“In the name of God, Amen, I, Philip Coady of Hopkinton, in the County of Middlesex, in His Majesty’s Province of the Massachusetts Bay, in the New England States, husbandman, being aged and weak in body, but sound in mind and memory thanks be to God therefore, and calling to mind my mortality, and not knowing how soon I may die, do this day, being the tenth of August in the year of our redemption, seventeen hundred and thirty-nine, make this my last will and testament.
       “First, commending my soul unto the hands of a merciful God, hoping for salvation through the merits of my blessed Saviour, and my body to the ground to be buried in a decent and Christian manner according to the directions of my executors hereafter named, hoping to be received into the general resurrection of the righteous, and for such worldly estates as it has pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me, I give, bequeath and bestow in the manner following, viz:
       “I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Martha, my farm at Hopkinton, containing one hundred acres during her natural life, but in no part to be alienated. I also give to her all my personal estate of whatever kind, nature and quality whatsoever (after payment of my just debts and funeral expenses) to her own use and improvement and support for and during the time of her natural life to dispose of as she shall think proper.
       “I give and bequeath to my son John(1) the sum of twenty shillings to be paid in two months after my decease by my beloved wife Martha.
       “I give and bequeath to my son Joseph and his heirs thirty-three acres and one-third of an acre of my farm in Hopkinton aforesaid to be possessed by him or his heirs after his mother’s decease, the bounds and limits of the said thirty-three acres and one-third of an acre as follows: The line to begin at the road and run between the two dwelling houses until it comes to the middle of the barn, and then pass through the barn so as to divide the barn, and then the line to continue until it meets a line of a thirty-three acres and one-third of an acre hereafter mentioned given to my grandsons Samuel and Joseph Coady and then westerly bounded on the said thirty-three acres and one-third of one acre northerly on the land now in the possession of Jason Walker, easterly on a road together with the house, half the barn and appurtenances thereto, belonging to or in any way appertaining.
       “I give and bequeath to my son Thomas Coady and his heirs thirty-three

acres and one-third of an acre of my farm in Hopkinton aforesaid, to be possessed by him or his heirs after his mother’s decease, the bounds and limits of this tract of land as follows: The northerly line to begin at the road and run between the dwelling houses until it reaches the middle of the barn, then to pass through the barn so as to divide the barn, and then the line to continue until it meets the line of thirty-three acres and one-third of an acre hereafter mentioned given to my grandsons Samuel and Joseph Coady, and then westerly bounded on the said tract of thirty-three acres and one-third of one acre, southerly on the land now in the possession of Charles Morris, and easterly on a common road, together with the dwelling house, half the barn and all the appurtenances belonging or in any way appertaining.
       “I give and bequeath to my two grandsons Samuel and Joseph Coady being the sons of my son Isaac, to their heirs if either arrives at the age of twenty-one years, to be possessed by them in equal halves as they shall come of age of twenty-one years (provided it be not until after their grandmother's decease) thirty-three acres and one-third of one acre on the westerly part of my farm in an oblong form, the whole width of my farm aforesaid, and the northerly and southerly bounds to be equal. But the said tract to remain in the use of my executors hereafter named until they shall respectively come of age, and provided they die in their minority, then I give and bequeath the said tract to my sons Joseph and Thomas Coady and their heirs in equal share and division that is to say the southerly part to my son Thomas and his heirs to be possessed by them in the manner aforesaid after the decease of their mother.
       “And reposing special trust in and fidelity in my beloved wife Martha and my son Thomas, I do hereby make them my executors of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day of the year above written and now subjoined.
       “Signed, Sealed, Published and Declared, August 10th., 1739.       “Witness:
              Charles Morris
              George Barret
              Mary Morris”.
       (Note)—This will was presented for probate the 3rd. day of February, 1743.

1. By land archives at Cambridge we learn that at the time Philip leased land at Hopkinton another one hundred acres were leased in John’s name. This may explain why Philip did not will any part of his farm to John; he may very likely have helped John at that time.