The Will of Thomas Pell, Oldest Son of John Pell of the Manor of Pelham
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I have written before about Thomas Pell, so-called Third Lord, and his efforts to sell Minneford Island (today's City Island) in 1750 shortly before his death. See Thu., May 11, 2006: Thomas Pell Offers City Island, Then Known as Minneford Island, for Sale in the Mid-18th Century.
Thomas Pell, so-called Third Lord, married a woman named Ann. Pell family tradition holds that his wife was named "Anna" and that she was a daughter of Wampage, a supposed "Indian chief," who according to Pell family tradition, slew Anne Hutchinson. According to that tradition, Wampage became known as Annhook, a name he supposedly took after slaying Anne Hutchinson and her family. Thus, according to this tradition, the Anna that Thomas Pell married was an "Indian Princess."
The story of Thomas Pell and his "Indian Princess" Anna is apochryphal. Despite years of research by serious genealogists and this author, there is not a shred of reliable evidence to support this oft-told story. While there is some reliable evidence that Thomas Pell married a woman named Anna other reliable evidence including Pell's will indicates that her name was "Ann." In short, her first name is about all we know about Pell's wife and we are not even certain if her name was Ann or Anna. Since Pell's will also identifies a widowed daughter named "Ann" Broadhurst, it seems most likely Thomas Pell's wife was named Ann -- not Anna. For summaries of a few 18th century documents that refer to Thomas Pell and "Anna his wife," see Bolton, Robert, The History of The Several Towns, Manors, and Patents of the County of Westchester, From Its First Settlement to the Present Time, Vol. II, pp. 60-61 (NY, NY: Chas F. Roper, 1881). For images of Pell's will referring to his wife "Ann Pell," see below.
Thomas Pell created his Last Will and Testament in 1739. It was not probated, however, until shortly after his death in 1752. Today's posting to the Historic Pelham Blog presents images of the archival record of the will of Thomas Pell, so-called Third Lord of the Manor of Pelham. It also presents transcriptions of each page of the will.
First Page of Last Will and Testament of Thomas Pell
Dated Sep. 3, 1739, Admitted to Probate Aug. 18, 1752.
1 Mar 1754, p. 154 (NOTE: Paid subscription required to
access via this link). NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
"(154) . . . .
In the name of God Amen this third day of September in the thirteenth Year of the Reign of King George the Second Anno Domi one thousand seven hundred and thirty nine I Thomas Pell Sen r. of the Manor of Pelham in the County of Westchester and province of New York being Sick and Weak in Body but of perfect mind and Memory thanks be given unto God therefore & calling into mind the mortality of my Body knowing it is appointed for all Men once to die doe make & ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner & form following To say principally and first of all I give and recommend my Soul into the hands of God that gave it and my Body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a Christian like decent manner att the discretion of my Executors herein after named and touching such worldly estate it hath pleased God to bless me with all in this life after my just & lawfull debts are first satisfyed & paid out of my moveable estate as also my funeral charges by my Executors herein after name I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner & form Imp s. [i.e., "Imprimis"] I give unto my daughter Ann Broadhurst the use of"
Second Page of Last Will and Testament of Thomas Pell
Dated Sep. 3, 1739, Admitted to Probate Aug. 18, 1752.
