and Declared by the said Ephraim Sheldon to be his Last Will and Testament in the Presence of us the Subscribers.

David Aldrich
David Sprague
Edward Sheldon

And the said Margaret Sheldon personally appeared in Council and accepted the Testament of her sd. Deceased Husband and prayd. the same might be Proved And Edward Sheldon Esqr. David Sprague junr and David Aldrich all pesonally appeared and Declared on Engagement that they saw the sd. Ephraim Sheldon Sign Seal Publish Pronounce and Declare the above written to be his Last Will and Testament and that he was of Perfect mind and memory at the same Time and that at the same Time in his Presence they and Each of them Subscribed thereto as Witnesses.

Voted that above Will be allowed to be a good and Lawfull Will and be Recorded as that the Clerks Grant for the Letters Administration under the Seal of this Council to be said Margaret Sheldon of the Personal Estate of the sd. Ephraim Sheldon which was done in the following Words.

These are in his Majesties Name George the Second King of Great Brittain &c To Order Authorise and Impower you the said Margaret Sheldon to Take into Your Possession Care and Custody all and Singular the Goods Chattles Rights and Creditts of your Deceased Husband the said Ephraim Sheldon and the same to Administer according to Law and the Will of your sd. Husband and in all things acts and do in the Premisses as the Law Impowereth and Requireth and Executon. And a True and perfect account to Render to this Council or their Successors in sd. office when you are thereto Lawfully called of sd. Estate and your doings therewith and for your so doing this shall be your Sufficient Authority Given at the Town Council the Day and your above said

Signed by Order of Council and Sealed with their Seal & Stephen Hopkins Counll. Cler. {seal}

And the said Margaret Sheldon Presented and Inventory of her sd. Deceased Husbands Personal Estate to the Council in the following words.

A True Inventory of all and Singular the Goods Chattles and Credits of Ephraim Sheldon of Scituate in the County of Providence &c who Departed this Life on the 14th. Day of this Instant January Appraised in Scituate this 28th. Day of January 1737 by us the Subscribers.

Imprimas To his Wareing Apparrel... £9:17:0
Item To a peice of new Cotton and Linnen Cloth... £6:0:0
Item To one Feather Bed and Furniture... £12:5:0
Item To One Ditto... £10:0:0
Item To Pewter... £7:8:0
Item To an Iron Pot and Kettle and two Trammall... £2:13:0
Item To fire Tongs and fire shovel and Gridiron... £1:0:0
Item To an Old Case of Drawers and an old Chest... £4:5:0
Item To one warming Pan and Small Brass Kettle... £0:18:0
Item To 7 old Chairs one old Table and Two wheels... £2:16:0
Item To meat and Tallows... £4:3:0
Item To one Churne pails Trays and Other wooden ware... £1:10:0
Item To Two bags and wool and woolen Yarn... £2:2:0
Item To two axes handsaw hoes Beetles rings and some Iron... £3:14:0
Item To Two old Scythes and Tacklin and one Bell... £1:0:0
Item To Indian Corne... £2:12:0
Item To Two Cows and Two Calves and Hay to Keep them... £22:0:0
Item To Three Shoats... £2:10:0
Item To one mare... £8:0:0
Item To one Frow and Box Iron and Heater... £0:9:0
Item To a pair of Millstones and Mill Irons... £15:0:0
Item To Flax in the Bundle... £1:10:0
Item To Secialties... £15:0:0
Total... £136:12:0

Edward Sheldon David Sprague John Aldrich

And the said Margaret Sheldon Declared on Engagement that she did set forth to the appraisers who made the above Inventory all her sd. Husbands moveable and Personal Estate that is come to her Knowledge and that if any thing further thereof shall hereafter appear she will add the same to this Inventory.

Voted that the above Inventory be accepted and Recorded.

Teste Stephen Hopkins Coull. Clerk

Sources

• “Five Colonial Sheldon Families.” Godfrey Sheldon's Descendants. Sheldon Family Association, 2019, www.sheldonfamily.org/.
• Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. Vol. 2, "Marriages and Deaths." Salem, Mass: The Essex Institute, 1905, p. 293.
• Scituate, Rhode Island. Probate and Town Council Records, Book 1, p. 37. Ancestry.com. Rhode Island, Wills and Probate Records, 1582-1932 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015, https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/9079/007649084_00053#. (Subscription required.)
• Vital Records of Salem, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849. Vol. II. "Births." Salem, Mass: Essex Institute, 1918. p. 280. Print.
• Vital Records of Attleborough, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. Salem, Mass: Essex Institute, 1934, p. 231. Print.
• Scituate, Rhode Island. Probate and Town Council Records, Book 1, p. 38, 39. Ancestry.com. Rhode Island, Wills and Probate Records, 1582-1932 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015, https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/9079/007649084_00054#. (Subscription required.)
• Ancestry.com. U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2012. Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
• MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Mar 22 2020, 20:04:54 UTC