Lieutenant Abraham Howe, Sr.

PARENTS: Josiah Howe, Jr., born Sudbury, Middlesex Co., MA., and Sarah (Biglo) Bigelow, born Watertown, Middlesex Co., MA.

WIFE: Abraham married Martha Potter, around 1732, and they had at least 9 children together.

SON: Abner Howe, husband of Sarah Lane.

DAUGHTER: Sarah Howe, wife of Levi Walker, and later Jonathan Moore.

EPITAPH: Memento Mori - Erected in memory of Lieut. Abraham Howe, who departed this life May 12, 1790 in the 82d year of his age. God's word commands our flesh to dust, Return ye sons of men; All nations rose from earth at first, And turn to earth again.

NOTE: Memento mori - is a Latin phrase that may be freely translated as "Remember that you are mortal," "Remember you will die," or "Remember your death". Source: Wikipedia

"Abraham Howe moved to Brookfield soon after marriage, and was one of the petitioners for the second precinct in Brookfield in 1748, and later was one of the original members of the church in that precinct. He was Lieut. in one of the companies that marched from Brookfield, 9 Aug. 1757, to the relief of the army at Ticonderoga. He died 12 May 1790. His will dated 27 Feb. 1788 and proved 1 June 1790, appointed his son Eli as Executor."

SOURCE: Howe Genealogies, by Daniel Wait Howe, Published by NEHGS, Boston, 1929, (Pg. #58, 59).

WILL:

In the Name of God Amen. I Abraham Howe of Brookfield in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Gentleman, being this twenty seventh day of February, one thousand seven hundred and eighty eight, sound in mind and and memory do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following, that is to say I give and command my soul into the hand of God who gave it, trusting in the merits of Jesus Christ my only Savior I give my body to the Earth from where it was taken, to have a decent Christian Burial at the charge and expense of my Executor, hereinafter named, hoping in the Ressurrection of the dead and reunion of the soul and body at the great day.

And on touching my worldly interest and estate I dispose thereof as follows viz

Imprimer, my will is that all my just debts be paid out of my estate by my executor hereinafter named.

Item - I give and bequeath to my dear wife Martha How, one half part of all of the income of the farm where I now live fit for use. Also the improvement of the existing part of the house from the top to the bottom of the same with the with the privledge of the kitchen as usual, with sufficient firewood for her use cat at the door.

Item - I give, bequeath and devise to my son Ephraim Howe ten acres of upland bounded North on Capt Holman's land and East on Nathan Bartlett's land and South on Eli Howe's meadow. Also I give him the value of thirty pounds in addition to the above.

Item - I give to the children of my son Abner Howe, deceased the value of thirty six pounds in equal shares.

Item - I give and bequeath to my son Eli Howe, about eighteen acres of land North of Gideon Jenks House, bounded West by his own land, North on Goodales land, East and South on town roads. Also about seven acres of meadow on five mile river bounded North on Ephraim Howe's meadow bequeathed as above East and West on Upland, South on Gideon Jenks land. I also give him my clock and pew in the meeting house with all my livestock of every kind that I shall die siesed profits of with all my husbandry and carpenter tools and utensils of every kind.

Item - I give my daughter Sarah Moore the value of sixteen pounds.

Item - I give to my daughter Rachel Green thirty pounds.

Item - I give my daughter Martha Hinds thirty pounds.

And it is further my will and pleasure that the forementioned sums and bequestments, shall be paid by my Executor named hereafter, within one year after my decease and that they shall be paid in saleable livestock, merchandise, table grain or real estate estimated according to their true value in lawful silver money and if the parties don't agree, the prices to be determined by judicious and disinterested men.

Item - My will further is that all my household moveables and furniture that shall remain after my own and my wifes' decease, shall be equally divided between my three daughters, viza Sarah, Rachel and Martha. And that my evening apparrel and any and all my estate not mentioned in this will to be equally divided between my two sons Ephraim and Eli.

Item - I name constitute and approve my son Eli to be Sole Executor of this will---And I do hereby revoke all other and previous wills by me made and declare this only to be my last will and testament.

And I Martha Howe, wife of Abraham Howe do hereby testify my consent and approbation of the above written instrument. In witness whereof we have unto set our hands and seal of the year and day first above written.

Abraham How Martha How

Signed, sealed, qualified and pronounced and declared by the said Abraham Howe to be the last Will and Testament in presence of us witnesses.

Benjm Adams Jason Bigelow Thomson Rawson

June 1, 1790