1 Mar 1754, p. 155 (NOTE: Paid subscription required to
access via this link). NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
"(155)
The Room she now lives in during the time she remains a single woman without a husband but if in case after my decease my Son Joseph Pell doth not like or approve of her living in said room during the time aforesaid that then he shall build her a small house of about sixteen foot square and allow her that & the use of six acres of land out of his land during the time she remains a single Woman or without a Husband as aforesaid and I also give unto my said Daughter Ann Broadhurst the sum of sixty pounds Curr t. Money of New York to be levied and paid her out of my moveable estate by my Executors after my decease and to be enjoyed by her her [sic] heirs & assigns forever Item it is my further Will and mind that my Brother John Pell should have house Room lodging Victuals & Cloaths, Comfortable for him during his life time which I order my son Joseph Pell to provide Item I give and Bequeath unto my beloved Wife Ann Pell the use of the best Room in my house and timber in any part of my land and the use of Sixty Acres of Land and Chamber & Cellar Room in my house during the times she remains my Wid o. and I also give unto my said Wife the Sum of one hundred pounds Curr t. Money of New York by her if she sees cause to take it in Money out of my moveable estate after my decease to be enjoyed by her her heirs and Assigns forever and also I further give unto my said Wife the best bed & furniture in my house Item I give and bequeath unto my son John Pell the Sum of five pounds Curr t. Money of New York to be levied and paid him out of my moveable estate by my Executors after my decease to him his heirs and Assigns forever he having Rec d. the rest of his portion already Item I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas Pell the sum of three pounds Curr t. Money of New York to be levied and paid him out of my moveable estate by my Executors after my decease to him his heirs and Assigns forever he having rec d. the rest of his portion already Item I give and Bequeath unto my son Joshua Pell the sum of three pounds Curr t. Money of New York to be levied and paid him out of my moveable estate by my Executors after my decease to him his heirs and Assigns forever he having rec d. the rest of his portion already Item I give and bequeath unto my Son Philip Pell the sum of three pounds Curr t. Money of New York to be levied and paid to him out of my moveable estate by my Executors after my decease to him his heirs & Assigns forever he having rec d. the rest of his portion already. Item I give and Bequeath unto my Son Caleb Pell the Sum of three pounds Current Money of New York to be levied and paid him out of my moveable estate by my Executors after my decease to him his heirs and Assigns for ever he having rec d. the rest of his portion already Item I give and Bequeath unto my son Joseph Pell all and Singular my Lands Meadows Houses Tenem ts. Buildings &c that now belongeth unto mee as also the houses Rooms & Land before reserved for my Daughter Ann att her having a husband or death as also all the Land & Rooms before reserved for my wife att her Marriage or decease to him, his heirs & Assigns to his and their own and only proper use benefit and behoof for ever after my decease Item I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Sands the Sum of Seventy pounds Curr t. Money of New York to be levied and paid her out of my moveable estate by my Executors upon my decease to her her heirs & Assigns for ever. Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah Palmer the Sum of five pounds Curr t. Money of New York to be Levied and paid her out of my moveable estate by my Executors after my decease to her her heirs and Assigns for ever. Item I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Beersheba Pell the sum of one hundred & fifty pounds Curr t. Money of New York to be levied and paid her out of my moveable estate by my Executors"
Third Page of Last Will and Testament of Thomas Pell
Dated Sep. 3, 1739, Admitted to Probate Aug. 18, 1752.
1 Mar 1754, p. 156 (NOTE: Paid subscription required to
access via this link). NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
"(156)
After my decease to her her heirs and Assigns for ever Item it is my Will and mind that all my moveable estate excepting what I have before reserved to my wife should by my Executors after my decease be sold and the aforesaid Legacies (after my just and lawfull debts & funeral charges are Satisfied & paid) to be paid and out of the overplus thereof I give and bequeath unto my grandson Samuel Broadhurst the Sum of Ten pounds Curr:t Money of New York to him his heirs and Assigns for ever and the Remainder thereof it is my Will & mind should be equally divided among my four daughters Mary Sands Ann Broadhurst Sarah Palmer and Beersheba Pell and be enjoyed by them their heirs & Assigns forever and for Executors of this my last Will and Testament I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my two Sons Philip Pell and Joseph Pell sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby utterly dissolve Revoke and disannul all and every other former Wills Testaments Legacies & Executors whatsoever by me before this time named Willed or Bequeathed Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament In Testimony whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and Seal the day & year first above written.
THO: PELL. (Ls).
Be it Remembered that on the eighteenth day of August Annoq e. Domini one Thousand seven hundred and fifty two personally appeared before me Israel Honeywell Esq r. being thereunto delegated and appointed Stephen Lawrence one of the Subscribing Witnesses to the within written Instrument (purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Thomas Pell deceased) and being duely Sworn on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God on his Oath declared that he saw the said Thomas Pell deceased Sign and Seale the said Instrument and heard him publish and declare the same to be his last Will and Testament that at the time thereof the said Thomas Pell was of sound and disposing mind and memory to the best of his knowledge and Belief that he signed his name as a Witness thereunto in the presence of the Testator and saw John Coutant & John Cure the other subscribing Witnesses to the said Will sign their names as Witnesses thereto in his presence and in the presence of the Testator.
Israel Honeywell
Surrogate"
Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."
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Labels: 1739, 1752, Anna Indian Princess, Thomas Pell 3rd Lord, Will
posted by Blake A. Bell @ 5:07 AM
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