1665
Petition of Cecilia Moryson to the King. Is sister of Giles Rawlins, who died possessed of a considerable estate, whereof an equal share appertains to her; her husband at the time of her brother’s death was Governor of Virginia, and in his absence her two sisters shared the estate, leaving her a very unequal proportion; prays that the matter may be referred to the Lord Chancellor.
17 July 1666
Will of Francis Lord Willoughby of Parham. After payment of his debts and funeral expenses, in particular 700l. to the executors or administrators of Lucas Lucy, merchant, unless already paid out of 3,000l. due to Lord Willoughby from his Majesty, and 480 Mexican pieces of eight to Dr. Peter La Rouse. Bequeaths to his daughters, Frances, wife of William Lord Brereton, and Elizabeth, wife of Richard Jones, eldest son of Viscount Ranelagh, his moiety of the revenue of Barbadoes and the other Caribbee Islands (except 100,000 lbs. sugar yearly to his nephew, Henry Willoughby during his stay in Barbadoes), and to their younger children (not their eldest sons) after them; also to his said daughters his plantations, &c. on Antigua, and two-thirds of his moiety of the land in the Province of Willoughby Land, and two-thirds of his plantation of Parham Hall, on the river of Surinam, and all his private estate in Willoughy Land. To said Henry Willoughby the remaining thirds of his lands in Willoughby Land and Surinam; to his nephew, William Willoughby, 200l. per annum for life; to Dr. Peter La Rouse, for his constant care, 50,000 lbs. Muscovado sugar, formerly lent to him; to his executors 20,000 lbs. sugar apiece, wherewith to buy each other a ring; to Jane, wife of William Frith, clerk, for her faithful care in the government of testator’s family, 20,000 lbs. sugar and 20l. per annum for life; also legacies or annouities to his servants, John Fowlles, Dixon, Robert Stokes, Edward Spragg, Dodsworth, Nicholas Walker, and Ricahrd Wills. Appoints Henry Willoughby, his nephew, Thomas Wardall, Samuel Barwick, Dr. Peter La Rouse, and testator’s secretary, Henry Haughton, executors. To Henry Haughton, for his faithful services, and to attend to the payment of legacies and look after the plantations at Antigua and Surinam, his expenses and 100l. per annum for life. Appoints his brother, William Willoughby, Sir Bulstrode Whitelock, and Sir Charles Pim, overseers in trust of this will, with 20l. apiece for a ring. Testators rents, issues, and profits in England or elsewhere to be paid to John Champante of London, merchant – who for his pains is allowed 100l. per annum – to such uses as his said daughters or their children shall direct.
Annexed is an
Order from William, Archbishop of Canterbury, appointing Elizabeth Viscountess Ranelagh administratix of this will, dated London, 10th May 1678.
16 January 1667
Petition of Averina, relict of Robert Bannatine and her son Hyllyard, an infant, to the King. Being lawfully possessed of a plantation in Barbadoes called Locust Hall, together with negroes, cattle, and stock worth more than 20,000l., petitioner was in Sept. 1663 most illegally dispossessed by a warrant of Lord Willoughby, who for 2,400l. sold the same to one [Edward] Pye. Prays his Majesty to take order for petitioner’s re-establishment until she is to be evicted at law.
1668
Petition of Dorothea, widow of Daniel Gotherson, formerly Dorothea Scott, to the King. Was heir to the young house of Scott’s Hall in Kent, and brought her husband an estate of near 500l. per ann., which was all mortgaged by him, and since his death all taken for debt, so that petitioner and six children crave the King’s clemency in the case following: a great part of her husband’s debts were contracted by his disbursing near 2,000l. to one John Scott for land and houses in Long Island; the land is all disposed of, and her son, for whom it was bought, has been exposed to work for his bread the last three or four years, though not full 17 years of age. Prays therefore for an order to Fras. Lovelace, Deputy Governor of Long Island, to examine her pretensions and do her justice: if she has no interest in land there, has not any elsewhere.
Sainsbury, W. Noel, ed., Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series (Volume 5), America and West Indies, 1661-1668, Preserved in Her Majesty’s Public Record Office (Vaduz: Kraus Reprint Ltd., 1964) First Published London: HMSO, 1880. pp. 290, 398-399, 442, 607-608.
More information about settlers in colonial New York can be found in the books:
Mohawk Frontier: The Dutch Community of Schenectady, New York, 1661-1710
and:
Traders and Gentlefolk: The Livingstons of New York, 1675-1790
and:
Before the Melting Pot: Society and Culture in Colonial New York City, 1664-1730